need help----been accused, insulted by manager to accept her crime

[bristi islam]

Hi, i work as a checkout operator in [edited to preserve anonimity] supermarket. My story is about not getting break, forcing to finish early, and been accused for something that i was not responsible. I got total 2 shifts for 8 and half hours this week-- one is 4 and half and other one is 4 hours.

 

Yesterday 03/08/12 i went to do my normal shift according to my roster which was 4 and half hours (10am to 2:30pm). When you work more than 4 hours in checkout you get a 15 minutes break.

 

We have a right to ask our break if we see we r not getting it. But it mainly depends on service manager as it is only her duty to deal with this and manage the day roster too.

 

So i started at 10am and was waiting for getting my break. But till 2pm there was not any break. At that time i was thinking may be my shift was 4 hours today and tomorrow's shift would be 4 and half. At 2pm she came to my checkout and sign me off placing the close sign in my checkout saying she needs to talk with me.

 

At fast i thought i was going to get the break. But she talked about some other things. i have become confused when she told me to start work again. i said to her i am finishing now as I my shift was for 4 hours. she said no, you are finishing at 2:30pm.

 

i asked her straight away-than why am not getting my break yet? She went back to service desk to check it and came back saying yes that i am finishing at 2pm. but that time i have become totally confused and having doubt on her behavior.

 

it was so clear on her face that she was hiding something. So i closed off my register and walked toward the service desk to see the day roster. i could not able to see that because she managed to be there before me and flipped the day roster page quickly and informed me my next day shift.

 

i came back later when she was not around and what i found was shocking. She rewrote my shift making finishing time 2:30pm to 2pm only because she tried to hide it that she forgot to give me the break. How could a manager do this type of offence?

 

But I managed myself to be calm and when she came back I asked her politely that am I getting that half hours pay as I was rostered for it. She started to accuse me it was my fault, I asked her to finish 2pm and I am always confused about my shift.

 

I informed my store manager straight away. He was so sympathetic about this but told me not try to contract anyone else or call head office or call to the Union as he would do whatever possible.

 

He gave me patronage every way that he would deal with it. I went back today 04/08/12 and came to know he went for holydays from today and will return two weeks later.

 

I am feeling divested that his all patronages were a false act. Only because my background is not English he dared to do this and the service manager as well. i have talked with the union today. they will contract me coming Monday.

Edited August 4, 2012 by citizenB
spacing for easier reading

[honeybee13]

Hello and welcome to CAG.

 

I'll move your thread to the employment forum and hope the guys will be able to help you.

 

If you're able to put a few more paragraphs into your post, it would help the guys trying to advise you if it's easier to read.

 

My best, HB

[Emmzzi]

you really should be careful about using accusation language. There is no "crime" here. A crime would be theft. If you worked for no pay, that would be a crime.

 

Here, there's just been a misunderstanding about breaks. You could have cleared it up yourself by asking for a break earlier. But you said you thought you were finishing at 2pm. Maybe the store wasn't busy and they could let you go?

 

What result are you looking for?

 

Honestly, I think you are making too much fuss. There is blame on both sides for the confusion. I will tell you that if you worked for me and went to the union over a 30 minute mix up, I'd be making your life difficult in the future - tread carefully!

[Sidewinder]

I take it that your contract allows you a break? There is no legal right to one but your contract may override this.

 

Not entirely sure what you want out o this? Another 30mins pay?

[honeybee13]

Hello again.

 

I've just googled xxx supermarkets because I hadn't heard of them and they seem to be in Australia, am I right?

 

This is a UK website, so it's unlikely we'll know about Australian law.

 

HB

Edited August 4, 2012 by honeybee13
Removing name - sorry Sidewinder.

[Sidewinder]

HB - Are you keeping me busy? I already edited out that name once!

[honeybee13]

HB - Are you keeping me busy? I already edited out that name once!

 

Oops, very sorry SW. I've removed it now.

 

HB

[Sidewinder]

S'OK

 

It does look Aussie though...

[bristi islam]

sorry to say but you are missing the actual point there. it was not about getting half hour less payment. it was about been harassed and insulted only because i was claiming my right as she refused to give me saying i wanted to finish 2pm. she harassed me every way she could to hide her offence. she tried everything to make me accept her offence only because she wanted to win it. 1st she forced me to finish 2pm and 2nd she denied what she did.

 

and today my service in charge informed me that she will make a harassment charge on me and she is with my manager..............when and how did i harasse her?????????????????? how could she think of it when she harassed me in every way. i was the victim.

[Emmzzi]

It's still not a crime. There is no criminal offence.

 

If I am missing tthe point it is because you have not explained the point very well. Please answer my question - what result do you want?

 

From the sounds of it you've really wound her up. I think you need to take a more mature attitude, and I suggest you let it drop in the interests of, I don't know, keeping your job? You need to look at the longer term impact of your actions.

 

Personal opinion - 18 question marks on one word suggests you get wound up too easily/

[Sidewinder]

Also - back to Honeybee's point. You are in Australia and this is a British website, so all we can offer is an opinion because any legal points are outside of our scope of knowledge.

[bristi islam]

Thank you so much the advice that i am getting from this forum.

 

I agree that i have wound up this time. the step that i have taken, the other staff with the same background like me dare to take. Having non English background, harassment is so normal thing in workplace. Its not the fast time.

 

She has done sever damage on my mental strength and image of my years hard work. I am working in this store for 4 years. I always rank between 1 to 3 when it comes to give great service. I am the only person who got three times 100% pass from Mistery shoppers test.

 

My name was published in the supermarket's half yearly newsletter for giving extra ordinary service. i have done a lot for this store. i loved every single day to work there.

 

My manager wants to make apology for her act. She has excepted that she did wrong. But I have not accepted yet. Apology will not be enough but according to the Grievance policy i only go this far; i assume. i don't know know what will be the future outcome but the damage that has done not only by my service manager but also by the store manager and service in charge will not be recovered ever.

[Emmzzi]

There's no point giving further advice because you are not listening, Good luck.