Help With Employer Please

michellen34

Hi everyone,

I'm hoping someone can help me with a problem i'm having with my employer. A bit of background, We'd always been good friends since I started volunteering, i was taken on as shop manager back in August last year. Recently I started dating someone he didn't think much of initially, but then they became friends (he started to come in once a week as a volunteer).
Now I can't do anything right we have lost 3 volunteers in 2 weeks because of his now horrible attitude and the way he has been treating me) He's been slagging myself and my partner off to anyone who will listen including my ex, which has caused a lot of trouble. He say's I don't work (i get paid for 16 hours and i work around 40, the rest is voluntary) and i work hard for the charity. One of my volunteers fell asleep on their break and I got a verbal warning for it (i wasn't even upstairs at the time and didn't know he had) i've asked for a week off and he said by law I'm not entitled to holidays. Their is a horrible atmosphere in the shop when he's in as he hardly speaks to me now. That is to name but a few of the things thats happening. I'm now starting to feel down and a nervous wreck when he's around and it's starting to affect my home life.

Could anyone advise me on where I stand? i want to find another job (even though I loved that one) but i don't want to leave him in the lurch as all my volunteers would leave too, and as it's a small charity i don't want it to fold because of me. Can anyone help in what I could say or do please.

Thank you.

Googlewhacker

michellen34 wrote: »

i don't want it to fold because of me.
Thank you.

1) It won't fold because of you
2) If you are an employee then techincally you working as a volunteer will put you under the NMW (Unless there is some reason that charity workers can do this)
3) If you are an employee you are entitled to holiday (check you are not technically self employed)
4) When you got your verbal warning did they do the procedure correctly, were you allowed someone in the hearing?
5) Have you asked for the grievance procedure so if you wish you can lodge a grievance against the harrassment?


that's a start and more people will come no doubt

Kate78

michellen34 wrote: »

Hi everyone,
He says I don't work (i get paid for 16 hours and i work around 40, the rest is voluntary) and i work hard for the charity. ... i've asked for a week off and he said by law I'm not entitled to holidays. Their is a horrible atmosphere in the shop when he's in as he hardly speaks to me now.

If you are paid for 16 hours a week then you should get a pro-rata holiday allowance for this.

Does your charity have a head office/HR dept that you could contact to clarify these things?

michellen34

Hi Googlewhacker

Thanks for your reply. Regarding the verbal warning , no he told me over the phone after an hour and a half go at me. I'm worried about saying anything to him especially about wanting to lodge a grievance as he might sack me. Whats a NMW? sorry this is my first job in a long time after being a stay at home mum for years.

michellen34

Kate78 wrote: »

If you are paid for 16 hours a week then you should get a pro-rata holiday allowance for this.

Does your charity have a head office/HR dept that you could contact to clarify these things?

No as we are a small charity only 2 shops all we have is trustees . I thought i'd be entitled to holidays as it's a day worked for every month isn't it?

Googlewhacker

michellen34 wrote: »

Hi Googlewhacker

Thanks for your reply. Regarding the verbal warning , no he told me over the phone after an hour and a half go at me. I'm worried about saying anything to him especially about wanting to lodge a grievance as he might sack me. Whats a NMW? sorry this is my first job in a long time after being a stay at home mum for years.

Sorry NMW is national minimum wage.

How long have you been working because it becomes fairly irrelivant if you have not worked there for 12 months, after this time the protection kicks in.

Did he state it was a verbal warning or was it just a bollocking over the phone? Did he give you the chance to appeal?

Googlewhacker

michellen34 wrote: »

No as we are a small charity only 2 shops all we have is trustees . I thought i'd be entitled to holidays as it's a day worked for every month isn't it?

it is 5.6 weeks per working year for someone working 5 days plus a week and then pro rata if less

michellen34

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Sorry NMW is national minimum wage.

How long have you been working because it becomes fairly irrelivant if you have not worked there for 12 months, after this time the protection kicks in.

Did he state it was a verbal warning or was it just a bollocking over the phone? Did he give you the chance to appeal?

I've been there a year on the 23rd of August. No he said it was a verbal warning and I has offered no chance of appeal just that he'd review the situation in 3 months time

Casati

This loser is throwing his weight around but clearly doesn't have a clue what he's doing.
I would speak to the Trustees. At this rate there won't be any volunteers left. Plenty of other charities would be glad of your services.
I would be tempted to keep doing my 16 hrs paid work & go volunteer somewhere else for the remaining hours.

michellen34

Casati wrote: »

This loser is throwing his weight around but clearly doesn't have a clue what he's doing.
I would speak to the Trustees. At this rate there won't be any volunteers left. Plenty of other charities would be glad of your services.
I would be tempted to keep doing my 16 hrs paid work & go volunteer somewhere else for the remaining hours.

Yes thats true, I'm sure the trustees would side with him as they are all good friends. If this is still going on after the 23rd of next month where would i stand. I really just want this sorted and for us to go back being friends and co workers but can't see that happening.

Googlewhacker

michellen34 wrote: »

Yes thats true, I'm sure the trustees would side with him as they are all good friends. If this is still going on after the 23rd of next month where would i stand. I really just want this sorted and for us to go back being friends and co workers but can't see that happening.

The problem is is that if you kick up a fuss now they could get rid of you fairly easy, after the 23rd you get a better chance of fighting your corner without getting unfairly dismissed and not being able to do anything about it.