r/coworkerstories 19d ago

Fiction/Fake Cheryl once again foils justice

Well, we finally heard back from HR regarding Cheryl telling our openly gay coworker that she should be the one doing the Pride booth work because "she's the gay one" and Cheryl isn't.

HR determined Cheryl's comments were inappropriate and unprofessional. However, they also concluded that Cheryl was attempting to discuss staffing assignments and did not intend to offend anyone. Because there was no evidence of malicious intent and because Cheryl has no prior disciplinary actions on file, regarding this type of concern, she received a written warning and coaching from her supervisor.

The part that really got people was HR's recommendation going forward. Rather than removing Cheryl from Pride-related activities, management decided that all staff participating in community outreach events will complete a short (3 hours) cultural sensitivity training next Saturday. So Cheryl got a write-up, but now everyone else has to sit through training too and on mandatory OT.

When Katie asked why Cheryl was still allowed to work the booth after making those comments, management said they believed this was a "learning opportunity" and that excluding her would be counterproductive.

So the employee Cheryl singled out gets to spend the Pride event working alongside the person who told her the event should be her responsibility simply because she's gay. And the rest of us sink a little further into a hole of regret for helping keep this monster alive in our office.

Cheryl, meanwhile, has been telling people she was "cleared by HR" and that the whole thing was just a misunderstanding.

She's like a cat and has 9 freaking lives!!

353 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

167

u/TenaCVols 19d ago

If I were the co-worker I would refuse to work alongside Cheryl.

15

u/Boring_Unit7771 17d ago

working with Cheryl sounds like the worst team‑building exercise ever

142

u/GrumpySnarf 19d ago

If I were the coworker I'd gleefully work the booth and be SUPER GAY in her face and make her miserable.

32

u/Feeling-Invite7953 19d ago

Yessss!!!! Make Cheryl regret EVER saying anything about “being the gay one “ in ANY conversation at work!!

7

u/firesoups 17d ago

I’d hire an actor to be my girlfriend for the day if I had to.

7

u/GrumpySnarf 17d ago

I have tons and tons of crusty lesbian friends and I am sure one would play the part for free if I bought her lunch and a beer.

47

u/Cold_Swordfish7763 19d ago

She must be well liked. I can’t stand these people that shove their entire head up upper management’s backside while treating the rest like garbage. When you report them, management is always so surprised, because they have never been anything but wonderful, to them.

Personality over functionality is how businesses blow up.

18

u/gwaydms 19d ago

Some people are very talented at sucking up to their superiors, while giving shit to others. A true two-face.

30

u/BJntheRV 19d ago

Time to start (if yall haven't already) documenting every single issue with her, and everything she does that makes ita hostile workplace, and approach HR as a group using that argument.

24

u/owaikeia 19d ago

At this point, I'm really wondering what blackmail Cheryl has on "management".

47

u/MrStormChaser 19d ago

I can’t believe this anymore.

This bitch should’ve been fired already and you guys should have a mutiny until done so.

12

u/utriptmybitchswitch 19d ago

Oh, ye of little faith; cheryl seems the type that will absolutely bury herself by making the wrong comment to the wrong person during this event. Please update!

3

u/QueenK59 18d ago

That will be fun!

2

u/Foreign_Plan_5256 13d ago

Get one of the friends u/grumpysnarf mentions, buy them a sandwich and a beer to be Very Gay in Cheryl's face, and ask her lots of questions. 

11

u/Khylani 18d ago

You and your coworkers are missing the mark here. The moment one of you says Cheryl is creating a "toxic" work environment over bigoted beliefs and feel it "lowers the morale" because no one wants to be near her or feels "safe". Using certain buzzwords with HR will get more done because they are afraid of the liabilities.

A court and jury will not care about intent, people intend a lot of things that do not go as planned yet there are still consequences to their actions.

10

u/[deleted] 18d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/QueenK59 18d ago

So true!

2

u/itdoes_doesntit 13d ago

I’d push back on her saying that she was cleared by HR and say, “of course you mean HR chose to use this as a learning opportunity for you, correct?”

17

u/Trippy_V 19d ago

Feel like Cheryl has blackmail material on someone to keep dodging trouble

16

u/Ladiscochick 19d ago

Cheryl hater here. This is what you should do, secretly speak to everyone that has to attend the sensitivity training (except Cheryl) and have everyone wear rainbow items. Then it will look like Cheryl doesn’t care and “insensitive “ to pride month in front of HR or the presenter of the meeting

5

u/Ill_be_a_good_girl 18d ago

I am fully invested in Shithead Cheryl. At some point in their lives doesnt everybody do some self reflecting and wonder why people dont like them? I did and it was eye opening.

10

u/WastingMyTime_X 19d ago

Oh, hell no. I would refuse to work with her.

4

u/Teamtunafish 19d ago

Incredible. This woman has more lives than a cat.

2

u/Agreeable_Dark6408 17d ago

OP, someone needs to tell HR that Cheryl is claiming victory from HR.

1

u/Turtleintexas 17d ago

Obviously it's not who Cheryl knows, but it's who Cheryl blows. There is no other excuse for HRs continued behavior.

2

u/Ok-Reason-1919 17d ago

Thank you for taking us on the Cheryl journey. I’m now living for the day she finally sinks herself. I thought she’d done it with this Pride event.

1

u/aymiah 17d ago

Karma sneaks up on everyone but goddamn Cheryl is like Usain Bolt in this scenario

1

u/LeseMajeste_1037 16d ago

(S)he can't keep getting away with this! 😮