change at work

[Sirbob00]

Hi

 

I know its Sunday so may be quiet but Im making myself ill just thinking about it.

 

Here goes.

 

Ive worked for my employer for almost 7 years. Our department is made up of what we call permanents and term time workers.

 

Until July I was a permanent but due to the ill health of my husband i changed to term time. In our department 1 permanent and 1 term time work together. As i changed my role I would then swap to a new partner. I was placed with my new partner in July. All happy and no problems.

 

I finished work in August and Im due back tomorrow. On Friday I received a call from my department manager to say that as another working couple weren't getting along (they'd worked together roughly 4 years) the term time lady has refused to work any longer her partner. I understand why she doesn't want to work with her. She's always off sick, gets away with anything and is a thief. This was reported to our department manager last year but she chose to ignore even though there were several witnesses. She still continues to steal but we'd given up reporting her as it was pointless.

 

Ive now been told to keep the other term time lady happy I have to work with her partner and she is getting mine.

 

Im gutted and have cried since Friday. Im not sure where to turn. I don't want to be associated with such a person.

 

I respect my boss a lot but I just can't go back knowing Im the one who now has to be miserable. Our big boss is aware of the friction between the 2 ladies but is not aware of the thefts. If i were to go to her it would cause a lot of trouble for my boss as although she knew of the thefts she didn't do anything or report it to the big boss.

 

Can anyone advise me what to do. Im making myself ill just knowing I'm due back tomorrow.

[fkofilee]

Hi Sirbob00

 

Welcome To CAG - So how is this making you ill as such?

[Sirbob00]

Because I know what she is like. So far she's been off sick in every month this year which means i'll be left on my own doing 2 peoples work. The theft is my main concern. How do I protect myself when something goes missing? We are responsible for a few hundred students. We have to go into their rooms every day. Even our boss knows stock was disappearing but she just won't confront the situation

[fkofilee]

I will find someone who could possibly help if you like?

Im not sure how to go about this.

[king12345]

Unofficially speak to your boss and let her know about your concerns.

You said she knows about the theft, why doesn't she do something about it???

After a couple of weeks you could do the same as the other temp and say that you want to change partner, is this an option or there's something stopping you doing that?

[edge_of_the_map]

Before I start, I have no specific HR or personnel qualifications, but I have seen a few similar cases handled badly and a couple handled well.

I'm afraid I have less tolerance where people are not doing their job. Personally I would write a memo to the line manager setting out the concerns and saying that although you have no personal experience of working with this individual, you understand from colleagues there are likely to be these specific issues.

Then I would report each incident in detail in writing (giving date & exact circumstances + impact on you), indicating that you expect your manager to take action and that if you do not see improvement within x amount of time, you will have to take it further, using these memos as evidence you have tried to use the chain of command.

Someone is skiving and stealing, and their manager is not doing their job. Your company will have disciplinary procedures designed for exactly this situation. You are suffering, as a result.

You can go on suffering or make them fix the problem. They may dislike a whistle-blower, but you will have given them ample opportunity to step up and do the job they are paid for.

Don't feel guilty.

[ericsbrother]

are you employed by the educational institute or a company servicing them? My experience would tell me it is likely to be the latter these days. Generally you will have a point of contact within the dept you work in so try speaking to them about the problems you are going to encounter, if this person has any gumption they will ask that the problem partner is removed from the dept/institution and if reason are asked for then this can me made clear to your big boss and they will have very little choice in the matter without having to actually name names etc. The fly in the ointment for this approach is the strength of character for this point of contact, if they have no backbone then asking them for help is doomed to fail and will make things worse for you in the short term.

[king12345]

Before I start, I have no specific HR or personnel qualifications, but I have seen a few similar cases handled badly and a couple handled well.

I'm afraid I have less tolerance where people are not doing their job. Personally I would write a memo to the line manager setting out the concerns and saying that although you have no personal experience of working with this individual, you understand from colleagues there are likely to be these specific issues.

Then I would report each incident in detail in writing (giving date & exact circumstances + impact on you), indicating that you expect your manager to take action and that if you do not see improvement within x amount of time, you will have to take it further, using these memos as evidence you have tried to use the chain of command.

Someone is skiving and stealing, and their manager is not doing their job. Your company will have disciplinary procedures designed for exactly this situation. You are suffering, as a result.

You can go on suffering or make them fix the problem. They may dislike a whistle-blower, but you will have given them ample opportunity to step up and do the job they are paid for.

Don't feel guilty.

 

Op cannot accuse someone of theft without hard direct evidence or they risk getting sacked themselves.

That's why i suggested an unofficial chat with management.

Reporting every incident is indeed a good idea, but again accusing someone of theft based only on suspicion and op witness can backfire: The thief can say that the op stole the stuff and then what?

Op's word against another and possibly they both get sacked to avoid mistakes.

Prevention is better than cure.

Try to get out of this bad partnership before it starts.

If inevitable, take a camera, hang it on your neck and record your whole shift so they know what you have been doing and haven't stolen anything.

[Sidewinder]

What the OP can do however is to alert the management/employer to the belief that stock is being stolen without naming names and asking that they investigate the matter.

 

The OP can also raise a grievance that the amount of time off being taken by a colleague is resulting in stress and a concern over the amount of work being expected of the OP

[Sirbob00]

Hi

 

Many Thanks for all the advice. I text my line manager earlier and I have a meeting tomorrow. She has told me she intends on a group meeting tomorrow to make some changes but can't go into detail at the moment.

 

I'll update tomorrow after the meeting

 

Thank you