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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]We recently had someone file a hostile work environment complaint with HR  against a colleague, unfortunately completely unjustified.

The colleague was cleared after an investigation and yet HR is bending itself bakcward trying to get the person another position within the agency--all the rules that are supposed to apply miraculously are not applying.  HR will take your complaint seriously if they think there is any chance of a lawsuit

HR complaints are a real pain and time suck for bosses to deal with.  Consider going back to your boss and telling him that not only has the bullying not stopped but the bully has taken retaliatory action.  You don't want to go to HR but you don't want to work in a hostile work environment either so you are beginning to think you have no choice.

Sit back and listen to the what the boss has to say then--I am guessing just the idea of having to deal with HR will spur him to some real action.  If he asks for a few days to straighten this out, give it to him.  I wouldn't give more than a week.  If nothing tangible and reasonably significant has happened by then, go to HR, giving your boss a courtesy head's up with an apology that you are sorry it didn't work but as the situation is intolerable you have to go to HR.

Of course as other pps have said, document everything.[/quote]

I disagree with this advice.  (I'm a PP on this thread, not a NP.)

If the bully is retaliating against OP, then the boss didn't handle it well when OP complained.  The boss OBVIOUSLY told the bully who complained.   Otherwise, the bully would not know where to direct the retaliation.  That tells me the boss is incompetent (at least when it comes to managing sensitive workplace issues like this).

Also, if OP did not document her complaint to the boss, then she will have a difficult time proving retaliation.  If she goes to HR, it's documented.  So if something severe happens AFTER she reports bully to HR, then she will have a clear case to show that she is being retaliated against.  It will protect her.

I'm not and never have been a big fan of HR.  But I've learned the hard way that even if your boss pretends he/she is on your side, you can't trust that.  If the bully is a long-term employee and is as horrible as OP describes, then the boss likely just does not want to deal with it.  Or is incapable of dealing with it, especially if the bully does his work.  But the mere fact that it seems the bully knows OP went to the boss tells me that the boss is not the one to go to.

OP needs to have clear examples of the bullying/hostility and she needs to take it to HR.  If he retaliates after that, there is a record.

All that said, I still think OP's best option is to devise an exit strategy.

It seems to me that OP has already given the boss the courtesy of a heads up, but the boss is unwilling and/or unable to deal with the problem.

One caveat:  OP, if you go to HR, there could be drastic action.  The boss could get very cold with you.  There could be a lot more bureaucracy and reporting required.  But if you have reached the end of your rope with this bully, then maybe it is worth it.

I have no sympathy for bosses complaining about how HR complaints are a pain.  In EVERY case I know of where a coworker has gone to HR, it's because the boss/manager failed to address the situation out of complacency.  If managers don't want HR involved, then they need to manage effectively.  And part of managing effectively is dealing with these kinds of issues.

If I were OP's boss, at the very least I would figure out a way to reduce how much OP and bully had to interact.  And there is ALWAYS a way to do that.  At the very least, I would say, "OP, make all requests directly to me and I'll make sure bully gets you what you need."  [/quote]

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