OP, I have similar situation to yours and for most of the past year, I found it easier to pick up his slack rather than coach him in how to do his job correctly. It's exhausting and definitely effects your ability to do your own job! I know it's hard, but 1) clearly divvy up tasks (I'll take X, can you take Y?), then send an email confirming the distribution for work and CC your boss 2) Don't cover for your coworker. If she drops the ball, let it drop. 3) When some one writes asking "where's such & such deliverable" or "why aren't the phones getting answered" just reply all: "Larla's running point on that."
"Why didn't you back her up when she was busy? That's your responsibility."
"Oh, she was busy? I thought she was on the phone with her mom and just assumed she'd put the call on hold."

OP here - I have told her almost word for word that I am watching a hearing, please make sure to answer the phones. Nothing.
Additionally, she is "above" me in grade (despite having never went to college or even knowing how many members of Congress there are, but that's neither here nor there). So, I figured that me mentioning it wasn't getting anywhere because, as she says, "she's been here for 39 years".
It's not passive aggressive to see what my next best options are, especially considering I'm junior to her.

Also honestly, whose name is "Larla"

The title of this thread should be "passive-aggressive strategies for dealing with problems at work because I can't handle confrontations like an adult"

Anonymous wrote:Is she black and is this a government job? If so she will never be fired. Your best bet is to deal with it or quit. Maybe you can facebook or tweet or dcum.

The difference between you & I is that I don't have to ask, the answer is obvious.

Do you know white women that take multiple, hour-long phone calls at work?

As others have said, stop answering the phone. Look busy or leave the office. She is taking advantage of you and you've already shown (men) you are a doormat.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I'd say the problem lies with managers who generally don't want confrontation to make people do the job(s) they are well paid to do. And for the record, she is "superior" to me in grade/rank so it's difficult for me to tell her what to do.

I was watching the hearing today - and she knows it was on, she muted it in the office TV (your boss is testifying and you muted the TV? hm...) and I had headphones on. The phone rang and rang and rang. So, I did just let it go. She was reading the newspaper and got frustrated and having to close the paper to get to her phone.

And you're are all right - I should have taken care of it early on, but we had a really helpful guy up front so it never phased me. Now that he's gone, I really notice it.

Wow, what a lazy ass *with attitude*.

Anonymous wrote:OP here...I'd say the problem lies with managers who generally don't want confrontation to make people do the job(s) they are well paid to do. And for the record, she is "superior" to me in grade/rank so it's difficult for me to tell her what to do.

I was watching the hearing today - and she knows it was on, she muted it in the office TV (your boss is testifying and you muted the TV? hm...) and I had headphones on. The phone rang and rang and rang. So, I did just let it go. She was reading the newspaper and got frustrated and having to close the paper to get to her phone.

And you're are all right - I should have taken care of it early on, but we had a really helpful guy up front so it never phased me. Now that he's gone, I really notice it.

Wow, what a lazy ass.

OP here...I'd say the problem lies with managers who generally don't want confrontation to make people do the job(s) they are well paid to do. And for the record, she is "superior" to me in grade/rank so it's difficult for me to tell her what to do.

I was watching the hearing today - and she knows it was on, she muted it in the office TV (your boss is testifying and you muted the TV? hm...) and I had headphones on. The phone rang and rang and rang. So, I did just let it go. She was reading the newspaper and got frustrated and having to close the paper to get to her phone.

And you're are all right - I should have taken care of it early on, but we had a really helpful guy up front so it never phased me. Now that he's gone, I really notice it.

The problem is the front desk guy who goes to the gym.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is she black and is this a government job? If so she will never be fired. Your best bet is to deal with it or quit. Maybe you can facebook or tweet or dcum.

C'mon eyeroller poster, you know this is what happens in the real world. And this would still be true in at a large company because she would say it was related to discrimination.

Anonymous wrote:If someone is handling personal business during business hours, I have no compunction about interrupting them. If I were in your shoes and a Congressional hearing that you needed to monitor came on, I would turn to her and say "Larla, I need to watch the hearing for Bob, please answer the phone if it rings." She can put her mother on hold to answer the general line. If you are in the middle of a time critical project on the computer and she's talking to her husband, just say "Larla--please answer the phone, I've got to get this ready for the 2:00" If your office allows folks to take care of personal business, it should be conducted around work, not interrupt work. She's allowing it to interrupt work. And you are enabling her. Just speak up and let her know that you expect her to suspend her personal business for work and if she doesn't improve, then consider taking it to your boss, but only with how it affects you. So you could go to your boss and explain that recently you've had a lot of administrative tasks including answer the general phone that have been interrupting your work lately and affecting your productivity. Ask if he fix office procedures of who is doing what to help you get more uninterrupted time to complete your tasks. Something like Larla answers the phones in the morning and you answer phones in the afternoon with you.

PP again. And if she responds to you "I'm on the phone," then just say "you're on a personal call, not a business call. Please answer the phones when they ring."

If someone is handling personal business during business hours, I have no compunction about interrupting them. If I were in your shoes and a Congressional hearing that you needed to monitor came on, I would turn to her and say "Larla, I need to watch the hearing for Bob, please answer the phone if it rings." She can put her mother on hold to answer the general line. If you are in the middle of a time critical project on the computer and she's talking to her husband, just say "Larla--please answer the phone, I've got to get this ready for the 2:00" If your office allows folks to take care of personal business, it should be conducted around work, not interrupt work. She's allowing it to interrupt work. And you are enabling her. Just speak up and let her know that you expect her to suspend her personal business for work and if she doesn't improve, then consider taking it to your boss, but only with how it affects you. So you could go to your boss and explain that recently you've had a lot of administrative tasks including answer the general phone that have been interrupting your work lately and affecting your productivity. Ask if he fix office procedures of who is doing what to help you get more uninterrupted time to complete your tasks. Something like Larla answers the phones in the morning and you answer phones in the afternoon with you.

Anonymous wrote:Is she black and is this a government job? If so she will never be fired. Your best bet is to deal with it or quit. Maybe you can facebook or tweet or dcum.

Is she black and is this a government job? If so she will never be fired. Your best bet is to deal with it or quit. Maybe you can facebook or tweet or dcum.