Reply To: “Issues with a New Colleague”

I’m also curious how you are responding. This coworker seems to consider you a safe space for venting, which is what I take those comments to be. (Though yes, they’re very much in poor taste.) I’d not report her. I’d personally start by deflecting the comments hoping that low engagement discourages the behavior. If that doesn’t work or if for some reason the nature of your work together means you can’t do that, I don’t think it’s out of bounds to be direct with a comment like, “I prefer not to engage in work gossip.” And then get back to work. I’d enforce similar boundaries with coworkers who are talking about the new coworker to you as well. The less you hear about it from either side, the less you will feel like you are caught in the middle of something.