How to raise a grievance with employer without getting sacked?!

EitherWalnut

Hi folks,

Am having several issues with my employer at the moment, including one that I am pretty sure is a rather serious legal issue (I have not received mandatory training for my job yet they told an inspector it was imminent - almost a year ago).

Problem is, I work for a small family business (NB not my family!) and thus there is no formal grievance procedure. The head of the business is my line manager/boss and there is no HR department or similar. I wouldn't feel comfortable addressing my concerns to my boss as it will likely be taken personally and I fear he would dismiss me as a result.

Any suggestions/opinions on how I ought to handle this would be greatly appreciated.

Savvy_Sue

nicmalauren wrote: »

Problem is, I work for a small family business (NB not my family!) and thus there is no formal grievance procedure. The head of the business is my line manager/boss and there is no HR department or similar. I wouldn't feel comfortable addressing my concerns to my boss as it will likely be taken personally and I fear he would dismiss me as a result.

Any suggestions/opinions on how I ought to handle this would be greatly appreciated.

Normally, you'd raise any issues with your line manager. If that's also the head of the business, who else is there?

I don't think there has to be a formal grievance procedure these days, but if you look at the ACAS site you should find some helpful information.

EitherWalnut

Hi Savvy_Sue - thanks for the reply.

There isn't really anyone else within the business as I am effectively the only non-family member.

To give an overview of the structure, there is the Father (where my paycheque comes from), the Mother (who is the cleaner/dogsbody), the Son (who on paper has taken over but Father is always there) and the Daughter (who only works part-time but is on same level as Son when there). Then there is one other part-time employee and me at full-time.

Think I'm going to try and phone ACAS in the a.m. as I have been scouring the internet all day without much success!

ohreally

As your situation could easily end in tears (yours), I'd be inclined to look elsewhere for employment.

Bantex_2

Is the training mandatory?

PasturesNew

Bantex wrote: »

Is the training mandatory?

I was going to ask this ... and what sort of mandatory training?

Are we talking about a sandwich shop here ..... or fork lift truck training in a warehouse ..... or what?

AbbieCadabra

how long have you worked there?
have you received an employment contract? that should have had some details of disciplinary & grievance procedure?
where was the inspector from?

trailingspouse

Any regulatory inspector worth their salt will be checking the next time there is an inspection to make sure that whatever was wrong last time has been fixed.

So, if they asked about your training and were told it was 'imminent' they should be checking that it's happened the next time they inspect.

How often do these inspections happen?

This might be a way of approaching the subject with your employer - something along the lines of 'We really need to get my training sorted out before that inspector comes back - when would be best for me to do it?'

Justicia

ohreally wrote: »

As your situation could easily end in tears (yours), I'd be inclined to look elsewhere for employment.

I would agree with this.

A company that is literally full of family members is only (in my own experience) going to be concerned about one main objective in the event of any internal politics - protecting the family.

EitherWalnut

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all of the replies.

Alternative employment is definitely the preference here, but until I have found it I'm understandably not keen on leaving this job. I have worked here for just over a year now.

Re the training, I work in a pharmacy as a dispenser. By law, dispensers are required to have a minimum of an NVQ2 in pharmacy services. Given the nature of the training, it has to be done on the job. Not long after I started, we had an inspection where I witnessed my boss tell the inspector that they were in the process of putting me on the course. I have asked about it several times since and have always been met with "We'll sort it out after the refit/holidays/Christmas etc." I have considered whistleblowing to the pharmaceutical society but my boss will almost certainly know it was me thus leading to dismissal. I'm not sure how often inspections happen, I'm guessing not annually as I haven't seen the inspector since, although that doesn't mean that he couldn't have been in while I wasn't there.

Re the employment contract, I don't have anything in writing and I was never given a statement of employment particulars so I have no information about any grievance procedure (although I doubt one exists). I also coincidently do not receive payslips which I think is an issue, but I did get a P60 at the end of the year so I think my NIC and tax are OK.

Maf.e.u

As a dispenser in community, it is the employer's responsibility to be looking towards enrolling you, have you enrolled and be actively engaged in training or have you trained in an NVQ 2 or equivalent in Dispensing/Pharmacy Services to enable you to be a Dispensing Assistant.

Unfortunately, whilst the GPhc may have picked up on inspection that you require training to a Dispensing Assistant level, inspections are sporadic and often community pharmacies are only looked at twice within a short time frame (few years) if there was something of significance. That said, however, the GPhC can turn up for an inspection at any time.

Has your employer engaged you in any form of training? Have you been trained to Medicines Counter Assistant?

My only advice is to start looking for a job with one of the multiples if you can.