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Hypos at work - discrimination.

SueSq

Member
Messages
7
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
My 16 year old daughter works part time in a restaurant and had a bad hypo today. Her manager and colleagues clearly did not understand her condition and made inappropriate comments verging on bullying. One colleague said to her that he had no energy because he had done a long shift but he doesn't need to stop and treat himself! Her manager even suggested she was putting it on. My daughter came home in tears and was very distressed. She wants to leave. I really don't want her to have this stress so early in her working life. I am furious. I am going to print off an idiots guide to diabetes and take it into the restaurant. I think she will leave. I really feel like putting a strong complaint together.
 
That's a shame but common unfortunately. Why would they know anything about diabetes ? It's only if you have the condition or live with someone who does that you begin to educate yourself. I have no knowledge of what was said or the "bullying" but rather than getting angry, it may be a better idea to educate them a little.
 
That's totally unacceptable. Even if they didn't know a single thing about diabetes they shouldn't have been so unkind and unsympathetic. I got angry reading your post. Your poor daughter : (

I'd make a complaint in writing as well as maybe speaking to them. You could also seek advice to see if there's anything else you could do or if they've breached any laws on discrimination. Bullying at work isn't allowed.

I do hope your daughter gets over it ok. It's sad that she has to meet such ignorance so early in her working life.
 

Not knowing about diabetes is fair enough, but the alleged bullying isn't. It's even worse to do it to a young person.

I'd hit the roof if it was my daughter.
 
I will do that. I appreciate that before we were touched by diabetes we had little knowledge too. Thank you for your advice.
 
azure said:
Not knowing about diabetes is fair enough, but the alleged bullying isn't. It's even worse to do it to a young person.

I'd hit the roof if it was my daughter.
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I think she is going to leave and although I want her to be strong, I want her to be happy. I am going to go in and have a chat. What happened today was unacceptable - her manager even laughed at someone's comment. Thank you for your support.
 
Thank you! We will think very carefully about what to do next. I want the restaurant to learn from this incident. My daughter came home distraught and it brought all her fears to the surface.
 
I quite understand why your daughter wouldn't want to go back. I'm not sure anyone would whatever their age.

But I think you're absolutely right about the restaurant learning from this. Employers should NOT behave like that, and in the case of someone who is in a 'protected group' (has a disability) they are even more to blame. It may be worth googling to see if there is any organisation that can give advice about work matters like that. A warning to the employer might be in order. It'd clearly demonstrate their responsibilities and hopefully prevent them from bullying someone in future. If the restaurant is part of a national chain you coukd speak to Head Office too.

Good luck whatever you decide.
 
I don't think I would be able to continue in a job if that happened to me. Good advice from Azure above. I hope your daughter is ok and good luck whatever she decides, however like riding a bike she should try to get back on, it will help her confidence to confront it if she can.
 
Morning, I am shocked to read of such bullying and disdain at a person with diabetes, especially a younger person, it must of been horrendous for her, poor kid. It is unacceptable and should never happen again, she could of ended up very ill and in hospital. What a scary experience for her.
I agree with the others with their comments, try and find out who is in charge of the shop, like a General Manager and write a strong letter of complaint, discrimination like this musn't happen again. Go as far as you possibly can.
I wish her all the best for the future and I hope she will find a much better environment to work in, where she is treated with understanding and respect.

Good luck, with best wishes RRB
 
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Thank you! She has decided to leave and I want her to. It's such a shame though because it was giving her some independence.
I'm not sure how far I'm going to take it yet. They do need educating. They didn't even have a care plan for her. It is a well know chain of restaurants too.
I also want her to get a good reference.
Thank you for you support. I have only just joined this group and it really helps to "talk".
 
Thank you for your wise words. I am hoping she will find a much better work place. Her happiness is my mission in life. I am considering our next move. The problem is I want her to get a good reference too. Thank you again.
 
Thank you! I am so grateful for everyone's kind words of advice. It is a lesson in life! She is going on to do A levels and then hopefully on to Uni so I am sure she will face more challenges in the future. It's just so worrying. Just wish I could zap it away.
 
This is upsetting and totally disgusting. I'm a retail manager myself and my team understand my condition and that I may sometimes need a little help, all of them know where my kit is should I need it.
First things first a risk assessment should have been completed for your daughter by her manager when starting her job for both her diabetes and a young persons risk assessment, ask your daughter if this was completed. Secondly your daughter is limited to the hours and times she can work, she is also entitled to additional breaks because of her age. Unfortunately many companies that employs under 18's don't realise this. Could this have factored to her feeling unwell?
I would email the HR director for the company, bypass the manager altogether. Ask those questions! Also don't be fobbed off with "our contract is with your daughter and not with you" (I've heard this many times in a previous job) she is under 18 and as her parent/guardian you have every right to ask questions on her behalf. I would suggest contacting UCAS they are particularly helpful! Goodluck! X
 
Hi @SueSq

If you are like me, you will move heaven and earth to help our children through life's obstacle course. My son and daughter are grown up now but there have been times when they were at school and college that mum's advice has been taken on board.
 
Sorry, I said UCAS (because you mentioned a-levels etc! :s) I meant ACAs here's their website http://m.acas.org.uk xx
 
SueSq said:
They didn't even have a care plan for her. It is a well know chain of restaurants too.
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I'm not sure why an employer should be expected to have a care plan in place for a diabetic, at whatever age? Whilst the Equality act requires that no discrimination is undertaken, I don't believe there is any onus on the employer to undertake a care plan.

While the staff treated your daughter very badly, and bullying at work such as this is not acceptable (and should be the main focus of your complaint) in relation to an ongoing condition, the obligations of an employer are only that they make reasonable provisions for an employee to deal with their condition.
 

Sad to hear about this I know what you mean I'm 18, and have never had this but my dad has
He work nights so his reading are normally all over the place and he went low one might and just ended up taking a dogunut from the bakery where he works and it ended up him Nearly getting sacked and having to have disciplinary meeting to prove he was telling the truth about being diabetic even though he has worked there nearly 15 years and hasbeen diabetic. For neanearly 30 years
But then there's me who yesterday was feeling just sad nothing to do with my diabetes and my team leader asked if my blood were okay and I didn't even know he knew I was diabetic
 
It always helps to be up front about being diabetic and what it involves and what can happen. When I was diagnosed with T2(which I know is totally different to T1) I straight away told my line manager and was asked if I needed any reasonable adjustments in place. You never know when you might need your work mates. Because you have a long term illness you are covered by the disability act.
 

Lots of people are uneducated about the effects of cancer treatment - but does that make it okay to insult someone because they have lost their hair?

Even more people don't fully understand the effects of asthma on a person, but does that mean they should be penalised for taking their inhalers at work?

In this day and age ignorance is NEVER an excuse for intolerance.
 
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