spiteful tactics after relationship went sour

[lost_in_a_dream]

So I was in a relationship with my boss. Then it ended... a big deal, but we were dealing with life. Then I learned that he was cheating on me with another member on my staff. We are in the journalism business and in my quest to find out more about the girl who took my boyfriend and wanted to take my job I learned that she had been fired for plagiarism at a previous institution. She failed to mention this on her application.

 

Any suggestions on what to do now? I can't fire her- only the cheating boss/ex-boyfriend to me/new boyfriend to her can. BUT if I can prove she lied on her application she's fired -no questions. BUT her application is missing.

 

Any advice on how to handle the situation?

[westernxer]

He won't fire her as long as she's giving it up to him.

 

Move to another paper. That's what journalists do when they want to move up in the business.

[slubberdegullion]

Why do you feel the need to do anything at all?

[lost_in_a_dream]

because she writes for me and I can be sued if she uses her old means of making things up (plagiarism).

 

This isn't a publication where the writer will be sued, this is a publication where all those in charge are sued. But I am not able to let her go without approval of her now boyfriend. Legal advice has said that she be shown the door but The Boss says no.

 

I do not want to make a big deal but do not feel the need to babysit her work while I have a job to do. That is not in my job description.

[westernxer]

It sounds like you're the editor, which means you don't run anything until you've corroborated her story with sources.

 

Or just run something else.

 

And stay away from the boss.

[JayKay]

Good point, Western.

 

 

OP, I don't think you're worried about being sued.

 

I think you'd just really REALLY like to fire this person and want some backup.

[westernxer]

I think you'd just really REALLY like to fire this person and want some backup.

 

That couldn't be more obvious. After all, she did steal the boyfriend away.

[Apex]

I do not want to make a big deal but do not feel the need to babysit her work while I have a job to do. That is not in my job description.

Maybe your ex-boyfriend or someone else should babysit her.

[lindya]

because she writes for me and I can be sued if she uses her old means of making things up (plagiarism).

 

Why would you be held personally liable for another employee's actions?

[slubberdegullion]

Why would you be held personally liable for another employee's actions?

Depends on the jurisdiction. An employee may be construed as an agent for the company, thereby liable for actions performed under his/her command. (Unlike GWB, who is getting away, quite literally, with murder. But that's another thread.)

[lindya]

Depends on the jurisdiction. An employee may be construed as an agent for the company, thereby liable for actions performed under his/her command.

 

The cost of indemnifying individual employees must be astronomical. Over here, the principal is vicariously liable for actions of people it employs - whether they're construed as employees or agents. So if my secretary screwed something up and for whatever reason it resulted in a loss to a client, the client would take my employer to court...but never me personally.

[lost_in_a_dream]

Just for the record- yes... I'd have great personal satisfaction if she were fired. I went digging around because she had wanted to replace me in my position (I'm second in command, TheBoss is first and he cannot fire me as we have a Board of Directors that hire the two of us). I wanted to know if her qualifications were as good as she had previously boasted. I learned otherwise. I went digging and came out with gold--- But now I realize that that gold can also be a pain as it looks very personal (and somewhat is) but could ruin my career as well.

 

I cannot move to another paper until I get my degree (which is in progress). At present I am just trying to make it in a cutthroat world/business.

 

This is all on a college level, mind you... I can only hope that next year when I enter the 'real world' the politics are different. This type of petty drama (that I am far too involved in and participated in) is a bit high school-like. I'd prefer this all blow over but I opened the can of worms and now have seemed to misplaced the lid.

[magda]

Perhaps you should take your findings to the Board.

[lindya]

This is all on a college level, mind you... I can only hope that next year when I enter the 'real world' the politics are different. This type of petty drama (that I am far too involved in and participated in) is a bit high school-like. I'd prefer this all blow over but I opened the can of worms and now have seemed to misplaced the lid.

 

Now I'm confused. Is this a job that is separate from your studies, or are you helping to run a college newspaper as part of your studies, and getting some sort of sponsorship for it?

 

Either way, it sounds as if your working environment is slap bang in the middle of academia where feuds and playground politics often seem to fester on for decades. Call it the "eccentric intellectual" effect, Asperger's syndrome or neurosis.... but universities do often seem to provide tolerant havens for employees who lack the social skills to cope in a business environment. Obviously that sort of thing can often result in personality clashes and petty resentments building up.

 

So yes, I think you'll find the politics in the real world a bit different. When you get there, you might want to rethink the wisdom of doing a "Hercule Poirot" on colleagues in the hope of getting them sacked. If you're going into a cut throat industry I guess you might need the ability to be ruthless at times - but there's a difference between ruthlessness and petty vindictiveness. It might be an idea to start trying to eliminate the latter from your character. Unless, of course, you're plannning a career as a gossip columnist...and I'd imagine that competition for that particular role is extremely fierce.

[JayKay]

I don't think politics in the real world are much different, to tell the truth.

 

There is pettiness, back-stabbing, fudge-ing facts and boyfriend/man-stealing pretty much everywhere.

 

If you are going into a 'cutthroat' industry, I'd be prepared for some more of the same once you get into the real biz.

 

Try to conduct yourself with as much professionalism as you can. You don't know who you are going to run into over the years. People who know you now may be in positions to hire you or promote you down the road.

 

If this girl is really a plagiarist, I'm sure she'll hang herself given enough rope.

[lindya]

I don't think politics in the real world are much different, to tell the truth.

 

There is pettiness, back-stabbing, fudge-ing facts and boyfriend/man-stealing pretty much everywhere.

 

Yes, but I'd maintain that academic, institutional environments are in a class of their own. Check out some employment law judgements detailing the background to the disputes, and compare the ones involving commercial organisations to the ones involving academic institutions.

 

For whatever reason, obsessive personal feuds, petty resentments and endless "evidence gathering" expeditions do seem to be common features in the latter. Perhaps it's the combination of bureaucracy, a higher proportion of employees with mild behavioural difficulties (stemming from, eg, Asperger's...google Asperger's and academia together to find out more) and the pent-up frustration that arises from mixing said employees with hundreds of hot young students.

 

It's an interesting area for exploration, I think. Perhaps the OP could research it a bit more thoroughly and do an article on it.

[Sasperilla]

Or it could stem from the fact that in academia, people in management are usually those who suck at actually doing anything academic (therefore their furious need to scale the 'management career ladder'). Unfortunately, they do not seem to realise that in fact they have no talent for management either.

 

When incompetent individuals are left in charge of something they cannot handle, what usually happens is that they look for 'scapegoats' and take their childish moods out on the people 'below' them.

 

Hence the many grievances/disputes

[lindya]

Or it could stem from the fact that in academia, people in management are usually those who suck at actually doing anything academic (therefore their furious need to scale the 'management career ladder'). Unfortunately, they do not seem to realise that in fact they have no talent for management either.

 

When incompetent individuals are left in charge of something they cannot handle, what usually happens is that they look for 'scapegoats' and take their childish moods out on the people 'below' them.

 

Hence the many grievances/disputes

 

That sounds like it comes straight from the heart, Sasperilla

[morrigan]

Try to conduct yourself with as much professionalism as you can. You don't know who you are going to run into over the years. People who know you now may be in positions to hire you or promote you down the road.

 

Be concerned about your resume, not hers. Unless her performance is directly affecting your work, or she's attempting to discredit you, keep out of it. Informing on her will come across as more personally vengeful and may backfire on how you're perceived professionally.

 

There's plenty of BS and pettiness in various companies, and dating coworkers/supervisors is always a bad idea. Steer clear of the drama as much as you can.