this has been going on for a good couple of years now and started before i went off for my first maternity leave. it revolves around 3 girls who are the team favourites in my department, they flirt with the boss, wear low cut tops and read up on reality tv which my boss loves to watch. i actually know one of the girls from my home town and when i knew she was comng to work at our office i stupidly praised her and her family, when asked for my independent opinion of her. little did i know that she was going to join and ostracise me from the department. the other 2 girls that remained had formerly been good collegues of mine, but when i returned from maternity, they had dramatically been transformed and had turned against me. i think its because i refuse to gossip about others; and because i know too much about the girl from my home town - let's call her S. S pretends she is a rich girl from a well-educated family. i am the only one who knows that she is not what she claims to be, but i keep my mouth shut. all the others are suckers and suck up to her and treat her like some princess. the other 2 girls have become really bitchy and as a result i am left on my own at lunch times, told about get-togethers at the last minute or after hte event and at my home town functions if i bump into my colleague she will choose to ignore me unless i go up and say hello. what should i do, because the guys in my department get on well with those girls. they are all fulltimers and i am the only part-timer. i told my manager who took over my job and she has been no help. she knows how emotional i have been about it but shows no support often leaving me on my own at lunch time too. i don't think the department boss is going to sympathise either, caz he gets on very well with those girls and is chatting to them endlessly. since i went part time he has harldy said a word to me in the recent 3 years. i dont want to go to HR caz one of the girls is HR ! i think i really need to move but finding a good job on a part time basis is so difficult.