My Boss is an a-hole

[davefb]

christ,

get some good advice..

my gf had grief from managers younger than her, it has caused her to become much more insular.. she's retired now (bit there hands off to get out frankly) , but managed to gain panic attacks..
(she sold beds, and the younger manager took the piss with running the place, he even employed a friend who did nothing but run a shop on ebay, leave early, but made sure my gf looked after the large store till 8pm when she felt unsafe, was just a self-gratification artist basically... )

god that fridge tale, that was another one, gf is diabetic has non-sugary foods, but needs to have 'emergency' chocolate.... the amount of times the self-gratification artists would eat this beggers belief... only about 6 in that office staff, but dont even have the balls to own up... glad she's left, hopefully you can find somewhere better and tell them to stick it..

 

[tadpole]

I'm afraid you're wrong, Tadpole, and Crankarm is right - the qualifying period for the right not to be unfairly dismissed was increased from 1 year to 2 years from 6 April 2012. In some circumstances it can still be less than two years - http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3733

IIRC it was 1 year from 1978 to 1985, then 2 years to 1999, then 1 year again to 2012 i.e. Crankarm's "nasty Tory party" left it at 1 year for Margaret Thatcher's first six years.

Not need to be afraid, I don't mind being proved wrong, it's bound to happen one day.
"The qualifying period for claiming unfair dismissal has recently increased. Now an employee who started work on or after the 6 April 2012 needs two years’ service before he or she can claim unfair dismissal. (Employees who started work before 6 April 2012 still need only one year’s service to claim unfair dismissal.) "

 

[Arjimlad]

If you were taken on after April 2012 it is 2 years before you can claim for unfair (including constructive) dismissal. If not, then you only need one year's service.

But an Employment Tribunal would expect you to have raised a formal grievance UNLESS you get an incident like the incandescent rage one described, or they stop paying you, or something where you can say that they have demonstrated that they will not be abiding by your contract of employment in a fundamental way. That'e where you walk out & say that they constructively dismissed you by making it intolerable for you to carry on working there.

If it gets too much you should see a GP.

There are rules against victimisation of people who have raised a grievance. But I agree that a lot of employees will feel vulnerable if they do raise a grievance. How high up is your boss - he doesn't appear to be an owner of the business. How big is the firm, do his superiors know what he is like to work for, and what a bad manager he is ?

Keep a diary and USE the grievance system. It's there for a purpose and not just for you or for the company either. You have to think about laying a paper trail for a tribunal judge at this stage of the matter.

 

[Arjimlad]

Beat me to it !

 

[Saluki]

I have been bullied at work and you have my sympathy. One of the reasons that I went self employed TBH.
I would definitely get some advice before going to HR, your manager obviously has isses and is taking it out on you.
When he rants at you, can you record it on your phone? Especially his morning 'greetings' as you can just put your phone on 'record' without having to faff with it in front of him.

I really would get some legal advice from the people that other posters have suggested, I would be getting advise soon. Alternatively, while looking for another job, could you not get signed off sick with stress related illness. Its what I had to do in the end. Less money but it meant that I could sleep nights and wasn't throwing up with worry every morning before work.

 

[DCLane]

OK - fortunately I'm not in your position, but I do sympathise.

To have any grounds you need evidence; start keeping records, whatever you can. If needed, film or record his behaviour. Also, I'd write down past instances you can remember as well.

As betty swollocks puts, you need the ammunition. Without this it's just your word against theirs.

 

[Theseus]

Are you in a union?

 

[screenman]

Have you asked him what the problem is? maybe you are doing something wrong. I would certainly like to here the other side of the story.

I used to employ people and did for many years, what a headache.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Crankarm,

sorry to hear of your work problems; been there and done that. I had less than 2 years' service but succesfully went down the constructive dismissal route a few years ago. As others have said, keep a log of all incidents, large and small, as it'll show a pattern of behaviour. Get proper legal advice too.

Don't underestimate the value of happiness and its effect on your mental health; these are worth more than any job.

Best of luck.

GC

 

[marinyork]

Get proper legal advice too.

Just out of interest, when you say this, to what extent do you mean?

 

[Melonfish]

Are you in a union?

"Oh you won't get me i'm part of the union~"

but i'll echo what others have said, make logs and notes, make sure your manager SEE'S you making notes in a journal after confrontations.
leave your phone in your top pocket on record (most smart phones have this function) and gather plenty of evidence.
you can then go to hr with the info.
pete

 

[vernon]

Have you asked him what the problem is? maybe you are doing something wrong. I would certainly like to here the other side of the story.

I used to employ people and did for many years, what a headache.

I have my suspicions that there might be more to this than meets the eye.

Crankarm's online persona comes across as something similar to that attributed to his boss i.e. intolerant and insufferable. If the online persona is a reflection of the real persona then there's an immovable object vs irresistible force scenario. I am surprised that someone with so much brio has not confronted the problem.

I'm not unsympathetic. The advice given is sound.

Compile an evidence log and seek professional advice.

It worked for me twelve years ago when I was systematically bullied by someone who had harried my three predecessors in the post which only transpired during union intervention. I gained some satisfaction when her partner in crime was dismissed from a headship for similar behaviour several years later.

The biggest mistake is to allow the situation to continue without taking action.

 

[Sandra6]

I used to have a boss like that, fortunately I only had to suffer her for a couple of hours a day.
Looking back I can't believe I put up with her and allowed her to behave so badly towards me -and to the customers at times.
In the end I stood up to her over a couple of issues by going over her head to the main office, and then finally had a no holds barred confrontation with her, the day after that I handed her my key to the shop and said I wouldn't be coming back.

 

[Silver Fox]

If you have a problem with an peanut manager ( usually younger and much inexperienced ) there's a sure fire way of getting their attention.

Next time they are giving you grief threaten to run out the room shouting " He / She touched my cock / breasts "

Difficult to prove I know but not something a so called manager would want on their CV and with any luck will result in them reflecting on their management style which caused you to threaten to react in that way in the first place.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Just out of interest, when you say this, to what extent do you mean?

I mean don't rely on well-meaning armchair lawyers (like me) on tinterweb.

Employment law is a specialised field. Apart from knowing the technicalities of which provisions may have been breached, an employment lawyer will be best placed to advise on what steps to take/not to take, the chances of winning, and assess what the quality of evidence is the complainer has (if any).


GC