Right... I don't know what to do here at all.

My manager told me that one of our regs has complained about the salon when a particular girl is working, how the bed he used was black and filthy.

I warned this girl, told her which customer it was and she swore that she had never worked when he had been in. I checked the pad. She's telling the truth.

My manager does not like this girl.

The girl called the manager a liar tonight and wanted to know why the manager would make this up - the manager was rude and told her to get out of the salon and they argued. Not the first time.

I spoke to the manager, and told her that the girl was not lying as I have the facts - nobody can use a bed without us knowing/books/tokens and till would not add up etc etc - and the customers who complained had never been in when this girl was working. The manager said 'so you're calling me a liar too then' ....

The girl who has been accused is so outraged that she wants to speak to the customers, as she knows them well - I do NOT want my customers involved in this UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. What if they are lying? If confronted i'd lose them as regs for both beds and regular luxury manicure.

The manager wants to get the customer to write down the complaint.

The manager told me she doesn't want to work there anymore - my husbands reaction is 'I'm not putting up with emotional blackmail - replace her' (yeah course Dave, just like that...).

Who is lying????? What do I do? They hate each other but this girl has been a victim here and I detest liars. I am a fair person and will not have anyone victimised or done an injustice.

The girls are 18 and 19 years old - I am only a few years older and like them both.

Well one of them has to go, and I would get rid of the liar! Surely there must be a geek in your area who would love a job in your place? You need to get an older member of staff in there TBH, or at least one with greater maturity. And if she lied about this girl then who knows what else she has lied to you about. I get calls all the time from people wanting jobs. Do you not have a college local to you that could recommend one of their top students to you? You need a good manager in there so you can take a bit of a back seat with your babies.

God I am desperate for some extra work, typical!!!

You already know which one is the liar, as you said your self the girl wasnt working when the aledged incident happened, it sounds to me that the manager is just trying to get the girl sacked, maybe she has a friend that she would rather you employed, either way it is up to you but your manager sounds like a trouble maker, just my opiniun , good luck getting to the bottom of it

i am so scared. i am meeting them both up there in 15 minutes to resolve this. I'm too near their age, what do i do????? I feel so out of my depth and my husband thinks i can deal with anything, I am biased now as i know this girl isn't lying... grrrrrrrrrrr... he wont deal with it, he'd tell them to 'behave'

You can't have your manager accusing people of things they cannot have done. You have the facts which speak for themselves. I agree with Sassy you need someone more mature who isn't going to resort to childish tricks like this managing the place. JMO

Have you tried sitting them both down together to thrash it out.

You may find that it may not get you anywhere but at least you will know after that which one is the true lyer!

And I think that this will give you better piece of mind too!

i thought sassy meant i wasn't mature enough...

I don't feel I am.

You seem to be handing it in a mature way to me!

I am sure you will make the right decision.

Your manager is only 19, does she have the maturity and experience to be your salon manager? I know it's difficult to find staff who meet your criteria though.

As you have already spoken to the manager and she is saying that you are calling her a liar show her the pad/evidence etc and ask how on earth it could have happened if they weren't in the salon at the same time. If she is sure that the man who has complained will write a statement to this effect, then maybe she knows him well and has him on her side and he is willing to write the statement for her.

Have there been other so say complaints from the manager about the other employee?

Good luck.

let me get this right cos i confuse easy!!

your the owner - you have a salon manager - and this girl is one of your employees??

you as the owner should handle the situation as per the evidence you have - the girl wasn't working that shift - which you have proof, the manager doesn't like her - that you also know - id put two and two together - i may be coming up with five here but when girls get on - they b1tch about each other all the time - happens in every workplace im sure. it may just be telling tales, it may be genuine? id wait and see if the client takes the complaint further, thats if there was a complaint in the first place.

No not you hun, that's why I added about the maturity because some young girls have more maturity than people twice their age. I meant the young girl that is your manager.

Handling staffing issues like this is never easy, no matter what your age or experience, as you know that if you sack someone they don't have an income. Just remember that there are set procedures for dismissing staff. although I think if they have been with you for less than two years then they don't count ... but check it out as the laws change all the time. However lying to get another member of staff in trouble MAY be classed as gross misconduct and is a sackable without any warnings.

Interview them individually and write down their grievances. Then maybe get them together when you have this clear in your head and confront them together with it! Show the manager the dates and times in the diaries and that therefore their greivances are made up. if you think she is lying and she says that's what you are accusing ehr of then don't back down, it may even do you a favour in the long run and she may just walk.

When I was a manager I was taught that if you empathise then it helps to calm the situation rather than saying you did this and you can't do that. Say things like I understand how you feel but, i know that it's difficult but, I've felt like you have in the past but .... it makes them feel that you do understand them, but at the same time what they are doing is not acceptable. Maybe start with saying that you feel sad that this situation has arisen and you need to get it sorted immediately so what are the issues they both have and how do THEY seeing it being resolved and how can you help to resolve it and make them a happy team.

Not an easy one Caroline and I don't envy you it. I used to shake like a leaf when i had to do it.

I am in agreement with Sassy here, if you have to sack someone then it would have to be the one who lied, because she lied her integrity is always going to be in question.

You need to speak to the girls together, show them your proof and tell them that this will not be tolerated. You are running a business and ultimately your family come first. If the arguements are going to make your business suffer (which involving and loosing clients will do) then consequently that will affect your family somewhere down the line.

You are sooo lovely and someone who is as lovely as you is going to find it hard in a situation like this but stay strong, stand your ground, make your points heard, tell them what you are going to do and do it!

Good luck mate and let us know how you get on.

Shame if only I lived closer!!

Teri x

Agree with sass.. if this manager is lying about this what else has she lied to you about!!!!
She is only 19 and to me it seems that the position has gone to her head. I mean omg a manager of a beauty shop at 19.. is that not every girls dream.. if you have proof use it hun and let her explain herself