Sports Officiating Skills
for Frontline Workers

Page numbers refer to the paperback.

• A brawl involving several people124
• A client aimed a racist insult at me16
• A client demands to see the manager135
• A client is playing staff against each other95
• A client just hit me119
• A client needs an exception for a health or access need79
• A client says I treated them differently because of their race55
• A client says they will get me fired96
• A client threatened my family123
• A client threatened suicide121
• A client wants to add me on social media67
• A client wants to give me a present66
• A client will only talk to me110
• A complaint has been made about me and it is not true148
• A coworker asks me to bend the rules for a favourite client68
• A coworker cried after an incident. Others are making jokes about it19
• A coworker is bullying me156
• A coworker is shaken after an incident158
• A coworker is snapping at clients69
• A coworker threatened me after we disagreed157
• A dispute over a seat could become a fight105
• A fight broke out between several people at once124
• A refused request turns into an argument77
• A suspended client is allowed back135
• Abuse is just part of the job15
• After our argument, my coworker won’t speak to me136
• Always given the difficult clients18
• An audience is gathering around a confrontation106
• An exclusion would leave someone unsafe96
• An incident started just as I was leaving147
• Annoyed before the conversation starts59
• Another worker promised them an exception77
• Authoritative voice78
• Backing down in front of the room82
• Bags keep getting left in the way65
• Because I am good with difficult clients, I am expected to handle every confrontation18
• Being told no sets them off77
• Blocked route out of the room47
• Break starts before anyone takes over47
• Bystanders are making the argument worse106
• Calling clients manipulative32
• Can I accept a gift from a client66
• Can I leave while the incident continues147
• Cannot concentrate after an incident17
• Cannot see their hands from the desk46
• Chair being used as a weapon106
• Chairs blocking the exit47
• Client accuses staff of discrimination55
• Client confronted me in public159
• Client labelled attention-seeking57
• Clients get a different answer from my coworker68
• Complaint that I am racist55
• Conflicting handovers31
• Correcting myself looks like giving in82
• Covering a site where nobody knows me26
• Coworker avoids confrontations45
• Coworker leaves without telling me47
• Coworker vanishes when things get difficult45
• Coworkers dismiss repeated requests57
• Coworkers laugh when someone gets upset19
• Cruel jokes about a client58
• Crying after being shouted at19
• Different rules depending on the worker34
• Different workers enforce different rules68
• Disagreeing about a client exception34
• Dislike a client and worry it shows59
• Every worker has gone over to the same incident107
• Everybody is crowding around the argument106
• Everyone giving instructions at once46
• Everyone is helping with the same thing107
• Everyone is quiet now133
• Everyone leaves the confrontations to me18
• Everyone uses a nickname for a client. He laughs, but it feels cruel58
• Everything shuts down when one client argues109
• Expected to arrive early for free34
• Firm voice without shouting78
• First night of a new rule98
• From behind the desk I can see faces, but I cannot see their hands46
• Getting told to toughen up15
• Gossip passed on as handover32
• Group fight124
• Hands still shaking after an incident15
• He complied but still looks angry133
• He did what I asked, but I still want an apology133
• He is speaking quietly, but she cannot get past him56
• He is suddenly confused, but my coworker says he’s just difficult121
• He is threatening people with a knife120
• He keeps making sexual comments and calling it a joke17
• He picked up a broken bottle120
• He says he’ll wait for me outside123
• He says voices are warning him that someone will hurt him125
• He swore at the broken vending machine. Do I need to intervene55
• He won’t wake up. It could be an overdose120
• Hearing an argument before I can see it44
• He’s back after a restriction. I’m still wary135
• He’s different from his usual self121
• How do I check on a coworker158
• I am afraid of a coworker157
• I am being asked to soften the incident report146
• I am being investigated148
• I am being left to cover indefinitely144
• I am expected to enforce a decision I do not understand81
• I am left alone with more work than I can safely cover32
• I am not authorized to make the decision48
• I am taking the last incident out on other clients136
• I am the lead. What changes94
• I am told to give a final warning with no next step93
• I am too tired to drive home155
• I blame myself for being assaulted152
• I blamed the wrong person134
• I can hear voices getting nastier, but I cannot see what is happening44
