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Original poster

Manager bullying after I raised concerns

83 replies

Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 08:14

Good morning everyone,

I need advice please:

job role in leisure centre, 16hr contract. The other days I work self employed as a PT.

My manager informed me off shift that my Pt floor rent has to be on a specific day, she suggested a day to accounts which doesn’t suit me at all as I have major outgoings and need to balance my books. I am a sole trader and my business is very new.

She then chases the payment as I could only pay 2/3rds and I questioned why I am being chased but another PT isn’t paying his full payment and a former colleague of my boss is down as a staff member and Pts for free even though he isn’t staff.

I’ve raised this and now she is speaking ill of me behind my back. I have complained to her about an operational issue (pool left unguarded with kids in as a colleague refused to lifeguard) and she has now put a grievance in about me. Something she has exaggerated.

I feel she’s bullying me but I don’t know what to do. I have emailed HR but not sure what to expect. Grievance meeting is on Friday. It’s a month old allegation of doing my nails on shift (yes, really). It was at break time and isn’t forbidden but it’s also a month old and only been brought up now in a tit for tat manner. Colleague who got asked by manager said I did it in my break time - nothing transpired - until now.

I‘m sorry this all ready really clumsily and sounds petty - it probably is but the operational risk of an unguarded pool isn’t. Said colleague didn’t want to do his duties and as I am not a manager I couldn’t make him.

where do I stand?

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 12:32

Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 11:10

I have but this was not mandated on one specific date. I always paid but a date of my choosing.

sounds like a new accounting process which is much more sensible

Russooooo · 31/01/2024 12:50

I’m a teacher and this is all reminding me very much of a playground spat.

“but he said…”
“and then she said…”
”it’s not fair. Why aren’t you asking Bob about that?”

I’d give you the same advice I give the pupils: focus on you and your behaviour; let them worry about theirs.

It sounds like the grievance meeting is about the nails so focus on that first: explain what happened and why you don’t believe you were breaking any rules.

If appropriate, you can then raise the fact that there has been ‘some confusion’ about booking dates and payments and ask to clarify the rules that apply to you.

Do not complain that things aren’t fair. Don’t start on the “he said”, “she said”. Just take responsibility for your own actions and let them deal with theirs.

Neriah · 31/01/2024 14:17

There's been some further good advice here which I won't repeat. But I am going to give a very clear warning. You are employed 16 hours a week. The rest of the time you have a business which is "new" - in other words it is fragile. They don't care about the fact that you have other outgoings or need to balance your books. They care about you paying your rent and paying ALL of it and on time. That is what all businesses have to do. Nobody gets the privilege of complaining about what someone else pays or why they pay it - that is private and privileged commercial information. If you cannot afford your rent that is between you and the invoicing authority and you discuss it with them, and them alone, and have to abide by their decision. It is not fair is, as a previous poster suggested, a playground response that has no place in business.

Where there was a clear safety issue you rightly reported it. Leave that to one side. The rest of it is he said / she said and whatever wrongs the manager has made, they are the manager. There is pretty much no chance that the employer will side with you against them, so your best case is a stale mate. WHich leaves that manager, with a grudge, still your boss and looking for a reason to come after you. And if your assessment about them is correct, then they will come after you, but in a better prepared way. It would be exceptional for the person being exited by the employer would be the manager. You are potentially on dicey ground and could easily lose it all. Be very careful. Sometimes it is better not to escalate things to the point of a battle even if you think it unfair, unless you are very sure that you would win. I am not sure you would.

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 15:08

Thank you @Neriah I will consider your words very carefully but feel Pandora‘s box can’t be shut hence the grievance hearing about a non-incident that happened over a month ago. I will stick to focusing on my explanation for it and leave the rest aside.

OP posts:
Neriah · 31/01/2024 15:28

Focus on what is important and watch your language. It isn't a "non-incident". You think it is, others don't. And it doesn't matter when it happened - a month ago isn't that long ago anyway. Focus on facts and keep emotion out of it. Yes, during a break when I was not in public I did my nails. End of. Don't elaborate, don't bring in emotion, don't invite or make judgements. De-escalate - not escalate.

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:19

is there not cctv in the swimming pool?

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:20

so when the lifeguard left the pool unattended

what happened then? another member of staff stepped in?

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:39

There is @shewasrooting

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:41

So surely there’s proof

and did any member of staff step in?

were you the only witness?

