Team members row, one sent home, I am boss but not in today

[megcleary]

What do I do? Very tricky staff, some health issues with one involved, most team members getting one fine, one isolating herself. Now there has been a row I have heard second hand as I have rang in about something else now dread tomorrow and dealing with it.

Advice appreciated

Has the one who's been sent home been suspended?

No I hear she was too upset to work.

How did it go today, meg?

Well the upshot is the person sent home is mainly upset with me, is refusing to come to me with any issues and this is ok with my line manager. My concern I have accountability for her work as I am her line manager and I feel this is unreasonable.

I think if the person has an issue with you, then they need to tell you what it is, or it will be very hard to have a working relationship with them. Has your boss given you any idea if why she is upset with you?
Can you meet with this employee and try to resolve the issue?

I don't understand how she got sent home on a day when you weren't in, if you're perceived to be the problem for her.

Can you arrange a meeting with this person and perhaps your line manager to discuss the issues, to try and get some resolution? I can't see how you would be able to continue working well together otherwise, and that sort of tension in the workplace will affect others too.

I hope it works out for you.

That is completely untenable. People can't pick and choose whether they report to their line manager. If your manager has agreed to this, they have undermined you and need to rectify the situation. Ime the only way to handle this sort of thing is very very firmly, your line manager needs to tell her to go to you every time. If your manager won't do this, she needs to be moved out of your team.