wife having problems at tesco

[crickets]

My wife is a manager at a tesco express and her regional manager is trying to get her to quit. She keeps tellinh her to print out a document and sign her resignation. If she signs it now she will miss out on her 50k baht bonus which they give at the end of the year. I told her not to sign anything and if she wants to leave do it next year. She has been there 3 years. Does anyone know the employee labor laws here? Why doesnt her manager sign the papers herself? Bullying some one into resigning is surely illegal right? Anyone have advice?

[Don Mega]

If they fire her they will be liable for a severance pay out.

[kurnell]

Buy a voice recorder or even better, get the harassment on camera. Thai labor court love that stuff.

[Luccin]

If she signs the paper, she will not only forfeit her bonus, but will also not br able to receive her dismissal payment (6 months of salary for over 3 years with the same company). If the Regional Manager wants her out and she has not done anything wrong, she needs to pay up

[Pomthai]

Yep, tell here to hold out. Thai labor law is on the side of the employee in these cases.

After three years she is entitled to 180 days severance pay.

[Satcommlee]

Good advice here.... The manager is trying to avoid severance payment..

[crickets]

My wife doesnt know how to deal with a bully. She just says nothing and goes home really upset.

[Eddy B]

You could always go with her to the local Department of Labour office and she can tell them whats happening. Most likely they will, a)Give her good advice and maybe give her help in capturing this happening. It can't help to try.

[FritsSikkink]

Labour protection act:

http://www.mol.go.th/sites/default/files/images/jpg/01.pdf

[Trembly]

Go to the Labour Department. As mentioned by others, they love to sic their inspectors on errant employers. It's what they do.

[crickets]

Thanks. I will see what happens.

[Beetlejuice]

My wife doesnt know how to deal with a bully. She just says nothing and goes home really upset.

My question would be, what exactly is behind this and why does the regional manager want your wife to resign her position at the said Tesco store?

If you and your wife are clueless as to what is going on, then your best option is to visit the head office with your wife and try to get this matter ironed out, because judging by how you described this state of affairs, your wife and you have nothing to lose, providing of course that your wife enjoys her job and plans to have a future with Tesco for the foreseeable future.

[crickets]

Regional managers are told to get them to resign so they dont have to pay the 50k bonuses at the end of the year. A lot of managers quit the day after they get it. Seeing someone higher at tesco is a no go. There even more ruthless.

[samsensam]

'I told her not to sign anything and if she wants to leave do it next year.'

surely your wife can work that out for herself?!

[Beetlejuice]

Regional managers are told to get them to resign so they dont have to pay the 50k bonuses at the end of the year. A lot of managers quit the day after they get it. Seeing someone higher at tesco is a no go. There even more ruthless.

Sorry, but this doesn`t make sense.

Are you saying that is in unlikely that Tesco managers will last 12 months and will pressured to leave to avoid paying them the yearly bonus? It that was the case there would hardly be any managers employed with Tescos or no one would be willing to take on the job.

Just does not ring true, must be more to this than that.

[NancyL]

Crickets -- I really feel bad for your wife. I'm glad she has you and others I'm sure to stand behind her. I've seen others in similar positions bullied into leaving jobs early. Stand by her and give her all the support she needs. She's very lucky to have you.

Edited December 6, 2014 by NancyL

[NeverSure]

Crickets. Do you need the money?

I wouldn't let anyone treat my wife that way (if I had one.) I'd grab her out of there and tell them to #$%*&@ off.

Unless I really needed the money, I wouldn't let anyone treat her that way for two seconds.

[NancyL]

Crickets. Do you need the money?

I wouldn't let anyone treat my wife that way (if I had one.) I'd grab her out of there and tell them to #$%*&@ off.

Unless I really needed the money, I wouldn't let anyone treat her that way for two seconds.

NeverSure, you;ve probably never worked at a place like Tesco where they try to bully you out before your bonus payment. If you want your wife to ride your high horse, OK, but she'll have trouble finding work again in your town.

[phazey]

FWIW My sister in law is pretty high up in Tesco Lotus HQ, i'll see what I can find out on your behalf - From a HR perspective.

Edited December 6, 2014 by phazey

[NeverSure]

Crickets. Do you need the money?

