Teen slapped at work, what to do?

[Themadcleaner]

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?!

So weird this made me cringe. Is there a pantomime donkey too?

Except OP says the owner was a WOMAN.

No it’s not the same - what happened to the OP’s DD was an uncalled-for physical assault whereas pulling someone’s hand away from a hot hob, say, would be a reasonable and proportionate action take to avoid that person coming to serious harm.

And for the avoidance of doubt, no one is going to any meetings ffs. Police report and employment lawyer for constructive dismissal. How did you even get to the point that you have to question what to do if your child is assaulted?

There will be trolls here all night telling you that your daughter isn't worth police time, and "violence is never acceptable BUT", but you know what to do OP.

She’s not legally an adult so I would go with her and maybe just observe what’s said, However, before the meeting ends I would let whoever is present know in no uncertain terms that you are aware of the law, and you consider it assault - and that you are considering a report to the police. And to the PP who said it was acceptable if the result of a mistake would be hours of sorting out - what planet are you living on if you think it’s acceptable for any employer to even touch one of their employees in this manner ? And if she’s traumatised by it to the point where she feels she has to leave, then it’s constructive dismissal and the employer needs to be held to account. If it was a momentary lapse and a response to her making the mistake, then at the very least the employer needs to apologise and assure you both that nothing like this will happen again.

Maybe not in the first instance but what if this is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact that there was physical contact means the employer thinks little of it. So it’s more likely to happen again. At the very least it needs to be made clear that it is not acceptable to touch an employee, let alone slap them, whatever the provocation and that it must not happen again. I cannot believe the number of posters who are minimising what is actually assault.

What tosh. The vast majority of posters are saying report it to the police. Hardly minimalisation!

You are absolutely right to attend the meeting with her.
It would be intimidating in a workplace for an adult to meet with three or four people in such a scenario - they would be inviting a union rep or whatever with them, for example.

I would expect an apology to her, from the person who did it, and an assurance that it would not be happening again.

There will be trolls here all night telling you that your daughter isn't worth police time, and "violence is never acceptable BUT", but you know what to do OP.

Trolls? You mean posters who disagree with you 🙄

You say it’s her word against theirs but presumably there’s cctv in the shop? If it got that far.

There may be cctv evidence of this @Themadcleaner. Go with your kid and report if you’re not happy with the result. Take very detailed notes during the meeting. Don’t be afraid to record it discreetly on your phone and use the recording to fact-check your notes.

They will completely downplay it and act as if DD has completely overreacted. Carrying on there will then be a nightmare. If you complain then start working for another job. I’m not condoning them slapping her btw.

Normally you need two years service to claim unfair dismissal but if an employee is able to establish direct or indirect constructive dismissal, or unfair dismissal on the grounds of breaching rules regarding a protected characteristic (such as disability), in most cases there is no qualifying service period.

It wasn’t acceptable whatever the motivation. But I think motivation informs your response.

Was it a panicked ‘Aaargh no don’t press that!’ batting of her hand away from the til thus voiding a long list of inputs in progress, for e.g, or was it an angry ‘how dare you touch the til when I am using it, back off!’ Punitive sort of motivation?

If the first I would expect a really sincere and remorseful apology. If the second, I don’t think your Dd is safe working there, it was assault, and the owner needs to be told to undergo training or anger management or something.

This, total over reaction to go to the police.

Why the help would you encourage her to carry on working there?!

She'd hardly be upset if it were a tap, would she?

So even more reason to report it so these sexist morons don't think that it is normal or acceptable behaviour in this country!

Why would someone want to keep on working somewhere where their boss had hit them? There are loads of jobs out there, the OP's dd can find a better one!

Jesus Christ the minimising on this thread! I train people in a job where one false move could kill someone and I've managed not to slap any of my trainees!

no! I can't see it happening at my current nor ANY of my previous jobs, spanning several sectors!
And even if it did a light hearted "tap" between friendly colleagues about cake is different to an adult employer punishing a young employee by slapping them ffs!

Op places are crying out for young temp part time staff- I'd recommend your dd leave and find something else.