The Background:
Last year I had to take some time off work as I had surgery. 2 weeks after the surgery I won a life changing amount of money. Unfortunately the Terms & Conditions of the competition meant I had to go public. Whilst off sick, family relationships broke down, and I endured a staggering amount of emotional abuse. An 8 week planned sick leave turned into 6 months off work while I recovered my mental health.
The issue
Since I returned to work a colleague has been extremely frosty. Made comments like she wouldn’t have the conscience to take time off ‘if she wasn’t genuinely ill’ & did winning ‘that amount of money change me as a person’. She speaks in clipped tones, doesn’t initiate conversation anymore when she used to be extremely warm.
Exacerbating incident:
another colleague (B) and I locked horns one day. Frosty colleague pounced in and started attacking me verbally when the incident had nothing to do with her. I walked out of the office. My blood pressure then elevated, my daughter had a ectopic pregnancy, my son required surgery & my husband’s mobility went downhill in the space of a week. Was off for a further 2 months until my BP was finally under control after differing prescriptions etc, and caring duties to my family. Colleague B has been absolutely fine ever since, work relations restored etc.
Frosty colleague can barely look at me.
Yesterday
Somehow sick leave came up again and I said to the team, ‘if you’re unwell, you need to take time to recover’. She went red in the face and looked liked she was sucking a lemon.
The team know about the surgery/family relations etc. I felt it was only fair that they should know given my extended leave.
current situation
If anything is mentioned about my family, frosty colleague talks about boundaries etc yet it’s fine for everyone else to discuss their personal lives, including herself. Yesterday the penny dropped that Her perception is that I won money & went off on a jolly for 6 months, which is nonsense coz we get full sick pay anyway, and she looks enraged when my other reasons for being off are mentioned. I have spent the past few months being myself and treating her the same in the hope she’ll defrost. However since yesterday, AIBU to think that she’s a jealous cow who needs to work on herself? Also, would appreciate any advice on how to handle her. I’m so pssed off with her & think she’s a total dck at the minute.
Thank you for reading