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Original poster

Teen slapped at work, what to do?

114 replies

Themadcleaner · 21/05/2022 13:53

Hi, after some advice, particularly about an employers duty of care. Teen daughter was slapped at work by one of the joint owners, on the arm and reasonably hard because she started using the till without realising owner hadn't finished her transaction yet.
She came home really upset, which I can understand as in 30 years at work no employer has laid a finger on me. She told the assistant manager who she gets on well with and has been asked to go in later to talk about it with assistant manager and 2 x owners. I'd like to go in with her as she's under 18 and not great at standing up for herself. I hope they are planning to apologise properly and ensure it doesn't happen again. She likes the job and wants to stay until she finds another one. But other than calmly supporting her to factually say what happened what can I say?
I would think even slapping is assault? And her employers have a duty to protect her from that, rather than inflict it?!

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 21/05/2022 13:59

I'd be reporting it to the police!

Buzzer3555 · 21/05/2022 13:59

I would go with her definitely. Try to stay calm but ask for assurance this will be dealt with or you will take it further
Back it up with an email so you have a record in case it happens again. Good luck.

EmmaGrundyForPM · 21/05/2022 14:03

If she is telling you accurately, then she has been assaulted by her employer. I would be supporting her to make a complaint to the police

Aquamarine1029 · 21/05/2022 14:07

Your child should not be working for an employer who assaulted her. I would file a report with the police.

Lavenderlast · 21/05/2022 14:08

Slapping is assault.

Assault on a child by an employer is a pretty serious issue.

I would report to the police.

I would refuse to allow the person who hit her to attend the meeting with the other owner.

I consider her a victim of constructive dismissal and the employer owes her pay for her notice period plus compensation: if she was my daughter I’d refuse to let her go back there and would demand the business pay her notice period and/or compensation. But you may wish to deal with things differently.

beachcitygirl · 21/05/2022 14:08

This is assault. Phone the police.
There may be some other young adults working with this person who do not have such a great mum as you OP

This is a crime.

roses2 · 21/05/2022 14:12

Slapped or tapped (firmly)?

TheFoxAndTheStar · 21/05/2022 14:12

If you were to forget about the fact that’s she is a child, and a 40 year old was slapped by her employer, that would not be OK.

Add onto that that she is a child and there are all sorts of other protections, it is even more not OK.

I agree that got an adult it would be seen as assault and constructive dismissal. Don’t see why it should be any less for a child.

mommaof1 · 21/05/2022 14:17

Wow deffo report hope she's ok

Original poster
Themadcleaner · 21/05/2022 14:17

Arghh now I feel like I'm under reacting, I did think about police last night but it wasn't witnessed, left no physical mark so would ultimately be a case of her word against theirs and a lengthy paperwork exercise with probably nothing at the end.
The other issue is a bit of a language barrier as the owners are foreign, maybe actions like that are more tolerated in their home country. I don't know, I probably need to have another talk with her about it all, thank you for the replies

OP posts:
Wartywart · 21/05/2022 14:18

roses2 · 21/05/2022 14:12

Slapped or tapped (firmly)?

Would you be happy to be tapped (firmly) at work? I can assure you that I would not. It's unacceptable, however you word it.

andtheycalledthewindmoriah · 21/05/2022 14:18

Slapping is actually battery.
And assault.

andtheycalledthewindmoriah · 21/05/2022 14:19

Themadcleaner · 21/05/2022 14:17

Arghh now I feel like I'm under reacting, I did think about police last night but it wasn't witnessed, left no physical mark so would ultimately be a case of her word against theirs and a lengthy paperwork exercise with probably nothing at the end.
The other issue is a bit of a language barrier as the owners are foreign, maybe actions like that are more tolerated in their home country. I don't know, I probably need to have another talk with her about it all, thank you for the replies

Ah, yes cultural differences are real. There are many countries this would be normal. Plus, did you see the doctor, from Pakistan, who was just cleared fit to practise medicine after cornering and sexually assaulting a young nursing student?

His argument? Normal where he's from.

ComDummings · 21/05/2022 14:19

Assault. You do not put your hands on another person. Even a tap, even a touch. Help her report this to the police.

RichardOsmansXraySpecs · 21/05/2022 14:21

Was it really a slap though? Or just a little tap to move her hand from the till?

Original poster
Themadcleaner · 21/05/2022 14:26

I don't know for sure how hard, I asked her to demo on me and it was a hard slap that left a stinging sensation, but maybe the actual slap wasn't that forceful? The owner was angry. It wasn't a tap.

OP posts:
girlmom21 · 21/05/2022 14:26

RichardOsmansXraySpecs · 21/05/2022 14:21

Was it really a slap though? Or just a little tap to move her hand from the till?

Neither are acceptable.

OP it doesn't matter if it's normal in their home country. They're not in their home country and your daughter is allowed to work without fear of assault.

Go with her. Insist she gets paid for the reminder of the month and that she won't be returning to work.

Report them to the police.

SpindleInTheWind · 21/05/2022 14:27

I'd probably go in asap and record them admitting it, before they start denying it happened.

shewasa99 · 21/05/2022 14:28

Absolutely ridiculous to report this to the Police if your daughter wants to continue working there.

Let her talk to the assistant manager and see what comes from that. She should tell the assistant manager that the owners need to be told that in UK (assuming you are) people are not allowed to slap other people.

HSKAT · 21/05/2022 14:31

I'd deffo go with her.
See what they've got to say.
Ask for CCTV as a back up.
I don't think I'd be reporting to the police though tbh.

Abraxan · 21/05/2022 14:36

roses2 · 21/05/2022 14:12

Slapped or tapped (firmly)?

Does it matter?
I have never been hit at work by my employer, nor would I expect to be.
This is an adult assaulting an under 18 year old whilst at work.

There is no excuse and minimising it is an issue.

Ferngreen · 21/05/2022 14:47

Well if by pressing buttons on the till it would result in hours of sorting out financial transactions because DD had pressed buttons at the wrong time I can see a quick slap/ push of the hands off the till would happen.

However if she is traumatized why not just leave.

Ohmybod · 21/05/2022 14:54

Ferngreen · 21/05/2022 14:47

Well if by pressing buttons on the till it would result in hours of sorting out financial transactions because DD had pressed buttons at the wrong time I can see a quick slap/ push of the hands off the till would happen.

However if she is traumatized why not just leave.

WTF?? How about using your voice? Or maybe providing better training, or communicating better with the junior when two of you are near the till/involved in transactions? It’s not ok to accept a shove or a slap for any kind of wrongdoing. It’s not like she was about to walk in front of a bus and needed warned!

OP accompany her in, listen and take notes. Be prepared for them to be on the defence on this and be ready to calmly tell them it will reported to the police if they in any way justify, withhold apology or suggest your DD deserved it.

SunshineCake · 21/05/2022 14:55

Ferngreen · 21/05/2022 14:47

Well if by pressing buttons on the till it would result in hours of sorting out financial transactions because DD had pressed buttons at the wrong time I can see a quick slap/ push of the hands off the till would happen.

However if she is traumatized why not just leave.

It wouldn't take hours. Don't be silly.

Marblessolveeverything · 21/05/2022 15:00

It's assault report to police now so if there is cctv they can take it. And to the person who said push, tap if a mistake was being made was acceptable - no it isn't, utterly bizarre what some people deem acceptable.