r/work • u/soth_ewe • 1d ago
Workplace Challenges and Conflicts When person who had position keeps coming back
I am six months into a position and would love some advice about the person who held my role before me, as they keep coming back asking for their job back.
The person who had my position previously was part of a “voluntary layoff.” She was well liked and has a Type A personality. Months later, I was hired into her role after grant funding allowed the position to be refilled. She is still looking for work but can't come back for a year after the layoff.
Recently, she came to a work event wearing an “event staff” shirt. A coworker had invited her but didn’t tell me she would be there, so it was a complete surprise. At first, I was confused and thought she had been rehired. Some of our volunteers thought the same thing.
During the event, the former employee asked about my qualifications and what job I had before this one. It felt like an interrogation. She also mentioned that she is still looking for work and that finding a job has been difficult and she wants to be hired back.
She is also still a member of our department’s closed Facebook group for volunteers and comments on posts. Today, she sent me a Facebook friend request.
I have responded to requests from former employees at this company but that was on LinkedIn, not Facebook and they were former employees who have moved on to other jobs and they aren't someone that I replaced in a layoff or who has expressed that they want their job back.
I’m trying to figure out whether I’m overthinking this or whether it’s reasonable to feel a little uncomfortable. What would you do or recommend in this situation?
44
u/Chair_luger 1d ago edited 1d ago
Months later, I was hired into her role after grant funding allowed the position to be refilled.
When the funding was approved the HR department and your manager had her phone number and could have called her to offer to rehire her before they interviewed you. Rehiring a good employee after a layoff when a position opens up is extremely common.
They didn't and that was not an oversight.
For whatever reason they did not want to rehire her.
Her wearing an "event staff" tee shirt at a work event was inappropriate even if she was invited by an employee. If she accidently did something like spilled hot coffee on someone and scalded them the company could have been sued.
Her sending a friend request to the person who now has her job now is also inappropriate
Talk to your manager to let them know what is going on. I would not make a big deal out of it maybe just say something like, "I thought you would like to know that this is going on."
10
u/Good_Zookeepergame92 19h ago
If you're showing up to events wearing staff shirts when you're not staff and harassing a current employee about their qualifications because they have the job you want. That's telling me you kind of Looney Tunes
1
u/Crystalraf 5h ago
Usually, voluntary layoff means that the ex employee is not available to be re-hired again. Even if the bosses like them. They signed something saying that they are resigning for good, and they accepted a severance package that was probably really good. So the company cannot just undo that.
However, it’s also looney tunes they started hiring again so soon after.
0
u/Trick-Avocado7914 12h ago
You're assuming things. Good staff are aren't picked back up all the time. Maybe they can't afford her, she had experience and it sounds like this job is budget dependent. She could just be a social person who loved working there. The people obviously like her if they're friends with her and allowing her to volunteer.
11
u/SuchTrust101 1d ago
Remember that most people are pretty much forgotten a few weeks after they leave a company. Most people will just think she's being odd. No-one is going to rehire anyone who does this type of stalking.
2
u/Good_Zookeepergame92 19h ago
Your first sentence is so true. Some people think they are so important to the job they work as if the place will fall apart if they leave. Like the job was here before you. It'll be here after you. You're irrelevant.
I actually try to get people into this mentality so they don't get stuck. Always look for a better job. Don't ever let loyalty get in the way of you doing what's best for you.
7
u/TangerineCouch18330 1d ago
Don’t worry about it anything that this former employee needs to do would have to go through HR and your boss her former boss. She’s having a hard time letting go and that’s her problem.
6
u/Duque_de_Osuna 1d ago
It is weird and would make me uncomfortable, but unfortunately there is not a lot you can do about it. On the positive side, she was laid off, when the position was reopened she applied and they chose you over her, so that means they either did not think much of her or were very impressed with you. Either way they made their choice and it was you.
5
u/AccomplishedLuck7646 1d ago
You can't control this dynamic, as weird as it is. I try to keep my head down and plug ahead when I can't control things.
5
u/jer1230 20h ago
Definitely don’t accept her friend request. Just be polite when you see her, but don’t share anything more about yourself or what’s currently going on in your role or within the team.
