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vicky23
07-11-17, 11:44
Hi all,

So I've worked at a company for 5 years at the same shop. We've had 5 different managers in this time but this latest one I find intimidating.
I had to ring in sick on Thurs, I find ringing in sick agonising but sometimes you just can't work. I spoke to someone else who past the message on to him. I was meant to be back in to work the following thurs but because of the nature of retail work that changed to Tues. They don't let me know they've changed the shift we are just expected to check every day on the online rota.
Anyway this morning I check the rota and I was marked down as sickness so I rang to check that they weren't expecting me in and he was really mean. He said did you ring to let us know you were fit to come back? I said no because I didn't realise that I had to do that as I was off just one day, he said I was meant to have kept in contact and then I'd have a back to work interview. I said that must be new as I've never had to do that before, he said he'd be at the company 22 years and it's always been this way. I said I'd check my contract, he then hung up.
As a social anxiety sufferer I was really shaken up, I am angry that he talked to me like that, angry that he changed the rules but didn't tell me, angry that I can't find my contract to be proved right. I spent a lot of time sobbing and even know I'm still shaking.
I've talked to my representative who is a colleague who also works at the shop and she's going to go with me for my back to work interview. She said she's really sorry he made me feel this way I caught him on a bad day.
I'm dreading having to go back because I hate talking to people in this sort of official capacity I feel like I'm being judged.
I need to look for a new job because even if this gets resolved I don't want to work for a man that treats his employees like this. But in the meantime I don't know what to do. I actually feel like taking it above his head and putting a complaint in because I don't like the thought of other people having to go through this.

swgrl09
07-11-17, 12:38
Wow, that's quite a reaction from him. I would be pretty anxious myself, knowing my own tendencies. You may be onto something that it was a bad day for him, but I can understand how you're feeling completely.

I am also a bit confused as to his reasoning. I've never worked somewhere where you needed a return to work meeting for just one day off sick. Even when I've had more time off, it was less formal - more like phone check-ins to see how things were going.

When is your return to work interview? It doesn't hurt to look to look around for other jobs and see what's out there. I would say give yourself some time to cool off from this morning before making any decisions re: complaint, etc. You, of course, have the right to. I personally would wait until I had calmed down a little so that I could make the clearest decision and word things properly. But that's just me.

:hugs::hugs: I hope you start to feel better soon. Remind yourself that this is more about him than it is about you and you did nothing wrong.

vicky23
07-11-17, 14:20
Thank you again Swgrl for your support :hugs:

SO, to add to the drama, I got a phone call from my senior supervisor at 12.40 asking where I was, they were expecting me in for my shift. I told him about the phone conversation and that my rota has being shown as sickness all morning so I thought that I wasn't going in. Then I hear my manager's voice in the background, apparently the phone call this morning was enough for them to expect me to go in???

I got upset on the phone and said I wasn't going in until I had the rep with me, I'm kinda glad I stood my ground but at the same time maybe I should have just gone in and the problem would be solved? But anyway was in a state after the phone call anyway shaking like a leaf so I'd probs be no good at work. I don't know what's going to happen now whether I'll get a disciplinary at work for not shopping up, but I have a screen grab of my rota with the red sickness for today so that should help if I need it.

I just can't believe they're acting like this :shrug: