Comments by Anonymous

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Daily Star has already named and shamed the company.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I think the problem is that on Friday, my boss denied making the comments. She said that I'd said the grey makes my hair look greasy and that I'd mentioned my weight. She says the only comment she made was that the top was begiing to look worn and that's why I had to get another. She said 'let's agree to disagree' and I did. I am losing the weight but not as quick as I'd like. I'm looking for another job though as I think that's the best thing to do. I do enjoy doing stock replenishment and it's something I could be good at in the right company. Also looking at office work but only if it's in office where I'm not meeting the public. Image is important these days and until the excess weight is off, I don't think I'd give a good impression.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I had my appraisal 11 days ago now and got feedback from the issues I raised when I was in on Friday evening. Boss asked another manager to be there. She'd been in touch with HR for advice on how to deal with what I'd said, there were other issues. We've sorted things out. She said she hadn't made comments about my hair and weight so we agreed to disagree on that one. Although we've sorted things out, I'm looking for another job, can't leave where I am until I've got a job to go to unfortunately.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I've found the thread in Opinion and have replied on it as well. Am looking for another job which doesn't involve meetings customers or members of public. Good news, my pastor is home this weekend so will be able to ask him what jobs I could do.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I have the misfortune of not only working for this compan but also falling foul of this policy. Uniform allowance is that employees pick the clothes they wish to wear each season from the shopfloor. This has to be approved by one of the managers. I chose a blouse to wear which was approved by the on duty manager. 2nd February I gets called into the office about another matter and during the talk, store manager told me that the grey in my hair (only a few strands makes it look greasy and I should dye it. She then went onto say that the top didn't suit me with me having a 'bit of a stomach' on me. I've not dyed my hair but am trying to lose weight. Am also looking for another job but one which doesn't involve any contact with customers/clients. You walk into a shop or any other place dentist or doctors surgery and you see member of staff with grey in their hair and overweight. Not a good first impression.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Is there anything on these forums about the leaflet.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Diarmuid, that's the compay I work for. I didn't know the leaflet had been withdrawn though. It was 2nd February that my manager made the comment. I saw a poster in Birthdays who are looking for staff. It's 25-30 hours week but I'm ot applying for it. Image is so important these days. I think that's what my boss was getting at. If I do work in anywhere which involves meeting the public, my appearance isn't goig to create a good impression.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

I assume it's going to remain a school. Sounds like a disaster to me. My school's stairs were go up first flight, from top step you turned and walked 3/4 paces along and then turned to go up the last flight. There was pushing and shoving at times. Can't remember any cases of people falling and hurting themselves though but there were many near misses..

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

It was the store manageress who made the commments about my hair and weight.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

It depends on how restrictive the dress code is.

Here's a good one for you. I work as a stock replenisher for a high street shop which will remin nameless. Most of my time is spent in the stockroom going round with a hand held terminal which I've downloaded the list of what's been sold. I then have to take what I've picked downstairs and leave them in certain places for the floor staff to put out. Back in January uniform allowance was released. This means that staff choose items from the floor which they wear for their uniform and it has to be approved by a manager. I chose a blouse to wear which was approved by a manager. A couple of weeks later, the manager called me into the office and one of the things she said was that the grey in my hair makes it look greasy and i should dye it, there's not much grey in it, more like a few strands. She also said that i needed to get another top as the blouse didn't suit me with me having a 'bit of a stomach on me'. My confidence hit the floor. I have my appraisal on Wednesday and it's not the store manageress doing it but the manageress who works on Wednesday evenings who I also get on quite well with. It has to be said that I am overweight but I'm losing it gradually. I won't dye my hair though. I did dye it last year but have found out that continually dyeing it can actually cause damage. I will be raising the comments about my weight and hair at my appraisal as well as a few other issues. The comments have really upset me, my confidence is really easily knocked. At the moment, I'm feeling that I'm fat and not attractive. I even googled losing weight quickly and got some useful tips to use if anything is said during my appraisal. After the comments were made I emailed my pastor and he has been fantastic, he's away at the moment (not on holiday though) but has said for me to email him to let him know how my appraisal goes as there are other issues as well.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Richard, I have to say that your employee may not be swinging the lead, but could be finding it very difficult emotionally. Infertility is heartbreaking, at times I've only been able to cope thanks to support of my fantastic church family especially my pastor. I'm usually avery lively outgoing person but when I'm down I go quiet and yes it may appear if I'm feeling really bad as though I'm the living dead. As for the not lifting waste paper baskets, I'm not sure on that one, if your employee has had the embryo/s put back then she may well have been advised to avoid the things that need to be avoided during pregnancy. I assume you're talking about an average size basket which wouldn't or shouldn't have anything heavy in it. The chemicals one is trickier. i do know that pregnant women are advised to avoid even some household cleaning products if possible but if she needs to use them, then to use gloves and ensure the area is well ventilated by opening a window.
Situation with me is that my pastor hasn't got back to me yet, he's away at the moment and was very busy before he went but he did look over it. My appraisal is on Wednesday and it's not the store manager doing it. I'm going to raise the issue of comments about my hair and weight along with a few others which have arisen.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Haven't given boss the letter yet, a going to ask my pastor to proof read it and see if he thinks its ok on Sunday.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Percentagesd are wrong way round, there's a 40% chance of IVF being succesful and if it is, there's a 25% chance of it being twins. I would actually love to see how my boss handles that one especially as our store doesn't stock maternity cothes, ony the larger ones do (one I work in is medium size). I've written a letter today telling her that I'm having IVf in the autumn and that I hope we can come to a compromise. I've suggested that time off be taken from holiday entitlement. If she gets awkward, then I will take action and might just mention the comments about my weight and grey hair as well as other issues (see tea breaks thread). Not only does my pastor know employment law, he also has a Masters degree in Human Rights.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

It is possible that he trod on the grape in the store but didn't slip until outside especially if the ground outside was wet. Good that he didn't win though as that gives message to others who might be tempted to sue that you don't aways win.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Believe me, she is skating on thin ice. She's made a few comments to me a few weeks ago (see thread about time off for fertility treatment for details).

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

What's DSE? The only source of drinking water in my workplace is the tap in the staff room (which isn't very cold and tap water in my area isn't great anyway, my husband can't drink it as it upsets his stomach) or take bottle into the stockroom.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Summer before last I was caught in the staff room getting a drink of water, while I was rinsing out the cup I'd used a colleauge said hello to me and asked how I was and I replied. My boss told me that 'going to the toilet and getting drinks is a priviledge and not a right'. I try not to go to the toilet during my shift if I am on my own because if I missed a page from the floor, I'd be asked why I didn't reply to it and it has happened. During the 2006-2007 academic year, I did an NVQ2 in Business and Administration. Since finishing it, I've been looking for office work but there's not much about where I live. I'm also limited due to not having a car. Believe me if my boss tries to make it awkward for me during IVF, I will take appropriate action.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

Ok, the water in the pool used for my baptism was heated by means of heaters that could be safely submersed in water which were actually put in the night before and the pool was also covered. These were removed before church started. My pastor didn't say the Lord's prayer (church is non denominational). I can't remember what words were used. Someone has also mentioned parental permission, 2 of the youngsters being baptised were my pastors youngest and the father of the other child was also in the pool being the person assisting with the submersing and lifting of those being baptised. For getting dry and changed afterwards, we used the toilets and there are seperate facilites for men and women and there is an area between the door and cubicles which was more than big enough for changing.

Anonymous
Member - 28 posts

My pastor knows employment law well, that's why I'm going to ask him for advice on wording the letter forewarning my boss that I'm going to be having IVF, treatment will hopefully be starting in September. He also has a masters in human rights. The thought has already crossed my mind as to what attitude my boss is going to have if the IVf is succesful. There's a 25% chance of it being succesful and if it is, there's a 40% chance of me being pregnant with twins. Boss is definitely not jealous of me. I have saved and will print off a copy of a leaflet from Infertility Network uk saying what should and shouldn't happen with time off for IVF.