I wish there was an ignore button for co workers

I have a troublesome co worker. We'll refer to him as "Paulie" for conversations sake.

I just started my job Thanksgiving time in 2012, I work in a male dominated industry (car repair!), no big deal. I am excellent at my job...and work very well with my co workers and customers. I have never ever had an issue with a co worker...until NOW.

Dear Paulie cannot control his bad attitude nor can he stop talking like a 15 year old boy (immature comments and immature attitude, guy is 38 years old). He was a very very nice guy when I first started to work there, I actually kind of considered him a work friend. Well, come to find out, Paulie is very moody, more so that most. Almost as bad as me, but I have more control of myself. You never know what kind of mood he will be in when he walks in the door.

Paulie and my boss along with his twin brother (my bosses are twin brothers, great people) grew up together. So they have a long history together. Paluie is so rude to my boss!!! He talks down to him at times then when he is done making a scene, he pouts. Paulie will not talk to anyone for the rest of the day and is VERY difficult to work with and around. Several times he stomped out of work early cause of his poor attitude due to my boss telling him to stop being crappy. I have brought Paulie's poopy attitude up several occasions to my boss with no avail. My boss has brought up Paulie's poopy attitude towards him, and I'm like...wait...aren't you the boss?

Last Friday I got the Paulie 'Tude over payroll. I did an update on my Quickbooks (I book keep at work for 3 companies, keeps me busy!) and did my payroll as usual. For whatever reason QB reverted a couple entries to last pay periods' pay. I didn't catch it sadly, and take full responsibility for it, it did mess 2 pay checks up. I didn't realize it at first, then I see Paulie storm out of his office and grab his time card from last week. 15 mins later Paulie rushes out of his office with about 10 miles of bad attitude to follow. 'I ADDED MY TIME CARD AND GOT 76 HOURS! FIX IT! I'M TIRED OF THIS *****!" Well Paulie shorted him self 1.1 hours first off, poor man adds as well as he does his job. My first reaction was to be like "***** you, when you can talk to me like a human I'll do it.", my Second reaction was to swiftly punch him in the face cause I am tired of his general crappy attitude. I ended up going with my Third reaction; finish up my email to a customer, flipped him off behind his back (I sure felt better after that!), and then go to fixing the pay check.

The second guy who's paycheck got messed up was totally cool, very good attiude and we both laughed about it. No worries.

I owed Paulie 3.99 hours, which I asked him if he would like to receive a paper check or add 3.99 hours to next pay period. He opted for taking it next week. I apologized for my mistake and recognized what I did and took responsibility. He didn't give me much acknowledgement nor apologized for his lashing out. It was Friday at 4:58 and I just wanted to go home. Paulie caused me so much anxiety after his lashing out, I just wanted an apology. LOL!!!!! Not happening! My other co-worker just informed me that he is a super rude person to him too! Just having a poopy attitude and talking down to people.

My boss saw the whole thing happen and didn't do anything. I think he is afraid of him to a certain extent...or just afraid of pissing some one off.

After the long weekend, I have resorted to keeping Paulie an arm's length away at all times. I am very brief when I need to talk to him, I don't plan on conversing with him ever. How does one work with a 38 year old child?! I'm afraid that we will have another altercation and I am just going to tell him like it is. GROW UP!

I am sorry that you have to deal with such an immature individual in the workplace but you handled it very professionally. it is a shame that the boss doesn't have the nerve to discipline him for his bad attitude. keep up the good work.

Next time I'd stop him in mid-shout/abuse and calmly tell him to leave your office and not come back until he has a civil tongue in his head and make him do it; just interrupt anything he might be insisting on/saying/etc. if he isn't pleasant enough. He has gotten away with his behavior for 38 years, no one standing up to him, it doesn't matter if the boss or his friends, neighbors, or countrymen don't stand up to him, you should for your own sanity?

