Customer Hits Me With A Can and Gets Away With It.

[WhiteWolf]

The thing is, like in politics: trying to cover up an incident such as this only leads to more bad press.

People will be far more impressed to see a company do things to protect it's customers and employees well-being from such incidents, or to call upon the proper authorities to handle it.

Injury wise, you probably got a little lucky, I'm no doctor, but from the area you descriped the hit, he could've very easily hit your head, you'd be on a trip for a possible concussion/stitches most likely, or even cause bone fractures.

Definetly do what everyone has been saying, Take pictures of the area you got hit in if possible if you have the marks of external injury (large bruises and the like) , talk to HRs and higher ups. Your probably going to want to lawyer up eventually. They may even ask you to go to the doctors to get checked out (you may want to do that even now maybe)

The assault charges: if you can JOT DOWN ANYTHING YOU CAN REMEMBER ABOUT THE GUY (capsed for emphasis), this could very easily lead into criminal investigation by the Police on this person. Your going to want that info to give them if they ask for you to help them compile a Police sketch so they can find the guy

[BaristaTrav]

Go to corporate right now. Not tomorrow. Not later. Right now. You are working in a dangerous work environment. And yes, you have a case for assault against the SC.

[rerant]

I say take a picture of your bruise RIGHT NOW!
Also, get a hold of corporate and tell them what's up. Tell them you want to file charges against the customer (if you do, which I think you should), give them the manager's name who "dealt with" the situation and tell them what they told you about the store not agreeing to back you on pressing charges.

To hell with what your manager said to you. You have every right to pursue this as you see fit.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

My manager takes me aside and says something along the lines of how he's sorry but maybe I shouldn't have moved his basket.. I should have "worked around it". Meanwhile I have a bruise the size of a quarter where the lip of the can caught me on the right side of my chest a few inches below my collar bone. It aches, not to mention it sort of knocked the wind out of me.. I can't remember if it did or if I was just shocked. I asked if I could press charges for assualt and my manager said something like "The store has to agree to do it and I decide not to because that's bad press".

I'd then say "Then I decide not to work for a manager who allows customers to assault his employees. I quit."

Despite what your fucktard of a manager says, you have every right to press charges. Do so. Also go to the local labor board. Now. Faster. If this isn't a hostile work environment, I don't know what is.

Lastly, go to corporate HR, assuming your company has such a thing, and tell them your manager is trying to make you keep the incident covered up.

[blas]

Your manager cannot stop you from calling the police or refuse to allow you to press charges. Saying that the store would frown upon it (or whatever) is bullshit.

Fuck what your manager said. Do what you have to do. Also mention that your manager tried to say that you couldn't do anything about it. See how your manager likes being butt-fucked by the long dick of the law and then again by upper management when they find out what happened.

[Pedersen]

I asked if I could press charges for assualt and my manager said something like "The store has to agree to do it and I decide not to because that's bad press".

I refuse to believe that there is any such thing as a place in the US where what your manager said is factual. You were assaulted, not the store. You may file charges in any way you choose.

So, the steps I would take, in this order:

1. Hospital, now. You were assaulted at work, the workplace will wind up covering it. Get checked over, and make sure that nothing more serious than a bruise occurred.
2. Pictures. Find a way to get them taken, then get them printed at a professional printing place that will include a date/time stamp on them (even if they only print when they printed them, that's still something).
3. Write everything down. And I mean everything.
4. Police. Report the assault. Give a copy of what you wrote in the report.
5. Newspaper. Speak to someone there about the assault, but make very certain to keep things as factual as possible. Give a copy of what you wrote to him/her.
6. HR. Report the manager who allowed the assault. Make sure to mention how the manager tried to deny you the right to report the assault, and how the manager admonished you over this. Also mention that you've spoken to a reporter about this, and give them a copy of what you've given to the police and reporter.
7. Lawyer. Find someone to speak to about this, and be ready to follow through. If action is taken against the manager, you might let it drop. If not, though, be ready to sue both the store and the manager. Give the lawyer a copy, too.