I wouldn't let anyone treat my wife that way (if I had one.) I'd grab her out of there and tell them to #$%*&@ off.

Unless I really needed the money, I wouldn't let anyone treat her that way for two seconds.

NeverSure, you;ve probably never worked at a place like Tesco where they try to bully you out before your bonus payment. If you want your wife to ride your high horse, OK, but she'll have trouble finding work again in your town.

That's why I asked if he needed the money.

[WhamBam]

Crickets. Do you need the money?

I wouldn't let anyone treat my wife that way (if I had one.) I'd grab her out of there and tell them to #$%*&@ off.

Unless I really needed the money, I wouldn't let anyone treat her that way for two seconds.

NeverSure, you;ve probably never worked at a place like Tesco where they try to bully you out before your bonus payment. If you want your wife to ride your high horse, OK, but she'll have trouble finding work again in your town.

That's why I asked if he needed the money.

Not always about the money. Maybe she has been very happy working there.

I would not want to be bullied out of work shortly before a bonus and would stay on simply to spite the company.

[crickets]

My wife loves her job and the money is good. She is still in her mid 20s so its a good lesson for her.

[WhamBam]

My wife loves her job and the money is good. She is still in her mid 20s so its a good lesson for her.

Then gently try to persuade her to stay and ignore the bossy so and so's trying to bully her and force her out.

With the experience she is getting from this, it can only help to make her stronger. And with your support it should be easier to ride out this little storm.

[daveAustin]

Buy a voice recorder or even better, get the harassment on camera. Thai labor court love that stuff.

Most, if not all, phones nowadays have recorders.

Off topic, but Tesco Locust is only recognizable in name with its UK mother. Minimal choice, rubbishy meats and veg, tatty stations, slow checkouts etc etc. And also you get crap like this happening with the regional managers... try that on in the UK and all you need do is jump over her head on harassment all in-house. Here you need to watch your step through fear of making a higher up lose face and thus have to go to the gov. Stroll on!

[ryanhull]

Grin and bear it, tell her to enjoy winding her manager up a little, two can play at that game, whats the worse that can happen? she`ll get fired but if she does nothing wrong that's unlikely

[fey]

i would get her a can of pepper spray in case things turned unreasonable

[mogandave]

The only reason they would want to terminate her prior to paying the bonus is because they want to terminate her anyway.

They do not have cause to terminate her without severance or they would have.

I would guess that either she is not a good manager, or the upper manager has someone they want to move into the position.

If your wife is unhappy there, I recommend she negotiate a severance package that includes the bonus, at least 50% of the severance due, and a positive letter of reference in return for her resignation.

She will end up with the same thing if she goes to the labor department, sans the reference.

If she continues working there and does nothing, it is likely they will start (if they are not already) building a case that will allow them to terminate her for cause, in which case she gets nothing but a 30-day notice.

I doubt very much we have all the facts here. It is extremely difficult to find competent managers in Thailand (or anywhere for that matter) so the idea that a company would get rid of one to save 50K is suspect.

[pedro01]

If she signs the paper, she will not only forfeit her bonus, but will also not br able to receive her dismissal payment (6 months of salary for over 3 years with the same company). If the Regional Manager wants her out and she has not done anything wrong, she needs to pay up

It is nor just severance at stake but also unfair dismissal gives 1 or 2 years salary if you go thru the courts

[champers]

I'm no internet warrior, but if I were in you shoes; OP; I'd be looking to use social media to get this management style some sort of publicity in the UK. Name and shame. Tesco have enough of a bad public image in the UK already and bringing this into the open would possibly get someone's attention at the top. Good luck whatever you do and don't let the ba***rds grind you down.

[Langsuan Man]

I'm no internet warrior, but if I were in you shoes; OP; I'd be looking to use social media to get this management style some sort of publicity in the UK. Name and shame. Tesco have enough of a bad public image in the UK already and bringing this into the open would possibly get someone's attention at the top. Good luck whatever you do and don't let the ba***rds grind you down.

Since Tesco is seriously thinking about getting rid of their overseas operations, just like Carefour did, I doubt if any "social media" campaign or bad publicity would mean anything in the UK