How I'd love to kick him out of my office, but we are quite a cozy office here, and I have no doors. doh! Maybe I'll just politely turn him around and ask him to try again in a better tone. I really love the place I work, and all who I work with. They are just very kind people, he just makes me not want to be here at times. Paulie blew up at my other co-worker a month or so ago...when there was a family waiting on their car in the office! I was so embarrassed! My boss had to intervene and shut him up! He told Paulie that he was sick of his poor snappy attitude. I couldn't agree more. Paulie apologized to my other co worker, but never apologized to my boss or the family that was here. There were a lot of 4 letter words thrown around. Tsk tsk...burns me up. No respect!

UPDATE!!!

Since living in the flooded area of Colorado, I was unable to get to work on Friday...which was pay day. First thing Paulie says to me this morning..."Where is my pay stub from last week?" Anticipating another turn lashing, I give him the pay stub. Then the payday time card attitude torrent comes. "Where is my time card from August?" Hand him Augusts' stack of pay stubs. "I know for a fact I worked more than 80 hours this pay period!!" I can feel my anxiety level rise, I'm starting to panic and second guess myself. I hold it together as I deal with the two customer that just walked in. I hear him in his office smashing pens as I talk to customers. It seems like all my customers want to do is chat at me about the flood! I am trying to wrap up conversations cause Paulie just threw a bunch of papers on my desk.

Finally...customers taken care of. Paulie threw his time cards on my desk with hours added up on them. I open my Xcel sheet to verify what I did matches what he 'thinks' he has. Perfection! My numbers all jive, and Paulie walks over and was like "I forgot about Labor Day. Everything checks out." I really tried to be not snobby to him, but I just looked him right in the eyes as he said that and responded, "I know". Then went right back on to working. I'm pretty sure I heard a mean little smirk on my face too....grrr...I need to learn how to stop doing that. It felt good to be right though!!!!!!!

,

When I worked, there was a a person who did the schedule, and most people were afraid of her, because when she was in charge, she would make your life HE!!. Well I needed a certain day off each week to go to T ( I started getting flashbacks from being sexually assaulted from way back and had recently had a close call w/ someone I trusted). I was kicked out of one T practice because I could never schedule a follow up appt. I did finally find a T I TRUSTED & LIKED. I was working four 40 hour shifts, so I had one day per week off...They gave people off for whatever reason-school, childcare, picking their nose,,,,not me. I advised my boss to tell schedule girl to give me every whatever day off...he would not, I said it is an ADA accomodation...he advised me to talk to her...He was afraid of her.
SO I lost it and said "who is running this OR? You or schedule girl??". It was horrible. I then fell, was injured, and was out on workers comp for 4 months and half days for 5 more months.

It is hard to deal with...But I should have filed an EEOC complaint at the time..But I was trying to be nice as administration did not like my boss.

I hope things get better w/ Paulie!

I would have done option 1 or 2. But the other option some one lese brought up isn't bad, but I would modify it a bit to.. "don't talk to me like I'm your focking wife, get out of my office and don't come back until you can talk to me normally"

I think some thing like that would reach him better then a calm approach. Just my 2 cents.

We have Paulies every where. Spoiled rotten little kids in adult bodies.

Yes, I work with a 41 year old who acts like a 2 year old. He's always complaining that people aren't taking as many calls as he is and is always looking at other people's stats. He is always out sick with a "headache" Poor baby! He has to be included in everyone's conversations even when we aren't talking to him! He drives me up a wall. He stares at all the ladies. I tend to ignore him as much as possible. In 2 weeks I'm off to a bigger, better job anyway. Life goes on! I think you are handling this idiot as good as you can.

You seem to have solved your own problem with Paulie. Just leave him alone and deal only when necessary. Lower your expectations of his behavior. The others seem to have learned this already and have no problem with him because it is HIS PROBLEM. When he behaves inappropriately simply tell him and walk away. It may be hard at first, but it gets easier the more you do it. Have Fun!!