A 25-year-old woman publicly corrected her coworker spreading false stories about her after private requests failed. The coworker had been telling lies about her first week at work for months.

Coworker Spreading False Stories: The Backstory

The woman works in a relaxed office where jokes are common. However, her coworker Victor has a habit of telling inaccurate stories that never happened.

Victor repeatedly told a story about her first week. According to him, she panicked during a meeting and sprinted to an emergency exit.

In reality, she simply asked Victor where the team meeting was held. There was no panic, no sprinting, and no emergency exit drama.

The Coworker Spreading False Stories Incident

At first, she let the story slide because it seemed harmless. Nevertheless, Victor kept repeating it at team lunches and in front of department heads.

She pulled Victor aside privately and explained the story made her look incompetent. Furthermore, she asked him to stop telling it because it wasn’t true.

Victor brushed off her concerns and told her to relax. He claimed it was just a harmless joke.

Last week, new hires were shadowing their team during safety procedures. Victor immediately launched into his false story again, making the new hires look at her strangely.

She calmly corrected him publicly this time. She stated the story never happened and asked him to stop telling it.

What Reddit Said

Most people said she was not the asshole. They pointed out that Victor is literally a liar, so calling him one isn’t unfair.

Some commenters suggested this wasn’t innocent humor. Instead, they believed Victor was deliberately trying to make her look incompetent and ridiculous.

A few users noted that she handled the situation professionally. Moreover, they emphasized she tried private correction first before going public.

Others pointed out that Victor’s cold behavior afterward proved he knew he was wrong. In addition, they said his embarrassment was self-inflicted.

The Verdict

Overall verdict: OP is NTA (Not the Asshole). When someone ignores private requests to stop spreading lies, public correction becomes necessary.

This situation highlights how seemingly harmless workplace jokes can damage professional reputations. For more similar situations, check out our work drama and AITA stories sections.

From r/AmItheAsshole (2,018 upvotes)