Advice needed for complaint against Tesco

Azari

Whiteknight wrote: »

So you called Tesco and the customer service and "just got an apology which I don't feel is enough"

What exactly do you want from Tesco?

Would you be happy if they came back to you and told you that they will speak to the staff member concerned or would you want something more?

Which part of:

"I feel an apology is not enough and I just want them to keep me informed as to what they are doing about it."

are you having trouble understanding?

Taadaa

I think its perfectly reasonable to expect this woman to be spoken to about her behaviour, and for the OP to be updated on the outcome. It's an outrageous thing to say to someone. At the very least, if she was so concerned about contracting chicken pox she could have politely asked and waited for a response, not yelled 'eugh get away from me'. What an ignoramus. I hope she can put this behind her and not let it get her down.

mutley_muppet

dickydonkin wrote: »

Raising breaches of the DDA is silly...

I don't think it's silly at all. It might prevent a similar incident happening to another person with a long term heath problem or disability.
And an assurance that staff at this store have had a refresher in disability awareness training might make it easier for the OP's partner to return to this store in the future.
I'm glad you have emailed them Shenmueryan, do please let us know what response you get.
MM x

Whiteknight

Azari wrote: »

Which part of:

"I feel an apology is not enough and I just want them to keep me informed as to what they are doing about it."

are you having trouble understanding?

I have no trouble at understanding what the OP has written but thank you kindly for pointing out the blatantly obvious to me.

I was asking if the OP would be happy if Tesco came back stating they would speak to the staff member, which you would expect them to or would the OP want something more such as a written apology from the staff member, or the staff member in question to be sacked/dragged over hot coals/formal warning issued (*delete as appropriate)

dickydonkin

mutley_muppet wrote: »

I don't think it's silly at all. It might prevent a similar incident happening to another person with a long term heath problem or disability.
And an assurance that staff at this store have had a refresher in disability awareness training might make it easier for the OP's partner to return to this store in the future.
I'm glad you have emailed them Shenmueryan, do please let us know what response you get.
MM x

Some stern advice from the store manager will be sufficient and proportionate in this instance.

After it has been dealt with, the store manager should provide assurances to the OP's partner that the member of staff has received advice and that there will be no repetition.

It doesn't require 'Disability Awareness Training' on how to react to someone with an obvious ailment or affliction - certainly in this case as the member of staff assumed (incorrectly) that the OP's partner had Chicken Pox - which would not come under the DDA in any case.

mutley_muppet

dickydonkin wrote: »

It doesn't require 'Disability Awareness Training' on how to react to someone with an obvious ailment or affliction - certainly in this case as the member of staff assumed (incorrectly) that the OP's partner had Chicken Pox - which would not come under the DDA in any case.

We will have to agree to disagree here.

The DDA guidance notes (page 16, paragraph B21) states that the DDA includes, "Severe disfigurements such as scars birthmarks and skin diseases. Assessing severity will be mainly a matter of the degree of the disfigurement. However, it may be necessary to take account of where the disfigurement in question is (e.g. on the back as opposed to the face)."

It doesn't matter what the Tesco employee thought about the OP's partner "possibly having chicken pox". As a professional working face to face with members of the public she should have thought before she opened her mouth.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/guidance_on_matters_to_be_taken_into_account_in_determining_questions_relating_to_the_definition_of_disability.pdf

dickydonkin

mutley_muppet wrote: »

We will have to agree to disagree here.

The DDA guidance notes (page 16, paragraph B21) states that the DDA includes, "Severe disfigurements such as scars birthmarks and skin diseases. Assessing severity will be mainly a matter of the degree of the disfigurement. However, it may be necessary to take account of where the disfigurement in question is (e.g. on the back as opposed to the face)."

It doesn't matter what the Tesco employee thought about the OP's partner "possibly having chicken pox". As a professional working face to face with members of the public she should have thought before she opened her mouth.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/guidance_on_matters_to_be_taken_into_account_in_determining_questions_relating_to_the_definition_of_disability.pdf

I'm not disputing the requirements of the DDA - what I am attempting to explain is that in the OP's partners situation, a stern 'talking to' from the manager to the member of staff concerned is proportionate to the 'crime'.

As with many pieces of legislation, adhering to the letter of the law can be onerous, however, by judging each situation on its merit, applying common sense can remedy most situations.

I accept that it must have been an unpleasant experience for the OP's partner, and as you stated, the assistant should have indeed thought before opening her mouth.

Some carefully chosen words of advice to the member of staff concerned, an apology and some assurances from the manager should hopefully suffice in this instance.

bris

An apology should be sufficient, op you have no right to know what discipline the cashier is receiving, put it behind you and get on with your life.

chrissie57

mutley_muppet wrote: »

We will have to agree to disagree here.

The DDA guidance notes (page 16, paragraph B21) states that the DDA includes, "Severe disfigurements such as scars birthmarks and skin diseases. Assessing severity will be mainly a matter of the degree of the disfigurement. However, it may be necessary to take account of where the disfigurement in question is (e.g. on the back as opposed to the face)."

It doesn't matter what the Tesco employee thought about the OP's partner "possibly having chicken pox". As a professional working face to face with members of the public she should have thought before she opened her mouth.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/guidance_on_matters_to_be_taken_into_account_in_determining_questions_relating_to_the_definition_of_disability.pdf

Good heavens - all the woman had to do was show some decency and consideration for a fellow human being. She has probably had DDA training but would not have considered a 'rash' came under that criteria but simple good manners (or even basic customer skills) should have prevented this outburst.

As for how I would like to deal with this woman - well unlike the OP I am a nasty violent person:D so

shenmueryan

bris wrote: »

An apology should be sufficient, op you have no right to know what discipline the cashier is receiving, put it behind you and get on with your life.

The whole reason for this post and the complaint is that my partner doesn't find it easy to get on with her life, as previously explained. All I want is to know SOMETHING or ANYTHING is being done about it.

You may deem it to be just a flippant remark that can be smoothed over with someone saying sorry on their behalf but the emotional effect it has had and will have deserve more in my opinion.