How do I deal with this coworker?

Question

She's not even my boss and works for another dept. She has to work in my office due to limited space. We're both on the same pay scale too, but she keeps saying, "If you keep smoking like that, how will you ever conceive?" She knows I'm trying to conceive. Then I if I'm two minutes or four minutes late in the mornings (I always make the minutes up anyway), she'll say, "You're four minutes late. I thought you weren't coming in" and when another coworker wasn't well a few months ago and took a few days off, I asked her, "Are you feeling better now?" and this coworker said, "No, don't ask her yet if she's OK".

Update:

But I do work with her, Anon. She's in the same office as me, opposite me, as stated in my question.

Pearl · Answer

maybe you should tell her to mind her own business

? · Answer

I agree with anonymous. Just because you have to work near her, that's not the same thing as having to work with her. If your job requires you and she to talk about the work, do that with cool politeness. If your job does not require you to have conversations with her about the work, just greet her once when you arrive, say goodbye when you leave for the day, and leave it at that. Feel free to ignore the rudeness of her remarks at those times or her chatter in between.

Anonymous · Answer

Ignore her completely. The fact you don't have to work with her should make that easy.

choko_canyon · Answer

As little as possible, obviously.

Anonymous · Answer

She's out of line.  She is judging you and bullying you.  What you do in private is your business unless you are sharing your private life at work?  If so, then don't do it.  Don't give her any ammunition and ignore any further questions or snidey remarks in future.

Anonymous · Answer

She is just a bit chatty.   if you dont like her, be COLD..... ignore her "advice"......

BTW if you are pregnant and you smoke, your child will have a defect.   or maybe cancer when the child is a toddler.     and this is not being a boss..... but an advice to a mother.

How do I deal with this coworker?

6 Answers