So, here's a little history on things before anything:

• I started working for this company the beginning of October, but was training at another branch
• I moved to my current branch with my manager last month
• She was meant to be leaving, but the woman who was going to be taking over landed up quitting because of her.

So. This manager. She's just. Shitty. She's short tempered, she's snappy, she's easily irritated, and nothing I do is right. Keep in mind, I hadn't had ANY experience in accounts before getting this job, I landed up being offered a week trial via a friend of my mothers, and they offered me a job, which I took eagerly - I'd been working at a store for a year prior, and it just wasn't for me, I'm much more suited to an office role. While I'm picking it up pretty quick, my manager just doesn't think the same. If I happen to input something wrong (ie, one account code we put things to is 'J99', another is 'J999' - mistakes happen, sometimes I code it to the wrong one by mistake!) she'll throw the document back at me and tell me 'to fix it'. That's it - no word on what's wrong, or where I've messed up. I just have to 'fix it'. If I ask her for help, she begrudges doing it ... And so on. It's almost like she despises me for not knowing everything in the three short months since I started working for the company.

Last week (a few days before christmas, actually) I was taken into hospital with DKA - basically, a potentially life threatening complication of being on insulin (type one diabetic over here!) and I was on 3 IV lines, a heart monitor ... I had horrible kidney pain, I couldn't catch a breath, my heart rate was sky high, I was stumbling around dizzy, throwing up ... It was just generally not good. So, my mum text the woman that got me the job originally and basically explained what was going on, and asked if she could pass on a message to my manager - given I was in Accident & Emergency, delirious with pain and sickness and everything else, basically drifting in and out of conciousness and feeling like shit. Keeping in mind, they took me in at 5.30am, and this was about 6.30 my mum was texting. The next thing is, my manager says 'That doesn't count as notice of her not being in - she needs to call in herself.' My mum was a bit miffed but thought, okay then, fair enough. About 10am, when I was settled down in a hospital bed (still in a lot of pain to the point they gave me morphine through a drip with a pump thing I could push when the pain got bad) my mum went off to call my manager. She came back and said the conversation went as follows:

Mum: Hi, I'm calling on behalf of Rhiann, I got one of your colleagues from another branch to let you know what was happening with her being in hospital, but had to call in myself? My manager: Yes, that's right. Rhiann needed to call in herself before 7.30 to let us know she wasn't coming in. Mum: .. I'm sorry - but she was taken into hospital at 5.30 this morning with a life threatening condition. She was in no state, and still isnt, to call in sick. My manager: I understand that, but company policy states the employee must call in before 7.30. Mum: I've... Just explained the situation. My manager: And I explained company policy. Mum: ... Are you being serious? My daughter is hooked up to drips, on morphine, she hasn't eaten in about 2 days, and has hardly slept because of being constantly sick, and she is currently in hospital - with the prospect of being kept in over christmas. My manager: Uh-huh. You'll need to call in every morning she won't be in.

And she hung up. I understand company policy and stuff - but seriously? She was informed of the situation well before 7.30, it would have been 6.45 or 7 that the other woman let her know.. And she was just being a total cow about the whole thing. My mum called the head office while I was in hospital feeling sorry for myself, and basically had a huge rant and a rave - I wish she hadn't, but hey ho, she did what she thought was best! But basically, head office told me to stay off for as long as I needed to feel better, and told me not to worry about getting a diciplinary for absence and such. My manager caught wind of this and called me, shouting and screaming about how I HAD to get back to work ASAP to sort out stuff because she wasn't in, and it reduced me to tears.

I'm honestly contemplating going in tomorrow for my last shift of this year and clearing my desk and leaving a letter of resignition on her desk when she's left tomorrow - she leaves a few hours before I do. I enjoyed working at the other branch but there's no chance of me getting a job there, their office has now filled in the accounts department. My only problem is trying to find a new job in the mean time - the last four days I've trawled for hours through job sites, sent emails with my CV and posted CV/Cover letters to various companies, basically explaining my situation and offering to take up almost any other job ...

I just don't know what to do. I'm so miserable I could cry, it's 11pm and I don't want to get up tomorrow to go to work and face her again, she is such an unpleasant person! But I can't quit without another job because I need money ... I'm totally stuck. I've sent in a complaint to HER manager but I doubt this is going to make much difference to her attitude at all, given people have complained about her in the past according to the colleagues I was training with who know her. I just don't know. I really can't face going in to see her, and get bitched at again for doing stuff wrong, or even for taking time off - but I'm going to have to.

How can I deal with this, if at all? Should I just quit and try and get through until I've got another job? I need help. And a hug. :( I'm so unbelievably depressed and anxious about work tomorrow.

