AITAH for suing a coworker?

A Redditor recently faced a dilemma after a coworker damaged their expensive keyboard in a prank. Despite being told the coworker would replace it, they received a much cheaper version instead, leading to a confrontation and the possibility of legal action. Read the full story below to see how the situation escalated…

‘ AITAH for suing a coworker?’

Last Thursday, my co-worker (f31) Jane decided to pull an office “prank” on me (m23). I work in a smaller sized office with about 15 other people, and we each have our own work spaces. Some people bring in personal items like photos or plants, and others bring in productivity items like mice and heaphones.

When I got to work and tried to start my computer I immediately noticed someyhing was wrong with my keyboard. The space bar, shift, and alt keys were all stuck. As I unplug it and start fiddling with it Jane comes up from behind me giggling asking what I’m doing.

She then quickly admits that she came in early and superglued some of the keys down. I told her that I didn’t find her damaging my personal items funny and she needed to replace it. She immediately became upset and left, so I went straight to my supervisor and told them what had occured and that I needed Jane to replace my keyboard with an exact copy.

The keyboard in question was about $200, a bit more than the basic ones we were issued at work. My supervisor told me they would take care of it and email them the model of the keyboard she glued. On Friday they let me know that Jane would replace it. This morning on my desk was a box for an Amazon Basics keyboard and Post-It apology from Jane.

I took the box and immediately went to go find her as this wasn’t what I led to believe she had purchased. We argued for a bit because she said I was being dramatic and disrespectful of her apology. I told her that while I appreciate she’s trying to make things right the keyboard she purchased was very different than the one she destroyed.

She said that “it was the best I was going to get from her” and I coule take it or leave it. I told her if she had no intention of replacing the item I would take her to small-claims court, and then left to find my supervisor. I told them what happened and they said they would have a talk with her and follow back up with me later.

After lunch (a few hours ago) I received an email from my supervisor saying that they felt she had done the right thing. The email also stated that “suing a coworker could have an impact on my future with the company.” I want to say that I definitely knew there was a risk in taking any item to leave at work unattended, but it is something that everyone at this office does.

It was an extra keyboard as I received a new one as a birthday gift a few months back, so it’s not like it’s something I bought just for work. I just feel like she shouldn’t be destroying things she has no intention to replace. I imagine that had this been done to something provided by the office or to the pictures of her family on her desk it wouldn’t have gone down the same.. Should I just let it go? AITAH?

Lets dive into the reactions from Reddit:

MotherBike −  NTA Also, their claim that you pursuing a legal case against your coworker will jeopardize your job sounds like a thinly veiled threat, and one that you should demand in writing. Tell them you’d like to know what the ramifications are, and if your within your workers rights you can also sue the company. There’s a specific word for this type of behavior, retaliation, and that’s super illegal from your bosses.

DoomManD −  NTA. Don’t write checks you can’t cash. Pranks are supposed to be fun, and shouldn’t cause significant, irreversible damage. If she didn’t want to replace the keyboard, she should have either not messed with it in the first place, or painstakingly removed all the damage caused from the superglue herself. If she wanted to inconvenience your keyboard, unplugging it would have sufficed.

Careless_League_9494 −  NTA. Also make sure you have documented proof that your employer threatened you if you choose to access your *legal right* to take your coworker to court for destruction of property. Save that email from your supervisor, and if they attempt to punish you in any way for your pursuing your legal right to take her to court, then you take them to court, or file a complaint through labour standards.

cockitypussy −  Did they say in writing that suing a coworker would affect you?

tuna_tofu −  NO. You trash a Porsche you dont get to replace it with a Chevy Malibu. EXACT ITEM FOR ITEM. You might consider going to HR and your BOSS’ BOSS. Neither your manager or her are learning that this isnt cool and dont EVER do it again because there are consequences.

MasterMaintenance672 −  Retaliation is illegal. I’d sue and let the chips fall where they may.

Ill-Mastodon-8692 −  Respond with My personal property was impacted by deliberate willful destruction of a fellow employee. That replacement was not the same item and financially I am still impacted if I were to replace. Despite trying to address the matter with management it seems that the issue is not being addressed satisfactorily.

Please confirm the statement made at the end of the last email, as it feels threatening and retaliatory. I am simply trying to recover what was lost. Thank you Consider also cc’ing hr and your supervisors manager

SkylineFever34 −  NTA if the company wants to be forgiven, it can pay you for your damaged property.

Euphoric_Egg_4198 −  Buy yourself the same keyboard and respond to their email with a copy of the receipt and a completed disbursement form. Tell them you “don’t want to impact your future job prospects with the company” so you are submitting the receipt for your replacement keyboard to the company for reimbursement.

BCC yourself and CC your supervisor and their boss. Return the keyboard your coworker gave you. You’re NTA but if you pursue this (rightfully so) you could be out of a job and/or face retaliation in a t**ic work environment.

Takeabreak128 −  If someone purposely damages a Rolex, they can’t just replace it with a Timex ffs. I’m shocked that your office doesn’t get this. I’m particular on my electronics and accessories also. WTF ! NTA, but don’t accept the keyboard she gave you if you’re going to sue her.

Do you think the Redditor is justified in considering legal action over the damaged keyboard, or should they let it go for the sake of workplace harmony? How would you handle a similar situation with a coworker? Share your thoughts below!