My bloody anti vaxx colleague

[Whydoyoucareaboutthis]

Sorry just so cross. Every bloody day he asks if I've poisoned my children yet, send me links proving it's dangerous and they don't work but all from crackpot sources.

I've complained to my boss who says everyone is allowed an opinion. But my colleague doesn't care that my kid showjumps (dangerous) cycles to school on a rural road (dangerous) so why does it matter what I do regards vaccination. I don't give two hoots what he is or isn't doing with his kids.

I just don't know how to approach it any more

I've nchanged, reading back it sounds odd but I'm just so cross! It's like he wants to be our saviour, I don't need bloody saving.

Annoying colleague. What are you hoping from us by posting this?

Go back to your boss and demand that he tells colleague sticks to work issues and stops harassing you. Copy that email in to HR

You are being harassed and harangued. Force your boss to take action. Your colleague has every right to his opinions but no right whatsoever to keep pushing them upon you, especially not in work time, using work email, to do so.

You need to take this back to your boss - this sounds like it's far too much. Yes to everyone having an opinion - but asking if you've poisoned your children yet? Fuck that.

Be blunt. Tell him to wind his neck in and fuck off.
(And be careful not to catch Covid while he’s at it!)

Match his tone and message. "Are you still enabling your children to catch and transmit a deadly, invisible virus that has killed millions and bought the economy to its knees?" That and/or report him for harassment.

Go back to your boss and tell him you're going to HR in 24hrs unless boss gets colleague to stop immediately, as colleague is now harassing you with unwanted communications using his work email to boot. Colleague is perfectly entitled to his opinion, he is not entitled to harass you with it or because of it.

Whatever his opinion is, he shouldn't be abusing you in the workplace.
You should take this higher.

He can have his opinion and tbh some of it I kind of agree with but what isn't right is for anyone to push their ideas on anyone else in a bullying manner like this. Report for harrassment. I would report him and I don't even disagree with all he says.

Asking if you’ve poisoned your children is harassment, not an opinion. Sending you links is also pushing an agenda onto you, not expressing an opinion. Approach HR if he’s sending links through work email to your work email, nothing to do with work that’s bad enough, if he’s sending you links privately that’s further harassment.
Email HR, state word for word what’s been said, include the links too.
I’d cc in your boss and include a line that you have spoken to “boss” and although they have said it’s just an expression of opinion, please can HR clarify as you feel very it’s crossing a line (IT IS!)

Keep a copy of everything he sends and forward it all to your boss. Keep a note of everything he says with dates and times. Send that too.

How is he sending you this stuff? Is it possible to block him?

I had a similar issue with someone at my workplace telling me I clearly didn't love my children if I didn't sign his stupid petition, I blocked him and told him to speak to me about work issues only, I also put a written complaint in to my manager about it, which they took far more seriously than me having a chat about it.

Your boss needs to grow a bloody backbone.

Your colleague doesn’t get to lecture you about anything using your children and needs reigning one. I can’t think of one example that would make emailing you unsolicited links on a regular basis acceptable. If he can’t keep he’s comments general and not aimed at anyone personally he needs to just stfu.

If your boss is to scared to manage someone directly go straight to HR and tell them they need to manage the harassment - tell your boss you’re doing it too, they should be embarrassed of themselves.

Go to HR.

Go back to your boss and say since you have never at any point asked your colleague for his opinion this is in your view harassment and you will formally complain to HR.

DO NOT retaliate in any way - you'll be bringing yourself to his level and will also that make it impossible for work to bring any action.
If he brings it up in conversation tell him you don't want to discuss it.
If he's using work email, that's reportable.
If it's personal email block him.

@Blubells

Annoying colleague. What are you hoping from us by posting this?

Actually, exactly what I've got. Somewhere to moan, but more than that writing it down and seeing other people's response really helps me formulate a reply. It probably is a bit sad but I don't really have people I can talk to I'll about things like this.

Thank you all. Sadly no HR but I will go back to my boss, I was so close today to telling him to fuck off and that wouldn't go down well at work.

I think a written complaint is a good idea, I've had a few chats but they certainly haven't been taken seriously. He forwards messages via personal (already blocked) and work but at least I can ignore them, it when he talks at me is the real problem.

Asking if you’ve poisoned your children is harassment, not an opinion

^^This. Complain to HR if you have one.

Ah X post. Written complaint then, and note down the date and time of any future harassment.

No HR makes it tricky but it’s great advice to put a complaint in writing, use this link to guide you and include links and quotes in your complaint to your boss.

There’s also the number for ACAS on there which is worth a call for some guidance. I phoned them years ago and iirc the advisor spoke very much in hypotheticals for the issue I was calling about but they’re great at helping you understand where you stand legally and signposting.

www.gov.uk/workplace-bullying-and-harassment

A link would have been helpful eh?

Just to add, I'd pointedly take out a notebook and write everything down each and every time he does it.