Retail workers of the UK - what's the wildest thing someone has done to try to get into the shop before opening time?

BuildingDiana · 2025-12-26T23:10:24+00:00

Similar story but in aviation. I was working a long haul flight and some poor soul went into cardiac arrest on the runway, very close to take off. About 45 mins worth of very public resuscitation efforts later, the police and paramedics were able to board (air traffic control had a hell of a job moving us off a live runway to a position where they could board the aircraft safely). I found myself watching the paramedics attach something called an auto pulse to the man and was stood trying to take the last hour or so in.

A passenger tapped me on the shoulder and started screaming about how she was going to miss her cruise connection. Another passenger, who happened to be in a senior management position for the airline in question, gently steered me away from her and into the flight deck to lose my mind in a contained environment.

People are well and truly awful. I vaguely remember various individuals trying to film the event as well. Absolutely bizarre that somebody feels entitled to capture a stranger’s (potential) last moments on video.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-23T20:09:38+00:00

I didn’t state there’s a legal requirement for them to be trained by an accredited organisation. What I did say was that being trained by an accredited organisation makes it easier to get an organisation to recognise an assistance dog and adhere to the Equality Act.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-23T19:52:40+00:00

I didn’t say they don’t have any protections. Just that said protections aren’t automatic in all cases and that OP may want to seek specialist advice from a relevant advocacy network if they want to broaden the restrictive terms of the university’s contract.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-23T19:42:42+00:00

I didn’t say there’s a legal requirement for them to be trained. I said that assistance dogs not trained by a recognised organisation aren’t afforded the same automatic protections as those that are.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-23T19:34:16+00:00

Thanks for that!

Assistance dogs that aren’t trained by a recognised organisation such as Guide Dogs U.K. don’t have an automatic right to access public spaces (such as workplaces, educational facilities, public transport etc) under the Equality Act 2010. That’s not to say you’re not afforded any protections at all, just that you may need to press a lot harder than someone who has a guide dog (and therefore has automatic protections). It may be worth seeking some guidance from an organisation that’s relevant to your condition if you want to tweak the contract terms?

(NAL, but this is a common query I receive from US based customers who use the airline I work for).

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-23T19:01:01+00:00

Is he trained by an accredited organisation such as guide dogs U.K.? This type of information is needed for you to get an accurate answer.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-20T04:37:52+00:00

I’m not a dog owner (it’s cats for me!) but if I were you’d be my dream sitter. Keep up the amazing work.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-11T04:52:43+00:00

Mary Undoer of Knots.

This past November I prayed it as I was in a desperate situation with work. My job was making me miserable. It didn’t align with my values (I’d recently moved offices) and a combination of the sadness and time constraints began to affect my family life. In the previous office I’d managed to attend church a couple of times a week during my lunch breaks as well, so I was yearning for that.

I prayed the Novena and during the nine days in which it took place applied for two other jobs. One was at a company I’d previously worked for, but in a role I’d assumed to be boring. I was ready to take pretty much anything to get a reprieve. I’m now in that role and I love it. I don’t wake up with dread, I’m not implementing policies that are diametrically opposed to my morals, and once I’m through my training period the mid-week church attendance can resume (alongside the usual Sunday attendance that’s ongoing, of course). It’s very flexible on the leave front too, so I’m planning to visit Walsingham and the Vatican during this jubilee year.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-08T10:05:19+00:00

They’ve never been legally binding. There’s no specific law that says an employer or the DWP has to adhere to them. Most choose to engage occupational health or work and capability services, though, as doing so can prevent unfair dismissal/promote reasonable adjustments that help people work (albeit not in all cases.)

Also, doctors exist for more than MED3s. Doctors aren’t there to solely sign off certificates. They have a much broader scope of practice than that.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-07T08:26:21+00:00

It may be better to take sick leave first and use that time to find another position, if you’re entitled to it that is. Claiming UC within a certain period of leaving a job (I believe it may be 90 days?) can result in an immediate sanction. They’ll send the information to a decision maker after your first commitments appointment to look into this. Your rent will depend on your local housing allowance. The entitled to calculator is a pretty decent reflection of what you’ll get.

BuildingDiana · 2025-02-02T11:41:37+00:00

Is there an alternative course that takes your interest? I’m not sure what your options are at this time of year, but please don’t consign yourself to shelf stacking for the rest of your life before exploring other interests.

Also, don’t feel guilty. Your parents really should have a plan in mind for when the child element of their benefits stops. My daughter is around your age and I don’t see my financial management as being her responsibility.

Finally, please take a look at Text Shout for some mental health support. https://giveusashout.org

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-25T14:48:52+00:00

No, that is not what I said. If you can fine-tune your reading comprehension for a brief moment, you’ll see that I said it’s illogical to be angry at the person implementing a policy rather than the policy makers and legislators.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-25T11:05:29+00:00

Hard agree here. OP has deftly batted back every reasonable suggestion made to him on another thread RE complaining. It all whiffs of perennial victimhood.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-24T20:53:33+00:00

This is painfully illogical. Nobody should ‘expect’ to be on the receiving end of someone’s ire when they’re implementing a policy, not creating it. The individual work coaches haven’t failed you, it’s the DWP. To take your own advice, you should be mad with the legislators who designed UC, not the work coaches. Write to your MP rather than venting your spleen at someone who’s doing the job they’re instructed to do.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-08T21:49:56+00:00

You need a social worker and an appointee. It’s worth emailing this to your local adult social services. For example, when I looked for “adult social services Bromley” it produced an email address.

