17 year old son being bullied by boss

newmrslockwood

:mad:
My student chef son works in a kitchen of a restaurant part time. he has been there about 3 months and i have just found out that his boss, the head chef and owner, is bullying him.

I understand that a little bullying goes on everywhere but he has been slapping my son round the head! This is NOT acceptable! Only thing is I don't know how to handle this.

I would tell him to give up his job, but jobs for students are not easy to come by, and he really wants to work and earn himself some spending money.

I also think that the incidents should be reported to someone but have know idea who, or how!

:mad:

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

i think the only person you can report it to is the police for actually slapping him - Not really any one above the owner is there?

Is it a "proper" slap or is it playful banter? has your son told the owner he doesnt like it?

getmore4less

Police it's asault

barnabee

Agree with reporting it to the police.

You may also want to think about your son taking in a mobile and covertly record (audio and/or visual) the behaviour of the chef. It is going to be his word against the chefs unless there are witnesses willing to make a statement or unless your son has any injuries from the assaults.

If you don't want to go down this route and your son leaves there may be other ways to punish this person. A few restaurant reviews online/calls to the local council health and hygiene department may hurt him far more than the pathetic court punishments.

crazyguy

Is it Gordon Ramsey !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GothicStirling

Are you certain that it's bullying? Having managed a restaurant I know what goes on in a kitchen, and you need a set of steel balls [that goes for women too.]

viktory

Ultimately your son can either report it - and potentially lose his job - or suck it up while he looks for something else. He could also stand up for himself and not tolerate such behaviour. This option also means he runs the risk of losing his job, but at least he'll have the pride to be able to say that he had the balls to stand up for himself. It is his decision, not yours though, no matter how much you want to protect him, he is an adult and has to deal with it as he sees fit.

scooby088

I was told years ago that this sort of thing from the food industry was an excepted part of the job, I would immediately contact the police as assault in the workplace or anywhere in life is unacceptable. But you should also come to the realisation that if your son wants to work in this industry again his cards will be marked.

patman99

Why would reporting this bully to the Police 'mark his cards' ?. Physical abuse has no place in ANY workplace.
In a kitchen environment it is expected that the head chef will shout-out orders to the sioux chefs, however, actual 'hands-on' management is wholey unacceptable.

My niece's partner works as a chef and has seen 2 head chefs dismissed on the spot for taking a 'hands-on' approach, so not all kitchens are run with a rein of terror.

hcb42

I work in hotel management too, there is no way this should be tolerated, his cards will not be marked for standing up for himself, in fact there are most likely others who are in the same position.

Tell your son he needs to stand up for himself and not tolerate this, meanwhile get out as soon as he can. If I were him I would walk out on the busiest shift if he starts on him again and leave chef in the mire!

SarEl

patman99 wrote: »

In a kitchen environment it is expected that the head chef will shout-out orders to the sioux chefs, however, actual 'hands-on' management is wholey unacceptable.
.

Perhaps the problem is that he thinks he's a chief and not a chef

But I can't add anything to the advice here - he has to decide whether he is going to report it to the employer or to the police, whether he is going to stand up to the bully, or whether he is unwilling to take the risk involved. Unfortunately those are the onlt options.