Advice needed? Help!!!!?

Question

I work as a community pharmacist in a drug store. I have been here a couple of months now. The manager is very distant and the counter staff gossip and back stab a lot. We start at 9am and finish at 5.30pm. I was asked a few months back if I could stay until 10pm doing a stock taking. I said I could stay until 8pm. However I did not get paid or get time in lieu (the staff and maangement did). I have been asked again and I have been truthful and refused as I am not being paid or getting time back. The store manager has said it is expected as I am classed as the management team. However he got his time in lieu back by coming into work later or other mangement leaving work earlier. As a pharmacist I can not do that as the pharmacy would need to close. They will not pay me as I earn a professional high salary and they will not get cover for me to get the time back. I can feel people have started to talk ill of me now ...but I feel I am being taken advantage off. If this happens next time

what should I do? Last time when I stayed till 8pm it was a half truth as my father had been in hospital and the manager was sympathetic. it just seems that the manager has ways of being able to get over over time by coming in late (he arranges this with the other mangement) but as I said I cannot do thhis...as the pharmacy would need to be closed and this would be illegal.


Also I do not tend to get proper rest breaks as pharmacists are suppose to be available throughout the day...this is unlike the magement who get full rest breaks. On the day of the stock take it will be busy Friday and I will not be resting...but expected to stay until 10pm..IS this FAIR?


The stock taking is for shop floor merchandise ...and has nothing to do with the pharmacy. The company employs professional stock takers for the pharmacy ...as it is all drugs.

My contract says I should work the hours required to meet ther requirments of the business (i.e no over time)

Answer 1

its not fair but if you dont do what they want you will lose your job. you can look elsewhere for work or you can take it to the labor board, but without the backup of the other employees you really dont have much proof. sorry.

Answer 2

First their gossip is not the problem. What the manager does is not your problem. Your problem is the fact that you are specified how many hours to work as a Pharmacist. If you get a salary then they do not need to pay overtime to you. As a Pharmacist I do not believe they hired you to be a stock person for store merchandise either. You should call or write the main company and lodge a complaint. It doesn't matter how new you are, the pharmacist I go to DOES not stock shelves. He is just that someone who answers questions about the medication and fills the prescriptions not the stock boy.

Answer 3

Is working overtime unpaid in your contract? Do you have a contract. That is your basis for your arguement
Ask for a meeting with your manager. Say what you just said-
" I am unhappy that despite us all working until the same time ont he stock take, other managers and yourself have had time in lieu and i havent. I also feel that now i am refusing to work overtime that i am being treated unfairly. Overtime is not in my contract"

See what they say. If the scream and shout, then say you do not feel their attitude is professional and if the matter is not resolved calmly you will need to speak to their manager. Hopefully they will see your point of view and come to some sort of agreement.
Good luck x

Answer 4

They are definitely taking advantage of you, it sounds like you should not be invoved with shop floor stock taking at all to me. You can't let them do this to you. Are you in a union? You should talk to your representative, or somone in the governing body of your profession. If they have been breaking your contract that is illegal for starters (or else what is the point of a contract?) Is your pharmacy independent or part of a chain? Is there anyone further up you can consult about your treatment?
You have an important job to do and counting bottles of bubble bath is not part of it.

Answer 5

Sounds like you are being taken for a ride. Make sure you have reviewed you contract and then see what other people employed by the same place are feeling the same way. If they do feel the same then it is time for you to contact your union and they can take some action.

Answer 6

What do the other pharmacists do in your case? It is not part of your job or it would hnave been in your employment aggreement. I would see if there is some in the HR (human resources) dept. o fyour store's company that you can talk to about this or a supervisor above this store manager. This seems highly irregular to me, it does seem as if the manager is jealous of your position or is just plain taking advangtage.

Answer 7

You need to seek advice , go to citizens advice, if others are getting time in lieu and you are not, its plainly discrimination. You really should join a union.

There are many places that take advantage, im a union rep at work and ive been giving management a hard time for their underhand attitude, but you need support and advice on your rights, citizen advice have employment specialists that will assist you.

Answer 8

If your contract says you must agree to work all the hours required by the business,that could include any part of the business,including stock-taking,but you should be paid for any extra hours.

Answer 9

TELL YOU WHAT YOU do. SOUNDS like they are taking full advantage of you. SOUNDs like they are jealous of you as well. BE GAIN to look 4 a different job ok??----------- 4 now kiss their asses. Go along with the program. BUT look 4 a better job. AND take your time looking. You have a job now to pay your rent, BUT your main goal is to leave. BESIDES YOU WILL LOOK GREAT TO THE NEXT EMPLOYER YOUR EMPLOYED right now. GOOD luck sorry this is happening to you. ID love to work with some one like u. star.

Answer 10

well what i can say is that you need to stand up for your principles, and in this case it looks like you are being taken advantage of. you need to tell them out right that the last time you were not paid what was morally due you and know they wish to do it again. if they do not agree then you can always use the conditions in your contract to avoid doing so. as i have personally experienced, do not keep giving because they will keep taking and taking!! stand up for yourself.
as for the gossip factor, my advice is if you worrying about them dont, because they are always going to be jealous of your position and will always find one thing or another to talk about. you yourself said they do a lot of back stab and the like. so what it comes down to is stand up for yourself.....otherwise lie down for them to walk all over you.
but i think you gona go with the former.
goodluck!!!",)

Answer 11

i feel for you

my advice is go to the person you report to if its the manager do so and explain yourself as you have done here and tell him you feel you are being taken foregranted and you fear it is affecting your motivation as an employee and you love your work as it affects delicate group of people and you will not want to be in the wrong state of mind while at it. tell him you feel you should be paid for overtime if you have to work late. tell him its not fair that others get paid and not you coz it will even divide the staff into unhealthy office politics groups.

i feel for you like i said coz i have a boss like that one who comes in late and goes out early i do all the work he earns all the salary