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:41

@shewasrooting I did the maximum time of 1.5h hrs. You cannot be on there longer (health and safety) and my colleague wouldn’t rotate me. Played video games in full view of cctv reception.

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:41

how do you get on with the colleague who reported you for the nails?

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:42

I think it’s my manager who had reported that. Not the colleague.

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:42

Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:41

@shewasrooting I did the maximum time of 1.5h hrs. You cannot be on there longer (health and safety) and my colleague wouldn’t rotate me. Played video games in full view of cctv reception.

so this colleague was due to take over?

and instead he sat in the pool area on his phone

all captured on CCTV

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:43

He refused to go onto poolside. Yes all on cctv

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:44

Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:43

He refused to go onto poolside. Yes all on cctv

so…. surely the first thing that will be pulled up in this?

and

Colleague who got asked by manager said I did it in my break time - nothing transpired - until now..

This colleague… who know who?

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:45

so he didn’t go through to the pool
he stayed at reception on his phone

so there’ll be the unsupervised pool cctv

and the reception cctv

was he due to take over from you?

this is baffling op

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:46

and i’m pretty sure that even though he refused to take over, which is negligence

You should have stayed there anyway rather than leave unattended, which is negligence

you were both negligent

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:47

you’re on shakey ground Op with the pool scenario Op

you left the pool unattended because your colleague refused to rotate with you.

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 16:48

This particular colleague goes missing on shift, absolutely takes the biscuit. Who plays on their phone behind reception when people are walking past all the time. It’s infuriated the team. I reported it and he’s the manager‘s pet. Everyone of us is irritated by his behaviour. I mentioned it to my manager and nothing was done. This is a basic part of the job, to lifeguard - especially when kids are in. I reported it higher up and a day later this nail accusations comes up.

I have a meeting with HR and will stick to a concise timeline and focus on the nail bit and leave the rest.

OP posts:
Neriah · 31/01/2024 16:50

I think we are in danger of going in circles. The grievance has nothing to do with the poolside incident. Or if it does there is no evidence it does and no link. The OP is conflating things that are not evidentially connected. She thinks that they are connected, just as she thinks that the rent for working space is connected. Nothing supports that view. She may be right, but without being able to evidence it as the motivation, then she is making allegations that she cannot substantiate and that simply raises the odds. Then there will be more grievances about her allegations. In short shrift she becomes the problem, not everyone else.

shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 16:51

Neriah · 31/01/2024 16:50

I think we are in danger of going in circles. The grievance has nothing to do with the poolside incident. Or if it does there is no evidence it does and no link. The OP is conflating things that are not evidentially connected. She thinks that they are connected, just as she thinks that the rent for working space is connected. Nothing supports that view. She may be right, but without being able to evidence it as the motivation, then she is making allegations that she cannot substantiate and that simply raises the odds. Then there will be more grievances about her allegations. In short shrift she becomes the problem, not everyone else.

@Neriah

everything will be overshadowed by the unattended pool. That could have led to closure of the entire gym for gross negligence

BlindurErBóklausMaður · 31/01/2024 16:58

Yikes.

So it was the OP going off because her shift had technically finished before the colleague came?

Irrespective of why the colleague didn't come, the only thing anyone is going to focus on here (rightly or wrongly) is the OP leaving the pool unattended. The colleague didn't leave it unattended.

I think we have 3 things here: (none of which are doing the OP any favours)

OP leaves pool unattended because colleague hasn't turned up.

OP isn't paying what she's supposed to be paying to use the facilities for her side hustle.

OP painted her nails at break time.

I really don't think the meeting is going to be to discuss the nails...

Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 17:08

I left because you cannot stay for longer than 1.5 hrs. It’s hot and sticky, 1 hr is a normal shift, no longer than 1.5 hrs. Colleague came to check and returned to reception without staying.

The pool incident has nothing to do with me.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 17:08

@BlindurErBóklausMaður It is exactly about that. Can you not make assumptions please.

OP posts:
shewasrooting · 31/01/2024 17:09

Pineappletiger · 31/01/2024 17:08

I left because you cannot stay for longer than 1.5 hrs. It’s hot and sticky, 1 hr is a normal shift, no longer than 1.5 hrs. Colleague came to check and returned to reception without staying.

The pool incident has nothing to do with me.

but there is meant to be a change over

when you realised your colleague had no intention of staying, You left the pool unattended

You should have radioed for support. You left the pool unattended OP

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