Visit our online shop for your left-handed productsDiscrimination against lefthanders at work
We received this email from Ann recently:
Hi,
I was wondering if you could help me, I work in a small supermarket and have just been told of a new way of scanning the products and packing the bag. As we sit on the tills the conveyor belt is on the right and the bag packing area on the left. After scanning the items I have been told to hold the bag in my left hand whilst packing with my right hand, which obviously for a left handed person is very awkward and would in fact slow down the process rather than the desired effect of speeding up the transaction. This is something they are auditing us on, and it is written in black and white that the left hand is to hold the bag and the right hand is to pack. When I asked whether I had to do as they said I was told if I refused to comply with the new system I could face disciplinary action. Surely this is discrimination?!! I was wondering if you know of any document or paperwork that would confirm this that I could take to them early next week?
Many thanks
What we said was…
I am amazed that they are making you do that and it certainly is discriminatory (and bad for their business I would have thought) but unfortunately there is no specific legal protection for discrimination against lefthanders as far as I know so probably not much you can do about it apart from complaining to your employer. I am sure it would make an interesting test case but that is not much help to you.
I would like to put your email (without your real name or email address) up as a blog post on our website and maybe feature it in our next newsletter to get some feedback from Left Handers Club members on whether they have heard of anything similar or have any ideas on what you may be able to do about it. Is that OK?
It was, and here it is – have you had any experiences similar to this and do you have any advice on what action could be taken? Please add your comments below.
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I just thought I would let people know about what I hope is a good move from Santander. I visited my local branch (Middlesbrough) at the weekend, and at all counters they have now installed electronic screens for electronic signing – no more paper forms. These screens had been placed on the LEFT of the counter. Absolutely brilliant for me as a left hander having to sign on an electronic screen. Not sure if this is just the way they have been installed in my branch, (perhaps the engineer that installed them was also a lefty?!), or if this is going to be common across all branches. I would be interested to hear from other Santander customers.
I’ve written to both CNN and the White House appealing to be recognized in some form or fashion within the articles of ADA’s protections for discrimination. Although we as lefties are not ‘disabled’, our society sometimes disables us. We are left to either overcome these obstacles or be limited and paralyzed by an ill-fitted environment.
I’ve received no communication back from either party. I called for the President who has done so much for minorities to recognize the very minority that is discriminated against the most, of which he himself is a member. The Left-handed. We need to stand up for Equal Lefts, not just Equal Rights. Please join in this conversation by showing the world you are to be heard. Get your own “Kill Righty” t-shirt, coffee mug, etc: http://www.cafepress.com/motherefferstshirtshoppe It’s really just a joke to stir the conversation, so please don’t take offense.
Thanks,
ME
I’m left handed and it’s hard at times where you have to shoot right-handed in Army cadets, also everyone should realise that the world isnt just right-handed.
Hi, I’m not left handed but my daughter is. As far as working a “wrong” till – tell your employers that the new till may cause discomfort but you are prepared to do a trial of a week for example. This should be written up as a Health and Safety Risk Assessment. Your situation should be re-assessed after the trial period to see if the work has caused discomfort that would prevent you from working effectively. If things need to alter, a large store should be able to offer you alternative work. After all, they won’t want you going off sick with Repetitive Strain Injury and risk an Employment Tribunal would they? I hope things improve for you soon. Good Luck!
My mother, my sister, my uncle and I were forced to use our right hands. I was the only one who refused such action. Everytime I was alone, I wrote and ate with my left. Today I am ambidextrous and write with both hands, but I always write with my left. I am proud to be lefty and yes…I faced punishment for using “the wrong hand”. I was told that lefties do not go to heaven and the devil is lefty. I feel sick to hear those comment against lefties.
I don’t know if this new system is going to cause you any additional stain, if so this is a health and safety issue. I too would have written a letter explaining my difficulty in this. Whoever has written this new procedure has obviously never heard of “ergonomics”. Everyone is different and this should be taken into consideration. I would have contacted the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.uk) or ACAS.CO.UK to find out my position first as I’ve used them before and you can simply phone for some advice.
I remember a case in the United States, about 30 years ago, where a supermarket checkout operator successfully sued the company for forcing them to use right handed checkout equipment constantly and repeatedly all day.
I don’t know about the legal situation here in Britain, but if someone was dismissed for complaining about it perhaps modern human rights legislation will cover it, and if not in Britain, then at the European Court of Human Rights.
Many many quailty points there.
