'AITA for refusing to help my coworker with her project?' 'She took credit for mine.'
"AITA for refusing to help my coworker with her project after she took credit for mine?"
I (30F) work in a team of five at a marketing company, and we've been working on a big project for the past few weeks. I’ve been putting in a lot of extra hours, staying late, and really pushing myself to get things done on time. My coworker, Rachel (28F), is part of the team, but she’s been a little…disengaged.
She’s been missing meetings, showing up late, and not really contributing much to the work. I’ve tried to help her get caught up and offered to work together, but she always seems too busy or distracted.
Last week, we were finalizing the project and I sent over my section for review. When it came time for the presentation to the higher-ups, I found out that Rachel had basically copied my work and presented it as her own. She didn’t even acknowledge that I helped her or that the work was mine.
I was pretty livid, but didn’t say anything during the meeting, trying to keep it professional. Afterward, I confronted her about it and she played it off like it was no big deal. She said she was just "too busy" and didn’t have time to work on her part, so she "used mine as a reference." I told her that it wasn’t a "reference"—it was my actual work, and she took credit for it.
Now she’s asking me to help her with her next part of the project, but I’m really upset and don’t feel like I should. I’ve worked hard, and I feel like she’s trying to take advantage of me.
Our boss has noticed she’s been slacking lately and is counting on me to help, but I just don’t think I can support someone who has already taken advantage of me like this. I’m getting a lot of pressure from the team and even some friends to just let it go, but I’m standing firm on not helping her. AITA for refusing to help her after what she did?
Here's what top commenters had to say about this one:
Traditional-Day1140 said:
You need to talk to your boss about her taking credit for you work and explain that you aren't comfortable with putting in that amount of work for her to steal it. She needs to step up and do her own work.
FreezeMeTrophy said:
Helping her again would be like lending your pen to someone who just stabbed you in the back with it. She’s already shown you she’ll take advantage of your hard work, so why give her another chance to do it? Definitely NTA.
AuroraXX76 said:
NTA. Honestly, she didn’t deserve your help after what she did. It’s one thing to be busy, but it’s another to take someone else’s work and pass it off as your own. You have every right to refuse to help her. She needs to learn that actions have consequences.
farlanhaltdri said:
NTA. Rachel crossed a line by taking credit for your work. You’re not obligated to help someone who disrespected your effort and trust. Focus on your contributions and let her handle her own responsibilities.
TrafficOnTheTwos said:
NTA and I would probably inform your boss of the situation.
RJack151 said:
NTA. Tell her loudly, in front of everyone, "Do your own work and I refuse to let you steal my work and claim it as your own anymore."
softshoulder313 said:
NTA. She's like that one person in a group project in college who does absolutely nothing and still gets a passing grade because everyone else in the group is afraid to fail and they let it slide. She needs to grow up and stop stealing. If she can't do her job she doesn't deserve the job. I would never help anyone who stole work from me.
luca-__- said:
NTA - Next time make something up completely out of the topic that she will effortlessly steal afterwards and wait for the result