Your manager is afraid of bad press? By the time you walk out of the HR meeting, he should be terrified of what's coming next.

[depechemodefan]

My manager takes me aside and says something along the lines of how he's sorry but maybe I shouldn't have moved his basket.. I should have "worked around it".

My job is like that. Not that anyone got hit by a customer, but, say, a guy is talking loud and you go to him and tell him that he has to lower his voice (I work in a library) if the man goes off my ass about me targeting him, and he talks to my manager or a supervisor, the manager would say something like, "you shouldn't have told him to lower his voice, you should get a secruity guard." which would have taken a long time. Or "If no one complained about his voice, you shouldn't have spoke to him."

I bet in this case your manager mentioned also, "you should have nicely asked him to allow the other woman to go around, you would appreaciate it. YOu would be happy to serve him, but unfortunately you have to serve the other person first" then in this make-believe world the guy would say, "oh, I would be happy to let tthis woman go ahead."

Your manager is from Mars.

[Automan Empire]

What Pedersen and everyone else said. I'd hold back on the reporters until Corporate tries to bury the issue too, though. If you make a big public stink before they have a chance to respond, they will NOT be as sympathetic toward you.
I would NOT report to work again until it is clear that assault such as that is unacceptable at the store.
I would FIRE that manager if he was my employee! THAT is what emboldens sucky customers!
-Art

[dithers66]

I wonder how he would have reacted if he'd been the one who got hit?

Being the low life bitch that he is, I bet he would have loved the abuse.

[Despina83]

Insanity. That's all I have to say.

[bloodrose]

Can I ask your gender? I'm guessing male and hence, a level of gender discrimination that you can just take a hit and deal. I'm kinda tired of the BS that males should have to put up with that kinda sh--.

My condolonces on a sucky situation.

I agree with everyone saying to get your boss sacked. Unless they're the only gig in town (don't know where you live). I also would threaten press if you don't get satisfaction. Also threaten to get the local newspaper's story on social news sites like reddit and digg, telling them they'll be a national joke if they don't fix the situation. We'll all upvote your story!

Take care of yourself. Hope it works out!

[Kitten in the box]

You shouldn't have to take that shit form anyone. I know if you would have "tossed it back to him" He would have cried like a little bitch to the management. I'd still think about pressing charges regardless of what the store says. A similar thing happened to an old friend's wife (r.i.p. friend) anyhoo this customer leaned over the checkstand and poked my buddy's wife in the chest to make a point. His wife lunged back over the checkstand and in a not so nice way said if they did that again the customer would need reconstructive surgery to his hand. Needless to say the customer NEVER did that again.

[clod75]

OMG that is nucking futs!

I hope that you go above the douchebag's head and you make sure that that asshole is dealt with. BOTH of em!

Not fucking cool... Im steamed for you, and I don't even know you!

[PepperElf]

I asked if I could press charges for assualt and my manager said something like "The store has to agree to do it and I decide not to because that's bad press".

so by his reasoning, by working there you're giving up your right to contact the police. ... I doubt that was in your contact right?

And that the store's reputation is worth more than employee safety.

Lastly.... so if the guy had a gun and shot you... if the store felt it was "bad press" they would feel you wouldn't be entitled to call the cops?

I'd say... "Is that the official company policy / statement? You are denying me the right to call the police over an assault?"

[depechemodefan]

You know the other thing I hate is obviously the can thrower is crazy. I have no idea why management want to treat crazy people as rational human beings. They're crazy, there is no point in trying to think they have the same values. Obviously the trolls, faries, aliens, lizards that are in their brains and tell them to set fire to a house/throw cans at cashiers/stab a random person/slap the crap out of a computer and say "bad computer! bad! bad!" are not someone you want to treat like they did something right.

But did the manager see what the the guy did? If the manager just knows what the crazy person said...no, the manager did say he knows the guy threw the can. Ugh, I hope some DM sees the security tape and ships the manager to Siberia.