One idea – explain to your employers that you understand they are attempting to design for efficiency. Explain, respectfully, that you are left handed and ask if you can do a trial where you rearrange your workstation to fit being left handed. Something to the effect, give you 1 month (or something additionally short) — to see if your numbers are as good as the Rightys using the other stations. Good luck!
As far as the supermarket goes i would write a letter to management stating i was lefthanded and the rules are so rigid that it is going to slow me down and ask for them relax the rules. I would also state that as we are going to auditing us then would they take into to consideration that i am going to be slow as I do things the opposite way around. Also have a word with your union if there is one at the work. DO NOT SAY YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT! Also keep a copy of the letter.
What will be interesting is the reply from the management once it is in writing … i bet they will relax the rules…. management hate anything being put in writing as it can be used against them in any later dispute. I have never come across a manager that will deny you natural justice … especially if they see a suspected case of discrimination against them!
Hi,
I think this site is great will be ordering some products very soon!!
But I have a bit of a gripe too, i have a left-handed nephew which is struggling at at the moment as his teachers are trying to make him write right-handed, instead of encouraging him to hold his pens correctly etc, I find this really annoying as the schools I went to always tried to help!! I don’t know what to do about the situation Please can someone help?????
I am going to order a couple of sets of the yoropens for myself and so I can send my nephew some to try and help him with his dilemma!!
any suggestions more than welcome!!!!
Thanks!!!
I had the same problem at school too.. when i first started primary school the teacher tied my left hand behind my back to force me to write with my right hand. My mother went down to the school and played holy hell with the teachers and headteacher. After the incident with my mother I never encountered anymore problems again at that school.
It is , of course difficult for a child to argue with a teacher about this matter, as it can be (perhaps opportunistically by some teachers) seen as disrespect for authority, or it is a difficult uphill struggle for a child to stick up for her or himself in what can be , at the minimum, a paternalistic culture. A child , of course has less experience of life and poorer awareness of their rights and a less than pleasant teacher can exploit this or be corrupted by the power that it gives them.
There was a major blog on this website several months ago about this problem and its consequences for the wellbeing of the child which can be carried on and into adulthood. The luckiest kids had good , sensible and assertive parents,whose kids could talk to them about their problems and whose parents went to the school and talked to the headmaster and / or the teacher concerned, that this is unacceptable and that action would be taken if it did not stop immediately.
I’m astounded that your son is being made by his teachers to write right-handed. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to write with my left hand at school (and as a result was the first child in my year to learn joined up writing and be given his own fountain pen by the headmaster). I would suggest visiting the school in person and inform them that they do not have the right to dictate how he writes, as long as he learns comfortably. I would begin by writing to the headmaster, informing him/her of the issue and insisting that as the parent, you intend for your son to learn to write in a manner most comfortable to him.
Fight for your rights (and lefts)
I can’t believe in this day and age that there are TEACHERS of all people that are trying to change a child the right hand writing!! URGH!! Anyway, I wouldn’t get just the writing utensils but the writing mat and the how to form letters booklet. I think there is also a booklet for teachers of left handed children. Do everything possible to help your nephew. What about his parents? Direct them to this site; it might help them understand what your nephew is going thru.
I don’t know what your re-course would be but I disagree with the above comments. Yes, I am left-handed and have learned to adapt to the right handed world in most things, but there are some things, occasionally, that are just too awkward to be able to adapt too no matter how hard you try. This is a possible accident waiting to happen as far as I am concerned.
In my opinion, it shouldn’t matter how you do your job as long as the job gets done. If the company have a problem with “cack-handedness” then they shouldn’t employ left handers because we are bound to do things back-to-front, upside down or sideways simply because we tend to do things our way to make it easier for us.
If they were making you write with your right hand or making you do something life threatening (i.e. surgery) with your other hand.. then I could understand. I’m a leftie, just let me re-itterate that, but sometimes you just have to be flexible! Even I think it’s a joke to be taking about union reps here!
Although this technique is clearly discriminatory, there is nothing in law so the choice as the poster above has said or you can take it above your supervisor to your store manager and even further if need be. Of course, the final destination (if no one is taking you seriously) is a union rep.
Go to work for another supermarket (beginning with S and ending in S) as they have left and right handed tills. Or just get used to using your right hand, like the rest of us lefties sometimes have to do. Sometimes it’s good to do something different. Just remember that you’ll have the upper hand then (so to speak) as you can then do it with either!