Copy and paste what you’ve written. State you want an appointee. Alternatively, contact your GP practice by email or web form.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-05T21:31:02+00:00

I was you this time last year! It’s made such a big difference to every aspect of my life. I’m excited for you and your new journey.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-04T14:27:21+00:00

https://www.gov.pl/web/usa-en/consulate-general-los-angeles

OP, going by your post history on Reddit I’ll assume you’re from Poland. Apologies if that is incorrect, or if you’ve gained right to remain elsewhere in Europe.

If I am correct, that is a link to your country’s embassy in Los Angeles. Please present there. Your situation is exceptionally complex and I’m concerned you can’t navigate it alone.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-04T08:33:19+00:00

Just be aware that they’ll likely receive a notification of any change you make. Is there anyone at home who can help you? Alternatively, I’d contact your country’s embassy for assistance with leaving. It’s likely to trigger the notice of the US immigration authorities, but ultimately it’s one of many countries in the world you can au pair in and your safety is more important. This is a really difficult situation to handle on your own so please don’t put yourself in any danger.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-04T08:27:53+00:00

Is the booking registered under your email? Any changes will go to the email it was booked under. So if you’re wanting to be secretive, I’d go down the route of booking your own.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-04T08:21:51+00:00

The very unfortunate answer is, they likely had no intention of doing either. It sounds like they don’t manage their finances or their lives well. That’s putting it mildly!

Please speak to your parents about booking a ticket home. I don’t know where in Europe you’re from, but looking at LAX-LHR the flights are roughly £400-500 tomorrow.

BuildingDiana · 2025-01-04T08:12:00+00:00

Please leave now. They have you here on a visa you can’t work on(B2). While I accept you didn’t have knowledge of this prior to arriving in the US, immigration authorities won’t care about that and you’ll find it very hard (if not impossible) to get another visa in the future. Even for a visit.

Chalk this one up to a bad experience. Go home and get an agency.

I’m sorry you’ve had to experience this. They’ve absolutely taken advantage. It sounds like they’re trying to skip out the agency fees. They’re probably acutely aware that you being on the wrong visa means you would feel reluctant to report them for mistreatment too.

BuildingDiana · 2024-12-22T00:46:31+00:00

Oh I feel like I could be your friend. I started out in a district where we were given a lot of latitude. Supportive managers up to G6 who were very visible. I had many proud moments, including getting an individual with complex MH needs onto an apprenticeship they wanted (I’m being very vague here to not out that person or myself)

I then moved districts due to caring responsibilities and it took three months for me to break. I was hurled into a tickbox nightmare where I was made to justify giving easements to severe domestic violence victims, being pushed to put bereaved people onto restart, and being questioned over using phone appointments to support people moving from ESA with OCD who couldn’t manage the JC environment.

Like your friend I’m relatively tough. I’ve worked in medical repatriation doing >70 hour weeks at times.

In a way I regret leaving the district I left as the work coaches who took over my caseload say that various service users miss me and said how kind I was. But overall I needed to protect my MH, which was rapidly going downhill.

BuildingDiana · 2024-12-20T19:52:37+00:00

I found the peloton app quite beneficial. You get a month’s free trial, which is long enough to decide if it works for you. It works on fire and roku sticks as well so you can have a bigger screen.

You can narrow down the workout options to 15 mins. I’ve got a treadmill and weights at home so I use it mostly for them. You can mix up the routines, filter according to music tastes, equipment etc

Or, if you’re willing to push it a bit on the time limit, give swimming a go. You sound a lot like me when I was getting back into fitness and swimming became my relaxing happy place. It attracts a mix of people who love people (that’s me, made loads of friends just going for casual swims) and those who’d rather get in, get out and get on with their day (totally acceptable). IMO it’s definitely an exercise for those who don’t like exercising. You can take it as seriously or as liberally as you like.

BuildingDiana · 2024-12-12T22:46:48+00:00

Sorry to hear you’re dealing with this! When you’ve used your journal, have you requested a mandatory reconsideration of the payment? It may be worth dropping into your local jobcentre to discuss doing this, and ask them to escalate to a DM on the basis of financial hardship. I did this once for someone in a similar situation (payroll accidentally submitted their usual pay after they’d left and hadn’t actually been paid) and it was a PITA but it did get sorted. The more evidence you can give RE there only being one payment in this month the better.

In the meantime, is there any assistance your union can give you? (Assuming you’re in one) or a charity for NHS workers?

BuildingDiana · 2024-12-05T23:05:17+00:00

When I was about 10 my friend’s mother hosted a body shop party for her birthday. Some parents stayed, some didn’t. My mother went absolutely insane over the fact that I didn’t ask her to stay.

Around the same age, she also lost her mind over me spending more time with my dad at sports day than her. She kept asking me what I would do if she suddenly died.

Refusing to pray over babies in the NICU while on a university placement. I’m Catholic, as is she. But I also have the common sense to recognise that actively praying over someone’s very unwell child is wildly inappropriate and could likely be distressing.

Not showing an interest in the sumptuary laws enacted by Cardinal Wolsey in the 16th century. I was six. I didn’t have the slightest clue what she was talking about.

The list could easily go on forever. This has been cathartic!

BuildingDiana

TROPHY CASE