This was a nice place to work.....until the born again showed up.....

[Ralph]

I was reading another thread where someone mentioned what a pain-in-the-ass born-again christians are. I thought I'd share my own experience with this.

I work in a hospital pharmacy. There's about 20 of us here--a dozen full full timers and 8 part timers. Most of us have been here between 5 and 15 years. Everybody gets along--we like each other & we like working here.

The last 2 times our hospital was inspected by the JCA our dept recieved high praise. By the usual standards that measure hospital pharmacy performance---(things mostly related to error rates & cost efficiency)--we rank well above the national average.
Whatever we're doing we seem to be doing OK.

Several months ago we hired a part timer (she's here a whopping 2 days/week) who turns out to be a born-again christian.

One of her first acts was to write a THREE PAGE letter to the dept head complaining about what we're doing wrong.

She claims to be a perfectionist and seems to feel the need to impart her standards of perfection to everybody else. Most of her complaints seem to revolve around nitpicky, anal issues involving crooked labels and the co-mingling of different sizes of rubber bands & paper clips.

Apparently she's so worried about the paper clip situation--she hasn't noticed that on several occasions......she's mislabeled IV meds...........(a potentially deadly mistake), forgotten to co-sign physician orders, and several other things far more relavant to the real world of patient care than rubber bands.

One of the girls that work here got married recently. We planned a little party for her here. The christian overheard some of the other women planning for the party-----including some plans to bake up a few penis-shaped cakes for the occasion.

She made it very clear that this bothered her----and the party had to be re-scheduled to a day when she was not here.

I should mention here that were all adults. Dirty jokes,swearing,frank discussions about sex are all part of the daily routine here. In the past--nobody-including the dept head who swears more than anybody--was bothered by this.

A couple of people in the dept are long time friends--they insult each other all the time and get pushy & grabby with each other. They are friends and the pushing is very non-sexual. The born again recently went up the women involved & told her that the guy she pushes & grabs---doesn't like it when she does that (he loves it) and wants her to stop. Eventually--she admitted that "Ok--he doesn't mind--but I do---and I'd like you to stop".

Another time she told another woman who was talking about sex-----to stop---it offended her.

She continually nitpicks at the technician staff--most of who do a very good job and we could not function without them. They are ready to revolt.

Basically-we have a situation where 20 people have to tippy-toe around one single individual who seems to be continually offended by things that were just part of daily life by everybody else.

She's hinted she would go to personel if her requests were not met. I'm sure in this day & age there's all kinds of rules & regulations that would support her side.

She's quickly running out of friends in here but I suspect she thinks were all heathens who are going to hell & doesn't care.

What a pain the ass......................Ralph

[evildave]

Yep, and the ironic thing is, next thing she'll do is complain how she's being persecuted (for being Christian, of course, and not for being an insufferable idiot), and then she'll probably be complaining, maybe even suing over you creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive workplace atmosphere, which is lawsuit bait.

This isn't unique to "born again" Christians. You get it from certain individuals from any perceived "minority" who wants to bait you into doing something worthy of a lawsuit. Useless people LOVE to have some sort of "status" to hide behind.

Don't bite.

If she's screwing up by the numbers and pissing people off, dump her for that immediately. Don't wait. Talk to the manager. This is what a 'probationary period' is all about. Voice your concerns, and let him/her know about the morale issues. She can be released from her employment without cause.

One person dead over a mixed up medication from her is one too many (and this, too is a massive liability for the company).

[SteveW]

The answer is:

FIRE THE DIM WITTED XIAN!

Seriously, don't you have a boss that is seeing what is going on? If I were the manager, supervisor or whatever, I would have this documented, warn her, and then fire her evidently incompetent ass out of there.

[Tony]

Invite her to a party and get her liquored up, hopefully someone at the party will get into her pants, that should chill her out.

[Tez]

depending on the level to which you even only faintly suspect things could escalate to, I would highly recommend keeping a dated "journal" of whats going on. seriously...

