Obstructive manager: ask the expert
Last year my husband's shifts at work were changed which meant every four weeks we would both be working two evening shifts at the same time. We have two children 8 and 13. As we struggle for childcare in the evening I approached my line manager and asked if I could request officially to move my shifts to an early on the occasions this happened. He told me there was no need to do this as he could be flexible enough to accommodate this as and when it came around. So far this year my husband has managed to arrange leave from work when these shifts have clashed. However from August onwards he has no more leave to facilitate this. I approached my line manager and asked if I could move the two conflicting late shifts in August to an early as discussed previously. He has refused my request and has denied making such an agreement. He has told me I have to submit a Part-Time Working form (this has been provided by our HR department) and put the shifts for changing on the form. I have done this, highlighting the changes required and returned it to him. He has returned the form to me on a number of occasions now telling me he isn't happy it has been done properly. He never gives me any assistance and doesn't highlight where he thinks it has gone wrong. I am getting very upset by this and I find it hard to ask him questions with regards to the form due to his responses. I feel he is deliberatly obstructing me. I just want to get the form done and get on with my job. I handed the form to him on Friday and he handed it back. I have now found out that he is on holiday for two weeks so nothing can happen with the form until he comes back and signs it off. It also means that I will have to make arrangements for childcare as by the time he comes back the shifts I need to change will have passed. I have explained my situation to him. I have even said that I may be forced to take unpaid leave if I cannot change these shifts and he has threatened disciplinary action. Please can you advise me on this matter.
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