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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Have you asked your boss who do you think will leave the agency first?  She has already lost one person, may motivate her to step up the pressure on the problem person.[/quote]

NP here.  BAD IDEA.  Unless OP is certain that the boss really values her over the other employee, I would not take the approach you suggest because it sounds like an ultimatum.

OP, here's my take:

1)  The boss can't really do much to help you.  If it is a Federal agency and the bully coworker has a lot of time in, the boss can only do so much because both boss and bully coworker knows that it's going to be difficult to fire bully coworker.  And boss really only has leverage if coworker knows that the consequences could be severe.  It seems to me that bully coworker knows that there aren't going to be severe consequences.  And for whatever reason, the boss can only do so much, especially if bully coworker is still performing (getting his work done at a satisfactory level).  The only way the boss can really put the coworker on probation is if the coworker isn't performing or if the "bullying" is akin to sexual harassment or discrimination.  My sense is that in government and even in the private sector, it's very hard to put an employee on probation for not getting along with another employee.  And not talking to you, making faces -- all that amounts to is not getting along.

2)  You are also entering into the territory where you will start to be seen as the problem.  Document everything, but I think you need to stop going to the boss.  Not only is it making the bully worse, but you are likely becoming an annoyance to your boss, especially if your complaints are not directly about work product but more about interpersonal relations.

3)  You need disengage with the bully.  Take initiative to get projects and work that doesn't include or involve bully.

4)  If something the bully does can be interpreted as harassment or creating a hostile work environment, then go to HR -- not the boss.  Think of it this way:  Issues with work and performance are directed to the boss.  Issues of being harassed, intimidated, discriminated against, et cetera, are directed to HR.  But you have to be careful if you go to HR.  Make sure you have a clear and credible complaint.

5)  If the bully is unavoidable and starts to impact your performance, then you have to have an exit strategy.  It's a shame.  I would hazard a guess that your coworker who left because of the bully likely didn't tell your boss or HR that he/she was leaving because of the bully.  That burns bridges.  He/she probably gave some BS "I want to try other things excuse," so it will be impossible for you to make the case to your boss or HR that one person "has already left because of so and so."  It just won't fly.  And that person left because he/she realized that bully wasn't going to leave.  What makes you think that you will be more successful at getting rid of bully than the coworker?  If I were you, I would double down on trying to leave, get transferred, et cetera.  [/quote]

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