[Brown]

I suspect this person would be a thorn in everyones' sides even if she held some other religion.

[Babylon Sister]

Thank Ed she only works 2 days a week! Sounds to me like she is being insufferably annoying to cover up the fact that she is utterly incompetent.

Is she really nosey and commenting on or getting into others business instead of doing her own work? As others have said Document! Document! Document!

[Nyarlathotep]

Regardless of religion, I have found that some of the most stupid, incompetant people can be the most critical of the work of others.

Her religion is just one more irrtating component of her personality.

[Ralph]

Originally posted by Brown
I suspect this person would be a thorn in everyones' sides even if she held some other religion. I suspect you're right. I don't know too many born-again christians. The few I have met in my life all seem like total hemorrhoids.

She was smart enough to wait until her probationary period was over before starting all this. We're probably stuck with her.

When my birthday comes up....I'm going to ask for a birthday cake shaped like a vagina.................Ralph

[Zep]

I don't think her religious beliefs have anything to do with it. I've known nuns who told ribald jokes as good as the next guy, and rugby-playing ministers. This person is so uptight she will cause herself intestinal damage shortly, and it won't be pleasant to be near. Plus she sounds seriously incompetent.

Time for her to be promoted. No, really! She clearly doesn't like you guys, you definitely don't like her. Although her work practice is poor, if not dangerous, complaints or firing her would only cause unnecessary and even legal backlash. No-one will win that war.

Surely somewhere there must be a job that pays (slightly) more than where she is now, is relatively safe (counting bedpans?), and most importantly it is somewhere else - preferably the other side of town. Have your team plus managers plus anyone suitable write recommendations to the appropriate people that she be "promoted" to one of these positions. Point them out to her, suggest that she go for them, play to her ego, fill in the forms for her even!

How can she say "no" to a raise and "new responsibilities"? She and your team part on "good terms," i.e. no backlash. Most importantly, she is GONE....!!!

good luck!
Zep

[evildave]

Open the box and see if the cat's alive.

Your manager may not be aware that she is a disruptive foul-up.

*ANY* part-timer is expendable. The laws are different.

At least find out if he's planning to dump her, so you can relax over the stress of putting up with her, knowing she'll be gone. Perhaps you should start the conversation with your manager with words to the effect of "When are you releasing that part-timer?" Just to reinforce the notion that this person is filling a short-term deficiency in staffing, and not a long-term position.

That's "being proactive". Make it clear she's making more problems than she's solving. Managers generally get special training about this sort of liability.

[Ruby]

Originally posted by Ralph


First of all, let me say I'm so sorry for the torment and hell that this self-righteous, anal retentive, over-zealous, and unhappy fundamentalist christian is putting you and co-workers through.

Second, GET HER FIRED ASAP!!!!!!:j2:

[ImpyTimpy]

Some excellent advice here. Seems to me people have spotted this person's personality right on the money - she's nothing more then an incompetent moron who's trying to get attention by using labels like "born again christian" and trying to be a pain in the butt.

Face it, it's a real life troll. She might benefit from attending internet forums.

[Ruby]

Originally posted by Ralph
I suspect you're right. I don't know too many born-again christians. The few I have met in my life all seem like total hemorrhoids.



There are some Christians...liberal ones like me, who would be driven crazy by this woman too.

[Fade]

Yes Ruby, you're a sweety. Christians run the entire gamut from incredibly awful, to wonderfully fantastic, and everything in between.

Anyway, is this woman under specific contract, or is she At Will? If she were At Will, i'd have her fired. No reason even needs to be given, just "go away."

If she's contracted, inferior work performance will get her the boot.

[Dymanic]

Seems like anywhere you go, there's always one person who makes things difficult.

My advice: think of it as an opportunity to practice patience and tolerance, keep your head down, focus on doing your own job well, and wait till she finishes digging a hole for herself (sounds like she's doing a pretty good job of it).

