AIBU to hate what's just happened at work?

I would ask the senior manager who forwarded the email to you to raise this question with Steve. He has the seniority to do it in a way that will make a difference, whereas if you do it it looks like sour grapes. I am very annoyed for you.

I'll bet Paul is better at managing up than you. He's doing 9-5 in his first month on a project that is so busy the lead is doing 12 hour days? He know what he's doing. You could take a leaf out of his book.

But yes absolutely query with Steve and ask him to correct the record.

And why hasn't the senior manager corrected Steve by replying all on the email?

Perhaps Paul got as much done 9-5 as you did 8 to 8?

We don't know. However the person who forwarded the email to you is a shit stirring mollusc and as unprofessional as people get.

Personally I'd forward the email to Steve and say "I am pleased that a new member of the team is receiving recognition for their efforts. Might we arrange a 1:1 for feedback about my contributions to the project?".

Paul will be promoted. Either they knew each other before, or he’s pursued your boss and his flattery and brazen arse lucking will ensure it. Your boss is an ego driven imbecile. Find a new job.

By working over and above 12 hour days you have set a preceden assume from your wording you meant you went over and above working extra without pay. Why people do this is beyond me you are dismissing your own worth and employers will see this. People and managers are allowed to socialise outside work. If you don’t feel like your contribution hss been properly recognised raise it but make sure it doesn’t come across as spiteful regarding Paul. You were thanked in a meeting.

But you say you WERE publicly thanked, in the meeting?

I would raise this with Steve and throw in the words ‘gender discrimination’ to make him reflect on what he’s done. Why is a man being praised for work a woman has done?!

It's not about face fitting it's because the OP doesn't have a penis. Are you saying she should be like a good little woman just say nothing and let the men get all the credit?

Steve is positioning a Paul for a promotion.

100% this. Women don't get on as well as men as they have a greater tendency to be agreeable. You don't need to reveal your source - just making him aware thst one of the seniors has gone behind his back and isn't impressed is enough.
And if it continues start looking for promotion elsewhere.

I’d say look Steve I just want you to be aware that senior leadership are questioning why you’ve praised Paul and not me when I’ve led and delivered the project while onboarding Paul and you’ve conspicuously not included me. It has been noticed and not in a good way for you. You might want to reflect on how this is going to play out in the longer term for everyone involved.

My DH has had similar happening to him over the last couple of years, leading projects, making up all the slides etc for someone else to take the credit. He feels his face doesnt fit, he has the opposite issue being a man in a young female heavy team, women at different seniority levels meeting outside of work, getting chummy then of course wanting to make sure their mates are sat in the limelight.

He like you has heard/seen things which he kept quiet about as he didn’t want to get the person who told him in trouble, but it’s now started to impact his MH, so he’s had to escalate it as it’s all just so shit!

I don't think you would look silly. Someone in senior management sent you that email for a reason and you should be able to raise it.

What Steve did was completely unfair and undermining. If this is the shape of things to come where you do all the work and Paul gets all the praise, you need to start thinking about moving on.

I'd play ignorant to the email and send your own email to the whole team and senior management thanking everyone on their efforts to bring this project to a successful conclusion. Thank everyone for the hours they put in etc. Then finish by saying you welcome Paul to the team and hope he enjoyed this 'learning experience'.

That is outrageous, I would definitely take it up with Steve. So as not to drop the person who forwarded it to you in it, I’d word your discovery along the lines of “having been made aware of the email…and of your surprise and concern at not having received the same recognition, given you led the project”.

I’d then sit in the silence while Steve tries to make his feeble excuses. When he’s finished I’d ask for bonus recognition/paid overtime/whatever the going reward is at your workplace, then I’d not be working like that for Steve again. The next chance Steve gets, he will be looking to promote Paul over you, so I’d also be keeping a close eye on what the job market is like in your field.

This is the perfect reply.

Im utterly fucked off for you OP - this has happened to me... Not just the latter help but when ive been leading on projects and mentoring the 'help'!

You absolutely have to sort this OP.
Over a couple of years, cronyism and unchallenged favouritism and conflicts in a business near me developed into large scale corruption, nepotism and the company ended up bled dry. Many redundant.

OP, why on earth wouldn't you query this?

Women get left behind because they don't and allow bullshit like this fly.

What have you to lose by asking for clarification as to exactly what he meant by this email?

Of course you should spell out clearly what you have done, your hours and the small supervised, monitored contribution by this new guy.

This is a CF test.

There’s nothing you can say to Steve raising going to make him defensive or roll his eyes or weaponize it to make this A Thing. You need to find a way to make sure the person who ultimately needs to know it was you, knows. Ideally directly from you via knowledge of the actual work which Paul won’t have.

Steve’s being massively unprofessional, he’s playing favourites.

Has he done it because Paul was only ever there temporarily and is now moving on? Still bad form not to make it clear he was just helping out. I would raise it. Say someone forwarded it to you as they were concerned that it looked like he was being given credit for work you did in your lead work area. Say that once you read it you can see where they are coming from. Ask if there was a reason you were not cc'd as the Lead or included in the message.

You can tell him.

say something along the lines of - It’s come to my attention that you emailed senior staff thanking Paul for all his hard work on this project but not mentioning my contribution. I find that really demoralizing and deeply unfair given our relative contributions.

I think I would have to say ‘I’ve inadvertently heard about the email praising Paul - didn’t want to ask if I also received the plaudits too as it’s professionally embarrassing for both of us if I wasn’t- given my input/ leadership/ mentorship of Steve throughout’

id guess gives away the source