We're tackling something we all have to deal with at some time or other: work drama. Each week, I'll be bringing the juiciest stories from across the web right to our little virtual water cooler. From toxic bosses to nightmare workplaces, I'm here to speak a little justice on behalf of the average worker.

While you're here, please note that this weekly series is meant solely for entertainment purposes. Please do not have your HR team call me tomorrow saying you heard it from Joel at Digg.

We Could Retire On Millions, But My Wife Doesn’t Want Me To

My wife totally knows how I feel about my job, but she just doesn't seem to care. She just wants the money to keep coming in. She comes up with one reason after another to tell me that it's absolutely essential that I keep working. First (during marriage counseling), she said I could retire at 62, then 63. Then she decided it had to be 65. Now she has more reasons why it has to be even later (totally open-ended at this point). None of these reasons hold up to scrutiny. Meanwhile, she has already been retired for about a year. I am not sure how much more I can take. Has anyone else been in a situation like this? How do I handle this? EDIT: I mostly work remotely, so it's not a matter of not wanting me around the house. I am home more when I am working than I would be retired.

Much like the other commenters, I'm shocked that you're paying a counselor who hasn't gotten your wife to open up about her feelings on your retirement. Luckily, I offer my advice for free, but I don't think you have that much of a case to work through anyway. Your finances do sound solid, just make sure you're communicating how you're going to use them with your wife, too. Also, give her some confidence that you'll have enough things to keep yourself busy after getting rid of your work schedule. Maybe with some visuals, dates and payment plans laid out, you can show her what the next chapter in your life together is going to look like, and how it's not such a scary new thing.Read the rest of the thread here.

My Co-Worker Is Threatening To Sue The Company Over My Electric Car

My co-worker (mid-60s male) drives a huge truck. I recently took the plunge and got a mini electric SUV. Ever since, he calls me "the fridge driver," which is kind of funny, I'll give him that.

Once, I forgot to charge at home and arrived at work with 22 percent battery. I noticed a 220v outlet very close to my parking spot, so I took the charger to see if it was connected and it worked! I didn't want to get in trouble, so I emailed the facilities team asking for permission. They pretty much said, "We don't care, don't email us anymore."

My parking spot was very close to the entrance, and my boomer friend, let's call him Jack, uses a cane and parks at the very end of the garage. I switched spots with him, and he's been very nice to me ever since (this comes back later).

I charge my car twice a week on average, so I've been getting free mobility for about 6 months. Another co-worker got an F-150 Lightning, and I was telling her over lunch that she could use my parking spot on the days I'm not there (I only go to the office twice a week). Our boomer friend was there too.

I went to show her where the outlet was, and Jack decided to tag along. The whole time he was like, "Hey, this used to be my parking spot." My friend was low on battery and my car was already full, so we switched right there. Jack was making jokes that she drives a more "manly" car than I do. He asked questions about how much money we were saving. I said about $80 a week, my co-worker said she used to spend about $100 a week, and that this will be a life-changer.

What followed is the weirdest man-child behavior I've seen:

He emailed pictures of both cars charging to my supervisor, asking if this was allowed. I was contacted and showed my supervisor the email from the facilities team.

He asked for his spot back. My manager checked with me if I was okay sharing the spot so Jack could charge his car. I told him he drives a Dodge Ram, it's not electric.

He proceeded to ask for a $5,000 a year gift card to a gas station so he could commute to work for free.

He filed a complaint with HR stating he's been discriminated against for being old and refusing to adopt "a woke liberal mentality."

He goes daily to take pictures of whichever car is charging in the spot.

He stopped talking to us altogether. Not even a "good morning."

He threatened to sue the company after HR rejected his claim.

Update $80 and 100 is what we used to spend with a gas car. On EV at ome charging it's like $10 to 1 $15 a week.

This man is not the parking police, so I wouldn't worry about him. I agree with the comments saying you should let him stew in rage, it's not like he's management. Besides, you already have permission and that's without promising any $5,000 gift cards for people like him. Honestly, what car needs $5,000 in gas, unless y'all are moonlighting as truck drivers? At the end of the day, this drama you don't need to get involved in. Even if gets his old spot back, imagine the walk he has to do again. Read the rest of the thread here.

My Fiancé's Bad Attitude Is Causing My Employees To Quit

My (27M) mom, owns an indoor trampoline park. I am the one who runs most of the operations, and payroll. We have an onsite supervisor, although either me or my fiancé (25F) occasionally go in to assist. My fiancé does scheduling and generally is the one answering employee concerns. However I recently had 3 employees quit and our supervisor said that he heard or was told all 3 of them quit because they disliked my fiancé, and he said that he has heard other employees call her a "bitch" before. These were my three best non-lead employees ([ages] 16, 17 and 17). They were not only good workers all good at their respective jobs but I also liked them as people, they were all very good kids. Finding/ internally promoting employees that fit their position or are as good as them will prove to be quite difficult. I also have seen some reviews about rude management, and I have seen before her being quite stubborn with customers over things I would have apologized and given them a free item for as the cost is not worth a potential bad review

I understand that my fiancé is trying to be helpful but all these kids have mentioned that they feel disrespected by my fiancé. When the first two quit I thought that maybe it was teen angst but at the third I realized something needed to be done. Earlier today I chose to be frank with her. I said that there were numerous complaints from employees and that something needed to be done. She said that we were business people and that we needed to make sure our employees listened. I said that from what I am hearing you are simply being rude to them. She said that that was just her being a good boss. I said that making several employees feel disrespected is not a good decision. She said that I was being ridiculous and asked where exactly this was coming from. I mentioned that employees had called her a bitch before and that this was bad for business. She mentioned how those employees were just replaceable and I was being ridiculous and that she was upset that I brought up that she was called a bitch and left. I am starting to think she may be right and I was sort of rude.

I'm all for defending a spouse, but I think you messed up when you ignored the first couple of kids deciding to quit. You've let this go on for too long and now she's getting defensive because, from her view, she doesn't appear to be in the wrong. It's tough because she is your fiancé and co-worker, however, things will only going to get more intense and complicated once y'all are married and shared family finances come into the picture. When you do have kids together, it gets even more trickier. Remind her that the two of you are working towards the same goal, and that her attitude has been stressing you out a lot. As your future wife, she should hear you out and understand, but I'm with the comments saying it's a major red flag if she does not. Read the rest of the thread here.

Check out last week's edition here.

[Image credit: Monica Silvestre]