And for pete's sake, get those rubber bands sorted out!

[PygmyPlaidGiraffe]

Originally posted by Ralph

She continually nitpicks at the technician staff--most of who do a very good job and we could not function without them. They are ready to revolt.

Basically-we have a situation where 20 people have to tippy-toe around one single individual who seems to be continually offended by things that were just part of daily life by everybody else.

She's hinted she would go to personel if her requests were not met. I'm sure in this day & age there's all kinds of rules & regulations that would support her side.

She's quickly running out of friends in here but I suspect she thinks were all heathens who are going to hell & doesn't care.

What a pain the ass......................Ralph

I am sure everyone in your workplace is mature and confident enough not to take this woman too seriously, but

meet with everyone, and reinforce what such a good job everyone is doing. If everyone has good rapport then just continue with the respectful appreciation you have for each other.

As others have mentioned: document this woman's actions.
not sure about the rules and rights of employees in your jurisdiction but:

If she is on a probationary term then when her time comes up she can be let go. If she is fouling up so badly and is not correcting her mistakes and it is documented, she can be let go before her term is done. If the company has a lawyer or you are unionized ask the lawyer or shop steward what actions can be taken to ensure safety and a pleasant workplace.

[Roadtoad]

A few years ago, my mother made the mistake of hiring a woman for her decorating business, who, (like me), was born again.

There's a difference between me and her: I don't need to get into your face about what I believe, and I'm competent at what I do.

The duties this woman had were relatively minor: mail letters, do some light bookkeeping, make sure the installers were onsite, on time, and answer the phone.

Well, to make the long story short, when my mother finally fired this idiot, she found three months of bills sitting in the back of a file cabinet that she hadn't mailed to my mother's customers, not to mention payments to creditors. Installers were threatening to quit because they had no idea which house they were supposed to be at and when. And, the books were completely bollixed up.

But hey, she had JUST FINISHED a GREAT study on the Book of Romans! And her prayer life was just going like gangbusters!

Ralph, this woman is going to kill someone. That's far more serious than anything my mother had to deal with. Please, In The Name Of God, fire this incompetent. Tell her it's because she's incompetent, then ask her if she were serving Jesus, if this was the quality of work He would expect from her?

Damn it, I'm a diabetic. Someone like this could kill me, regardless of their spiritual adherence. Please, this is not persecution, it's prosecution, and it's overdue.

[Zep]

Originally posted by bpesta22
Be careful, here's all she has to do to establish a hostile work environment lawsuit:

I was a victim of harassment,
the harassment was because of my sex (or perhaps religion in this case)
the harassment was so pervasive, it affected a term / condition of employment (e.g., made work unpleasant), and
management knew or should have, but failed to act.

Then the cash register goes ching and the jury shells out the cash!

Just the incidents you describe would probably be enough to establish her case. And, the courts will use a reasonable woman standard (would a reasonable woman find touchy / grabby acts at work, and a penis cake offensive. The answer is going to be yes!)


If any of the people making sex jokes around her are managers, then they are exposing your company to serious liability.

Even if the sex jokes are from co-employees, once she complains, that sets the stage for company liability.

JMO, but be careful. Even if you and your bosses don't percieve your acts to be offensive-- even if in fact they're not offensive-- does your company want to spend 80 grand proving they were right in court??
See what I posted above? Get her moved out sideways or upwards, but NOT down or fired. Even if it means inventing a new position for her (which can be located in the basement, and can be wound up later...). The reasons for this are very neatly summed up here by bpesta22. No kidding - I've been in many companies for the last 30 years with personnel problems and this is the only way where everyone wins painlessly and for free.

Zep

[BroodingSkill]

Sounds to me like this woman won't last regardless of what trouble she causes. She'll probably leave on her own. You guys have been there a while, out last her.

I really envy the easy working enviroment you have to work in, at my job we're so pc that most are affraid to say anything remotely provative. It sucks.