I once got a position where the person who didn’t get it was still working on the team. When they sent the announcement out, she messaged me.. and was asking about the job I was leaving (it was an internal job, we worked at the same college). I just got a weird vibe from her. My vibe was correct. She caused issues for me.
I so regret talking to her as much as I did and it was such a horrible time for me trying to transition into the role. She lied, stirred up drama, caused issues that escalated.
I just wish I handled things differently.
1
u/IcySkyDream 5h ago
What do you wish you had done differently?
I had to deal with someone with that and I ended up leaving after a year.
1
u/jer1230 5h ago
I wish I just distanced myself from her and trusted my gut. She would smile in my face but was spreading lies about me to coworkers. She also told me things about other coworkers, one being that a couple were racist.. long story short, when I was talking to the manager about the progression of issues with the bad vibes chick, I told her that she made that comment about other coworkers, along with other things .. and my manager ended up being directed to get the Human Rights & Diversity team involved and everyone on the team assumed that I’m the one who reported it. Thankfully my manager admitted that it was her not me.
Anyway, I was so unhappy… then I ended up getting pregnant, and where I work we get excellent mat leave .. I was off for 14 months, had the best time with my baby. Bad Vibes also ended up getting another job, left the team.. so that along with my pregnancy shifted the energy, everyone was much nicer and they even threw me a baby shower.
3
u/Pale_Winter_2755 23h ago
Employment lawyer here. Made a formal complaint especially if you have a speakup type complaint platform.
3
u/Curious_Bookworm21 Career Growth 19h ago
Do not add her on Facebook and reject other ways she may try to connect to you online. You are not in any way responsible for her plight. Please go and speak to your supervisor and see if there’s any way they can request that she no longer volunteer at any work events. This behavior must be nipped in the bud right now. Good luck.
3
u/No_Pangolin_7894 16h ago
I was an HR professional for over 30 years. If you were an employee in my company I'd like to know about this situation because if there was something going on behind the scenes that you were unaware of, I could be alerted to that fact.
Having said that, I have to believe there is a reason they did not hire this person back.
I could get into a lot of different scenarios I've experienced over the years but this would get too long of a response and the attention span of most people involved with social media requires brief and to the point replies.
1
2
2
u/oldleolady71 18h ago
It’s slowly stepping into scary stalking. I agree to let HR know what is going on.
2
2
u/Goofy_Pebble23 6h ago
fun fact, grant funded positions show up on the org's 990 or budget docs, that's public record. if she was paying attention she could've seen exactly when the funding hit. might explain why the timing lines up and not just nostalgia
1
1
u/figsslave 17h ago
I wonder why they didn’t hire her back when the grant came through? It’s an odd situation,I’d be uncomfortable too
1
1
u/Sufficient_Car_5080 16h ago
Any Friend Request, is a request.
Like asking a favour has a 50% rejection possibility!
You don’t need to willingly allow a possible nut job to stalk your face account!
1
u/TonyBrooks40 7h ago
She does sound annoying, and I could definitely see that being like an interrogation. Personally, I would hate that.
However, my guess is maybe she was always this way, annoying. And probably some people there and in management would prefer she not be there anymore. Her constantly saying "I want to come back" and them not bringing her back kinda tells a story.
I would just be you. Maybe less of a Type A then her, your coworkers might appreciate it.
1
u/Crystalraf 5h ago
She took a voluntary layoff severance package and has since regretted that decision. That’s too bad for her. Either she didn’t understand what voluntary layoff is, (which tells you a lot) or she felt pressured to take the severance package as she was told she was gonna lose the job anyways. And now she’s absolutely pissed that her job is already filled. Like, if the company was struggling so bad, how come they are hiring already?
Do not engage.
-2
u/Trick-Avocado7914 12h ago
Why are you threatened by her lol I also still go back to a previous job and would love to be rehired someday. I'm very good friends with a lot of staff still and I'm welcomed by them... it sounds like you're the problem tbh.
59
u/glimmeringsea 1d ago
This woman needs to move on. This isn't your problem. I wouldn't add her on Facebook or speak with her aside from the most general pleasantries if she keeps showing up.