First off, lots of hugs. are you ok now and out of the hospital?

Quit. Properly with a two week notice and most importantly WHY. It gives you more time to find work, knowledge that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and puts the company on notice that this woman is a problem. Call her out of her sever lack of professionalism, that you could in fact file a harassment complaint. NO job, no amount of money, is worth the stress of being bullied.

I'm better than I was, things haven't totally settled yet, but I got out of hospital on Christmas Eve, thankfully.

I just don't want to quit and find myself jobless for the next six months with no hope of finding another one ... The wages I got before Christmas aren't going to last much longer, I just renewed my bus pass, had to give my mum her rent money and such - I know mum would probably understand, but I doubt she'd want/allow me to quit right off the bat without another job to go into.. I'm at a total loss for what to do simply because of how little jobs there are going just now, I need a fulltime position but would happily do part time to begin with... Aghh. I could cry. :(

I know. I'm jobless myself atm and hating that my boyfriend is covering EVERYthing. But keep looking for a job, even if it's something outside of what you wanted. Your health cannot afford to be around someone like that. Unless you learn to ignore her, let it roll off, and realize she's taking her personal problems out on you. Is there a chance you can transfer to another department within the company away from her?

That's what I don't want to happen - mum would do her best to help, and I know my boyfriend would too ... But I'd hate that D: Within the company branch that I'm in, there's no way to get away from her, unfortonately.. The branch is so small you'll see everybody at least once in there! Besides, I don't think there's any other jobs going currently ... I'm going to keep trying to find a job though, and hope hope hope I find something soon. Anything would do me now, just to get away from that awful woman!

Aw that sucks. I'm sorry you're going through this. Don't be afraid to accept help from people who love you. I'm in the same boat and it's a hard lesson to learn but trust me on it.

I'm totally contemplating going upstairs and texting mum and just telling her how awful I'm feeling about going back tomorrow ... I'd tell her face to face but it took me a while after she told me about how my manager spoke to her, to tell her that the woman acts like a total bitch at work - I think she asked if my manager was the reason I get so stressed out or something and I couldn't admit it to her face ... I told her when she'd left, over text again, and I'm pretty sure that's when everything kicked off with mum calling head office to complain and such.. @ Gahhhhh. I'm making my head ache!

Oh sweetie this woman isn't worth all that. Stop over thinking. This is just one step in your life and you'll realize she is so insignificant compared to everything else.

She's totally insignificant, and one day I'll look back on this situation and wonder why I stressed out so much! But that's one of my problems in life, is how much I over think things... I'll have to speak to mum, I'm hoping she'll have some sort of advice on me finding a new job and stuff too >.<

If you have an associate/ employee rule book of sorts you or your mom sift through it for policy on situations where said employee /CAN'T/ call and if a family members calling counts. Keep a copy of ALL the hospital paperwork, texts your mom sent ANYTHING about this. I have a strong feeling this "manager" was in the wrong on many levels. If you have anyone above her to talk to do it after you've checked the calling out sick stuff.

As for everything else yes i hope you are doing much better. And healthwise this woman seems to add stress that makes you, and others most likely, feel more worried/ stressed than normal. can you guys get together and all talk to her boss openly? more than a job is at risk it sounds like health of you and potentially others is at risk too. Stress for too long weakens heart and mental state and that's bad for anyone.

Your manager sounds like an ass, but you should have called your manager first before calling your colleague. (js) Anyway, don't put yourself in an environment that is stressful. With the condition you are in, you don't need that kind of negativity putting stress on your body. If you really need to keep your job, keep it until you find another job. Keep applying to places and find other connections.

I never thought of checking in the handbook - I had a quick flick through a while back but didn't really take note of what it said about not being able to call in myself ... I'll be sure to do that, thanks! As for speaking to her manager, I'm going to try and arrange something ... First day back today wasn't exactly a pleasant experience :| but I think if me and my mum both sat down and spoke to her manager, and possibly her, something may be able to be worked out .. So I'm hoping in any case!

My mum got in touch with my old colleague because I was in no physical state to make a call, I wasn't allowed my phone on (given I was on heart monitors and potentially going into the high dependancy unit) and mum doesnt have my managers number ... I was also so delerious there was no chance of me giving it to her :| otherwise my manager would have been the first one ot be called. I'm still looking for another job but I've got a horrible gut feeling I'm going to be stuck where I am for a good while.

:Edit: I've read this latter response... Apologies if I've come off a bit bitchy, I'm just .. GAHHH.

It's ok, I understand. :) Just focus on feeling better and don't let your manager take over your life. I think communicating with your manager to sort out the situation is the best thing to do right now.