Really need help

working_man2010

Hi all,

I apologise now for the length of my post but i want to get everything in so hopefully someone with the now how can give me the help i really need at the moment.

Basically i started working for a well known company in mid august.I am a deputy manager and am contracted to x amount hours.I havent been a deputy manager before (previously did supervisor roles) so on starting this job needed to be trained up on certain areas. On the first two days the basics we're covered but no real training was done. On my third day i arrived at work to find the manager had called in sick and wouldnt be in again for the next two week :eek:
So at this point i was quite panicked as i really didnt have a clue what i was doing. I did has much training as i possibly could through the work computer and some how made it through the two weeks without any help from anyone. For both weeks i worked a good 15 hours over my x amounted contract hours. The manager came back and i went on holiday (was previously booked before i was given the job).

I came back to work to the manager being really stroppy and rude, she even took it upon herself to scream at me like some lunatic on the shop floor in front of the other staff and customers I still to this day dont now what on gods earth i did wrong...anyway a few days later she handed her notice in, The following week the area manager came in and told her to go because she didnt want her working out the rest of her notice??? So i was left again running shop (working a good 10 hours over my contracted time again)until a replacement was found. Payday came and i wasnt paid any over time! I phoned payroll and they said they worked a month behind so any over time i am owed will be on my next wage, Fine i can cope with that.

A new manager is found and i think i can finally calm down, Do my training and get on with my job...No i then get sent to another store over 7 miles away from where i live (i dont have transport and public transport there is a complete nightmare). I grit my teeth and do has im told and help out there for 5 days. Then i am told to go back to the store im supposed to be working at. Im there for for a week when im told im being sent to another store to cover for the manager whilst he goes on holiday, By this point i really am ready to explode!!!

I go to the third store, The manager there clearly says to me 'when i come back of holiday i have put on the rota you have 4 1/2 days off' as i have worked 6 days a week for 4 weeks now. Great im gonna get a break! Every single week since ive started working for this company ive done 10/25 hours over time per week which i have not opted in for, so a break to spend with my wife and kids is very much appreciated.

Ive run the store for 6 days each week whilst he has been away and havent been able to have breaks/dinner because im the only person who could authorise refunds etc. Another pay day comes and yet again no overtime is paid! I'm really mad by this point and am finding it impossible to get through to payroll.The manager came back today and i told him about this but he said he cannot do anything and its down to the store who originally employ me. I phone the store i should work at but the manager there is off today grrrrrr.

So the manager lets me go at dinner time (like he had wrote on the rota). On my way out he told me to enjoy my long weekend.

So were upto now...Its my wifes birthday at the end of this month and i now i will barely get any time to spend with her so thought to myself i will get my mum to babysit whilst i have some time off and will take her away for a few days. So i have booked and paid for the hotel, Made a reservation at a restraunt shes wanted to go to for ages and was going to take her to watch a show of her choice. So alls planned.

About an hour ago i get a phone call from the manager who has given me the time off saying the area manager has said i can no longer have the time off and have to go cover the store over 7 miles away again!!! :mad: I tell him i cant do this because ive already made plans for the days i have off. He says fine and thats the end of the call. Next minute i get another phone call from the manager at the store 7 miles away telling me i have to cover there cause she wants a few days off!!! I try and explain i've made plans and she screams i expect you in on saturday then slams the phone down

I really am at my wits end! Ive never known a company like this and to make it worse the area manager hasnt once had the guts to phone me herself!!!
Were supposed to be away friday and saturday, what the hell am i supposed to do now???
Im still in my 6 month probationary period and am panicking incase they now fire me

Im not getting any overtime pay,Im not getting breaks and im working hours upon hours overtime that i havent even agreed to or been paid for, Then there's all the diffrent stores i keep being sent to which most definitly wasn't in the job discription and not once mentioned at the interview. In all honesty im beginning to feel completley used and worn out.

Can somebody please tell me what to do here cause i really am at a point where i cannot think straight anymore

moneypuddle

Why dint you call your area manager yourself? Or does your company have an HR department?

working_man2010

I spoke to the area manager yesterday and she didnt say a thing to me in regards to my days off. I have tried numerous times to phone her tonight but she wont answer the phone. I dont have a number for HR/head office. I have googled and found a number which i have tried but all i keep getting is 'sorry we are now closed'

redpete

working_man2010 wrote: »

I spoke to the area manager yesterday and she didnt say a thing to me in regards to my days off. I have tried numerous times to phone her tonight but she wont answer the phone. I dont have a number for HR/head office. I have googled and found a number which i have tried but all i keep getting is 'sorry we are now closed'

Did you say anything to her about the days off?

If you were calling Head Office in the evening it's not surprising there was a recorded message, I expect they would work normal office hours.

Who is your line manager, the manager at the store you were recruited to work at? Put your concerns in writing to them if you can't get to talk to them directly. If this doesn't work your HR department should be able to tell you how to escalate it. It does sound like you are being exploited but I've no idea whether this is expected to be normal practise in your sort of retail environment.

working_man2010

My line manager knew about the days off and in my honest opinion i would not like to open a dispute through him as he works every hour he can and is new at the concept of running a retail store as he was a deputy before hand.