• I can see a problem, but I do not have authority to make that decision48
• I cannot safely do another shift155
• I cannot safely get him out122
• I cannot stop thinking about work154
• I cannot switch off without feeling guilty155
• I cannot talk to my boss about this158
• I changed my answer and now everyone thinks shouting works82
• I did not see who started the conflict108
• I do not trust him after yesterday135
• I feel guilty asking someone to leave88
• I feel guilty enjoying myself after a terrible shift155
• I forgot to put something in the log147
• I found out the client had permission134
• I gave the handover, but nobody said they’d take it144
• I gave the wrong answer because my coworker did80
• I have read the same instruction three times. Nothing is going in17
• I have two completely different versions of the argument108
• I have warned them five times already92
• I haven’t slept properly since the incident154
• I keep inventing the perfect comeback154
• I keep saying this is their last chance92
• I left something important out of handover147
• I mistook inability for refusal92
• I need help, but my supervisor is the problem158
• I need to correct what I told a client80
• I overreacted and now feel bound to keep the same standard85
• I ran into an angry client outside work159
• I remembered an important detail after I got home147
• I saw what looked like a drug deal at the side door56
• I snapped at the next person who asked for help136
• I stopped shouting, but now I sound as if I am begging78
• I think someone has overdosed120
• I think they could not hear my instruction78
• I thought I had to sound tougher78
• I thought my coworker had arrivals33
• I thought the next shift had it144
• I wake up thinking about the assault154
• I want the last word133
• I was punched at work119
• I’m afraid to leave work123
• I’m home, but I keep replaying the argument154
• I’m too exhausted to work safely tonight155
• Is it safe to restart the activity133
• Keeps asking because they do not understand57
• Lead contradicts me in front of clients45
• Lead responsibilities94
• Loud phone call in the sleeping area65
• Missing staff phone30
• Music is keeping people awake65
• My coworker and I disagree about what this client is allowed to do34
• My coworker and I told them opposite things81
• My coworker disappears during confrontations45
• My coworker is getting sharp with people69
• My coworker is giving me the silent treatment136
• My coworker is still angry that I corrected them134
• My coworker keeps humiliating me in front of people156
• My coworker leaves me alone with confrontations109
• My coworker lets things slide that I correct68
• My coworker needs a break before they lose their temper69
• My coworker remembers the incident differently145
• My coworker says getting abused is part of the job15
• My coworker says he is only pretending121
• My coworker says they’re fine, but their hands are shaking158
• My coworker stopped passing on information136
• My coworker thinks I made them look bad134
• My coworker threatened to hit me157
• My coworker wants us to drag him outside122
• My coworker wants us to lend a client money68
• My coworker went on break without telling me47
• My coworker will not cover the room while I deal with this109
• My family gets what is left of me152
• My lead has not addressed a safety concern123
• My lead only says, “Because I said so.”81
• My lead says to warn them, but will not say what happens next93
• My lead wants me to change what I wrote146
• My patience has gone136
• My relief hasn’t arrived and my shift is over144
• My safety report has gone nowhere146
• My supervisor mocks me in front of clients156
• My supervisor will not explain the decision81
• Need a better view of an argument46
• Need a break after abuse18
• Need the lead to respond to a problem48
• New information shows I made the wrong call134
• New rule nobody follows98
• No working phone for an emergency30
• Nobody acted on the problem I reported146
• Nobody checks on the people who do not complain108
• Nobody has accepted the follow-up144
• Nobody hit me, but my hands are still shaking15
• Nobody knows the acting lead33
• Nobody knows where the queue starts66
• Nobody takes the new policy seriously98
• Nobody tells people how long the wait will be97
• Nobody was watching the door33
• Nobody will back up the consequence93
• Nobody will watch the entrance while I intervene109
• Off duty and a client wants to argue159
• One argument has stopped the entire meal service109
• One client wants me to listen for the whole shift110
• One person takes all my attention110
• Our reports do not match145
• People are crowding the serving counter66
• Please, please: repeated pleading78
• Possible drug transaction at the side door56
• Psychosis, suspected125
• Publicly overruled by the lead45
• Quietly blocking someone in56
• Racial slurs directed at staff16
• Racist abuse from a client16
