Passed over for promotion

Divide by Zero

Looking for advice, a work colleague has been passed over for promotion, by a work colleague with less experience. She is a lounge girl for the last 7 years and has asked to be trained in behind the bar several times, recently 3 positions opened up behind the bar,and she asked again to be trained in. Instead a lounge boy with less experience (just over 1 year) was promoted behind the bar. She asked the owner for a reason why she was passed over for promotion , the following is a verbatim conversation she had with owner-can anyone advise me as to her rights in this situation?
""Well i said to her I thought I'm very good worker, I have great relations with customers and staff. I'm doing you favours anytime you ask me. Maybe I'm making mistake somewhere and I don't know. She answered for this : I think you are great worker I'm very happy with you. If you want to start looking for new job I ll train you behind the bar and give you great references, but I won't promote you behind my bar."

Mrs OBumble

Unless she can prove that it's a gender discrimination thing (eg owner never hires women for behind the bar), then I'd say no rights at all.

Divide by Zero

Is the owner required to explain her reasons as to why she wont promote her- (even though she is willing to show her the ropes behind the bar? Thats the part I dont understand) In total there are 9 barmen and 2 bar women, so Im not sure sexism can be proved.

Irish_Elect_Eng

No, no requirement to tell her.

But it does sound to me personally like he does not trust her for some reason.

Mr. Loverman

Management skills and level of experience don't always go hand in hand.

Your friend should ask - in a nice way - what she can do to make herself more promote-able. (Is that a word?)

For example, I manage a guy who is very ambitious and wants to be promoted, but he can't communicate and has poor people skills so there is no chance of that ever happening unless he can fix those problems. It doesn't matter how much experience he gains.

another question

That sounds really unfair to me. I know a job is a job but if I was a lounge girl for 7 years and everyone else seemed to be let behind the bar except me, I would be taking that very personally and certainly wouldn't have been 7 years worth of polite about it either. I would have been long gone.

Marsden

Is it possible she's a clutz?

Just because the boss tells her she's a great worker doesn't make it true. He could be just trying to be polite.

StillWaters

She has been told clearly that she will not be promoted. She can asky why of course, but she does not have to be told. After 7 years it's definitely time to get another job.

Divide by Zero

Marsden wrote: »

Is it possible she's a clutz?

Just because the boss tells her she's a great worker doesn't make it true. He could be just trying to be polite.

Clutz-thats a great word!! She's actually our best lounge girl, works the hardest and makes the most tips, anytime she's needed to come in if were short staffed she always obliges. Initially I thought maybe thats why they wont promote her as it means we'd be losing our best lounge girl off the floor. Also in the last few weeks there were two occasions where we were short staffed and the lounge girl was put behind the bar , was allowed to serve customers and handle cash-so it seems when it suits the management theyll have her work behind the bar

another question

Divide by Zero wrote: »

Clutz-thats a great word!! She's actually our best lounge girl, works the hardest and makes the most tips, anytime she's needed to come in if were short staffed she always obliges. Initially I thought maybe thats why they wont promote her as it means we'd be losing our best lounge girl off the floor. Also in the last few weeks there were two occasions where we were short staffed and the lounge girl was put behind the bar , was allowed to serve customers and handle cash-so it seems when it suits the management theyll have her work behind the bar

Maybe in that case then, she should take her chances and say she's leaving. If they don't want to lose their best lounge girl then they should try and reach a compromise with her. Splitting her working week in half between shifts behind the bar and the floor and seeing how she get's on. If there isn't problem and they are still passing her over the next time there is a vacancy available then she needs to do herself a favour and tell them where to stick it.

If she's as good as you say she is, she is not going to have any problem progressing somewhere else a lot quicker than she is now.