Dealing with rude supervisor

Question

I started work as a checkout operator about 3 weeks ago. During my interview i said i would possibly need a few days off just after i started as i planned a trip to see my dad in France. They said that would be fine so i started. I let them know the definate dates a week before. So i asked to swap a few shifts. And only had 2 days off. I went from last saturday night until thursday night. I got home last night and was meant to be working this morning. I had a bit of an accident after i got home. Which involved me falling over and cutting my forehead open. I didnt think it was bad so just covered it till it stopped bleeding then went to sleep. I woke up at 7 and realised it was bad so went to hospital. At 9.30 the doctors told me not to go into work so i went in to tell my supervisor what happened. She told me it wasnt good enough even though i gave over 4 hours. She complained that it wasnt enough for someone to cover. She basically said i had to go in or i would lose my job. My mum spoke up an said what the doctor said an in the end she basically said ok now get out and make sure your back tomorrow. I know its bad that i should of gone today after having 2 days off but surely she acted harshly and wrong? After all it wasnt as if i was pulling a sicky she could clearly see i had hurt myself! Should i say something to someone higher up about it?

Answer 1

Unfortunately supermarket jobs generally have no allowances for human variations. Their business equation involves minutes and money.The right honorable Mr. Tesco and Mr Sainsbury and Co.are currently praying for advancement in robot technology so their staff can be summoned to the tills at the flick of a switch.I feel very fortunate that I dont have to put up with piggish supervisors,or shopkeepers that have built their empires on naming their prices to sellers and buyers alike.Unfortunately our future lies in the hands of them and the other money multipliers.Up the revolution.

Answer 2

She was not rude, just pi**ed off with you and your time keeping. You couldn't help it, but look at it from her point of view. Get over it.

By the by, they can sack you without giving a reason in the first twelve months.

Answer 3

You have to emphasize with the supervisor though, I mean all that time off and you had just began a job!

Answer 4

She has no leg to stand on with regards to sacking you, do everything you planned and if she decides to lay you off take her to a tribunal. She's obviously on a power trip so you can't let her win x

Answer 5

Lisa i think that you should look beyond your (understandable) views of right and wrong here. Look at practicalities instead. You have worked there for just 3 weeks - it is not a real good idea to get on the wrong side of your supervisor who is your day to day line manager!  She is not going to take too kindly to a new employee going over her head and she can make life very difficult for you in many little ways!  If you start going over your line managers head every time you have a little upset you are going to have a long succession of very short term jobs!

Answer 6

Id just forget about it, she was obviously in a bad mood already and sadly you got the sharp end of the stick. If you press this issue you are gonna make an enemy. When you go into work next act normal. Don't be nervous around her just be your usual self. Sadly some people are more stressy than others, and she sounds like one of them. Just relax, she will most likely have forgotten about it anyway. I used to work on checkouts when i was 16 and there are some supervisors out there who think they are so bloody cool and brilliant because they are a checkout supervisor. Wow wee!!! She probably started off as a checkout girl just like you. Enjoy your job and enjoy spending your earnings more :)

Answer 7

She was possibly harsh, definately not professional. You have a choice now, you can stay off work with the say-so of the medical professionals to back you up should it go further, or you could go into work, inform her that you felt bullied into coming in over the threat of losing your job and during the shift develope a massive headache, go see the manager, explain to him what has been said and that now you are feeling ill and need to go home, or collapse on the floor in the cereal aisle, take six months off and sue the buggers!

Answer 8

I'd be more concerned that your mother spoke up for you to your boss!

Answer 9

It is easy to see both points of view.

You have done everything as you should so don't worry about it. You can't get the sack, especially when you have the evidence of the A&I admission.

However, the supervisor does have a problem. She expects the staff to be there for their shifts. If someone isn't there - for whatever reason- it means that everyone else has to work harder, the customers get annoyed because they have to wait, and who is piggie in the middle?-yup, the supervisor.[ Because the manager is probably also telling her off for not getting enough staff in.]

When you told her you weren't fit to come in , she had to start ringing around other folk who were enjoying their day off, trying to persuade someone to come in and cover. This takes a lot of time that she probably needed for other things. so it is understandable that she is cross.

It also depends what size of store it is. If it is a huge Walmart/Asda,[ with 30 checkouts] one person missing might be absorbed, but if it was a smallish Somerfields where there are only usually maybe 5 or 6 checkouts , then 1 person missing is a huge gap.

Next time you see her - and she isn't looking stressed out- just say that you were sorry to have left her in the lurch the other day but you had injured yourself quite badly but would have come in if the doctor had allowed you to.

Answer 10

Let it ride for now,But watch your back.

Answer 11

Firstly, if you told them of your holiday before you started then you are legally allowed to take it. Secondly, the accident was just that, an accident. You had physical injuries and doctors advice not to attend work, this is enough to warrant at least one day off. Your supervisor was wrong to question your illness and if she had a problem with it she should have contacted the companies occupational health department. Instead, she acted in an unprofessional manner and has alienated a brand new member of staff.

SPEAK TO YOUR LINE MANAGER!

Don't let her walk all over you.