• Ran into a client off duty159
• Reading the same thing over and over17
• Repeated questions called manipulation57
• Several people are fighting124
• Sexual comments passed off as jokes17
• Shaking after someone screamed at me15
• She keeps asking the same question. My coworker says she is doing it deliberately57
• She says she will hurt herself if we say no121
• She says she’ll kill herself if I make her leave121
• Shift lead needs support94
• Short-staffed and cannot cover everything32
• Smoke in the building125
• Someone cannot get away from another client56
• Someone changed my incident note146
• Someone could trip over that bag65
• Someone has a weapon120
• Someone has moved chairs into the only clear route out47
• Someone is pulling a chair with a person in it106
• Someone is raising a chair to strike106
• Someone is unresponsive120
• Someone made a false complaint about me148
• Someone shoved me119
• Staff are doing private favours for clients68
• Staff call him attention-seeking whenever he approaches the desk57
• Staff gave me the wrong information to pass on80
• Staff mocking a client with nicknames58
• Suspicious exchange on the property56
• Swearing at a broken machine55
• Swearing without threatening anybody55
• The client wants to complain before anything else happens135
• The emergency phone is not working145
• The food line is turning into a crush66
• The handover is full of “he is trouble” and “she is manipulative.”32
• The intake queue is getting angry97
• The lead is away. Nobody can tell me who is in charge33
• The lead overruled me in front of the client45
• The lead said they’d follow up. Nothing happened146
• The lead tells me to breathe, then sends me straight back out18
• The lead wants the room open, but I still see a safety problem123
• The loudest person gets all the service108
• The moment I say no, they get angry77
• The new rule started tonight and nobody is following it98
• The next shift did not show up144
• The phone is missing. What goes in the handover145
• The quiet clients keep getting overlooked108
• The rest of the queue is getting angry too109
• The rule says no, but they have a real need79
• The shouting stopped. Can we open the room again133
• The staff phone is missing and nobody knows which one we should use30
• Their bags are blocking the walkway65
• Their phone call is waking everybody up65
• They are pulling a chair while somebody is sitting in it106
• They ask every worker until somebody says yes95
• They both say the other person started it108
• They cannot carry what I asked them to move92
• They do not speak much English78
• They expect me to arrive half an hour early, unpaid, to get ready34
• They have been told to leave, but they have nowhere safe to go96
• They have been waiting so long that they are losing patience97
• They keep arguing after I have answered79
• They keep asking for my personal number67
• They keep shopping for a different answer95
• They need help that the usual rule does not cover79
• They nod, but I do not think they understood78
• They offered me cash to say thank you66
• They say I am the only worker who enforces this95
• They say somebody already gave them permission77
• They say the evening lead already said yes77
• They say the other staff always let them do it95
• They say they will complain if I enforce the limit96
• They think shouting changed my mind82
• They threaten to report me to management96
• They understand me, but they still cannot do it92
• They want to appeal my decision135
• They want to contact me outside work67
• They will not accept my explanation79
• This client irritates me before he has even said anything59
• Three of us are standing over one client, all giving instructions46
• Told to breathe and get back to work18
• Too many workers surrounding a client46
• Trouble started at shift change147
• Two clients are arguing over the same chair105
• Two different versions of what happened31
• Two staff are talking over each other81
• Two workers have given me completely different handovers31
• Two workers saw different things145
• Under investigation after a complaint148
• Unpaid preparation before my shift34
• Unwanted comments about my body17
• Voices getting louder out of sight44
• Warnings have stopped meaning anything92
• We all respond and nobody watches the rest of the building107
• We are asking someone to leave into the cold96
• We are giving the client two different instructions81
• We are having the same argument again79
• We argued in front of clients134
• We both thought the other person was watching the entrance33
• We have lost essential equipment145
• We’re being told to reopen too soon123
• We’ve told him to leave, but forcing it would be dangerous122
• Where can I get confidential support158
• Who do I call when the lead is away33
• Work is keeping me awake154
• Working alone without enough support32
• Yesterday’s worker allowed it95