Being forced to stay in work when ill

Employee_2

I work in a supermarket on the checkouts and I haven't been well but decided to go in to work anyway. Whilst in work after about 2 hours I told a supervisor I wasn't feeling well, so she informed the store manager, who asked why I wasn't feeling well, then carried on with her business anyway.

I then asked to speak to her myself so somebody took my place for a minute whilst I told the manager I wasn't feeling well and that I wanted to go home because I couldn't carry on working how I was feeling, and that I felt the customers didn't appreciate it because I was constantly coughing. The manager then said I see how I felt after my break (which was in an hours time), suggesting that if I felt the same after my break then I could go home.

After I came off my break, I went back down to the shop floor to confirm it was ok to leave, and I was told to carry on working on a till for a minute whilst a supervisor asked the manager. The supervisor then came back to me and said that I couldn't leave whilst it was busy. I informed the supervisor that I had called somebody to pick me up. In which I was ignored. I then got up a few minutes later when I had served all of my customers and asked the supervisor again, who said again that I couldn't leave whilst the store was busy. At this point my head was throbbing, I could hardly speak as it is and I had a sore throat. I couldn't have a drink for my sore throat by the way because the store has a policy that no drinks are allowed on the checkouts.

So I sat down and done my job up until 7 oclock when I was asked if I wanted to go home early from my shift (I usually finish at 8) by a supervisor who was unaware that I was ill. So I was asked to go home early because they don't like wasting money having employees on the checkouts when there aren't that many customers in the store.

On my way out of the store I asked to speak to the manager who would not let me go, and to my disbelief I was told that she had gone home.


So, management were informed I was not well and knew I wanted to leave the store on 5 occasions. On two of those occasions I was verbally told I was not allowed to leave "whilst the store was busy".

I was not checked on at any time during my shift to see if I was ok, and I was not told that I could go home because I was not feeling well.

I feel mistreated and appauled, especially at how the store manager could leave and go home with no care as to how I was when I was still sitting at a till working when being ill.

As a result of working six and a half hours yesterday, I am now loosing my voice and cannot speak properly. So I have become more ill when I should have been resting.


If this is what happens when a worker is ill in the store I work in, then something needs to be done about it.

I will be taking up a grievance with the manager but I just wanted to know where I stand legally with this.

What should be said in the grievance and how should I go about it? And is it legal to be kept in work against my own will, when feeling unable to work?

Emmzi

your problem is that you asked.

if you are unwell you tell.

Employee_2

Emmzi wrote: »

your problem is that you asked.

if you are unwell you tell.

I've been brought up to have manners and I believe to tell a manager that I am leaving the place of work is unnacceptable. But unfortunately so is how I was treated.

Emmzi

it's not a matter of manners at all.

"I have a sore throat and a splitting head and I'm feeling dizzy. Clearly I am not well enough to work and may be giving other my germs. I am very sorry that I am not well enough to stay and hope you can find someone to cover. I will phone tomorrow and let you know if I am feeling better"

Perfectly polite.

System

Yes you should of just said not asked, but either way management where being knobs with you.

Sharon87

You're not allowed drinks on the checkouts? Not even water? Surely that's illegally if you are being refused a drink of water. I used to work on checkouts at Asda and they allowed me to take water to the checkouts as long as it was hidden.

If I were you I would talk to HR about it.

Lady007

Emmzi wrote: »

your problem is that you asked.

if you are unwell you tell.

i agree with this poster. If you are sick you are sick. You are at a place of employment not school. You are reponsible for the treatment you received. You did the right thing in informing Management that you were not well, but after the 3rd occasion you should have left by informing them in writing what had happened up to that point. The Manager took the pee knowing the type of person you are and you let her.

in my opinion a grievance would be pointless. Put this down to experience and learn from it.

PasturesNew

I'm one who would have asked ... and no matter how ill I was I'd have dutifully trotted back and continued working. Some of us would just be too scared of being sacked to do any different, or too nice, or too scared ... or just not used to telling people things and flouncing out.

jdturk

Sharon87 wrote: »

You're not allowed drinks on the checkouts? Not even water? Surely that's illegally if you are being refused a drink of water. I used to work on checkouts at Asda and they allowed me to take water to the checkouts as long as it was hidden.

If I were you I would talk to HR about it.

I doubt its illegal, they have to allow you adequate access to water if required but they would be quite in their rights to refuse you to take water onto the shop floor

snapping_crocodile

Sharon87 wrote: »

You're not allowed drinks on the checkouts? Not even water? Surely that's illegally if you are being refused a drink of water. I used to work on checkouts at Asda and they allowed me to take water to the checkouts as long as it was hidden.

If I were you I would talk to HR about it.

I used to work on the checkouts in sainsburys and we weren't allowed to take drinks onto the checkout, hidden on not. As far as I am aware it's not illegal :cool:

mazza111

Sorry, but I think you need more backbone when dealing with managers like this.

Had the occasion to feel ill whilst at work a couple of weeks ago, just told the manager, "Sorry, I'm feeling really unwell and have to go home!"

It's not open for discussion when you are feeling so ill.

You had symptoms of swine flu (or a cold) and surely the management know that, and shouldn't have been breathing all over customers.