In the time i have been with this company i have spoken to HR numerous times and they know the situation i am in. When speaking to my area manager all i get off this person is 'well i do 60 hours each week'. Which is completley unhelpful to me.

I have worked my hours to wage ratio out and i am on £3-4ph so in all fairness i do feel like i am being exploited

Savvy_Sue

Are you in a union? If not, I'd join quick because although it won't help immediately this may happen again!

First thing tomorrow I'd phone head office, your line manager, and the area manager, if possible hand deliver a letter to as many of those as are within reach.

You booked leave, you made arrangements, if they expect you to cancel it then they can pay for your losses, AND any extras involved in re-arranging accommodation on a different date.

Although, do you know what the process for booking leave is? I just wonder if it hasn't been 'signed off' officially - even so this is a bit rich.

the same may apply to the overtime payments: there's almost certainly a system, and if you or your managers don't do things 'by the book' then payments may not happen: that means using the right forms to authorise overtime payments, getting them signed by all the right people, and sending them to payroll at the right time.

working_man2010

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Are you in a union? If not, I'd join quick because although it won't help immediately this may happen again!

Even thought this is a nationwide well known company there is no union

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

First thing tomorrow I'd phone head office, your line manager, and the area manager, if possible hand deliver a letter to as many of those as are within reach.

You booked leave, you made arrangements, if they expect you to cancel it then they can pay for your losses, AND any extras involved in re-arranging accommodation on a different date.

Although, do you know what the process for booking leave is? I just wonder if it hasn't been 'signed off' officially - even so this is a bit rich.

the same may apply to the overtime payments: there's almost certainly a system, and if you or your managers don't do things 'by the book' then payments may not happen: that means using the right forms to authorise overtime payments, getting them signed by all the right people, and sending them to payroll at the right time.

The leave was given as a good gesture by the line manager I was covering for. I also had to send x amount to the store I was originally from to cover my wage.

In my contract it states that if I work overtime and drop below NMW then I will be paid it back at NMW rate. 3 months on and I have not seen a penny I have checked the time sheets submitted and all the hours I have done have been submitted.

The line manager I was covering for said that he would sort it out for me and that because I was doing 6 days a week with no possible chance of a full break I could have the 4 days off

greytroot

Think you do need to join a Union immediately - google your job title for the union that best suits your needs.

working_man2010

I have just signed up to USDAW union so now just have to wait for the paper work to come so I can sign and send it straight back.
I’ve phoned HR and they've said I have to put a grievance in writing.
I’ve managed to get through to my area manager who has said that there isn’t very much she can do if I have already made plans so has now granted me the full 4 days off but she was very angry with the manager who originally gave me this time off. Now for even more questions lol.

I mentioned the fact I had been working the 6 day weeks for the last 4 weeks (im only contracted 5/7). She has told me basically its part of my job as long as I have one day off so it’s a like it or lump scenario...is this even allowed when I haven’t consented to it?

I also made comment in regards to the fact im not getting dinner/breaks. Her reply to this was she has to do it so can’t see why myself or anyone else for that matter can’t do...isn’t it a legal requirement that you have x amount set time for breaks/lunch after working a certain number of hours?

In regards to the overtime I haven’t been paid, I have to take this up with payroll so am going to go get a copy of my timesheets now and then try and get through to them AGAIN.

Savvy_Sue

I'm glad HR have confirmed that you can take the leave. It would be worth checking who has to 'sign off' your leave requests and what the right process is.

working_man2010 wrote: »

Even thought this is a nationwide well known company there is no union

I am glad you have worked out that just because there isn't a recognised trade union within the company it doesn't mean you can't join one: ANYONE can join a union, and there is a Find a Union tool if you're not sure which one would be best.

working_man2010 wrote: »

The leave was given as a good gesture by the line manager I was covering for.

But did he follow the right procedure for signing it off? That's why I'm suggesting you check what that procedure is.

working_man2010 wrote: »

I also had to send x amount to the store I was originally from to cover my wage.

What on earth does that mean?

working_man2010

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'm glad HR have confirmed that you can take the leave. It would be worth checking who has to 'sign off' your leave requests and what the right process is.

It was my area manager that confirmed the leave after I spoke to her.

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I am glad you have worked out that just because there isn't a recognised trade union within the company it doesn't mean you can't join one: ANYONE can join a union, and there is a Find a Union tool if you're not sure which one would be best.

I have joined a union that deals with retail just waiting on the paperwork

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

But did he follow the right procedure for signing it off? That's why I'm suggesting you check what that procedure is.

No he did not follow the correct procedure and get this signed off, it was a verbal agreement

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

What on earth does that mean?

Basically while managing this store I had to arrange the rota so that I could have this amount transferred to the store I am originally from. This means The store I am covering at is paying my wage.