20 weeks pregnant, stress at work.

[.Mrs.B.]

I have been working in a gym for over 6 years, usually I love my job and am always doing more than required, I have even been doing some of the managers admin to help them out. About 2 years ago I received a thank you letter and special bonus from the CEO for some extra work I had been doing helping injured and ill people use the gym as rehab(no one else has ever had this!). My husband also works for the same company at a gym nearby, we have one car and commute in an hour each way together.
Now I’m pregnant things have changed. I spoke to my manager a couple of months ago as I was being left in the gym on my own for the whole shift (8 hours), when there should usually be 2 or 3 staff working. This meant I was standing for almost 8 hours straight and having to help customers with weights, etc, as I was the only person there. After this I was sent to occupational health to see what I shouldn’t be doing. I was advised by OH to stop teaching classes (sit up classes, boxing and hurdle classes, etc) and not to stand for long periods (I almost fainted once).
Next, another meeting with both my managers, I tell them I don’t mind what they want me to do as long as my shifts don’t change so that I can continue to commute with my husband.
A few weeks pass and I’m still being left on my own in the gym and my manager keeps trying to force me to do the classes.
Then, the next meeting I am given 15 minutes notice beforehand then driven to the HR department by my manager in what should have been my one half hour break, but I didn’t say anything. I was not ready for what happened next, the meeting lasted for 40 minutes, during which I was reduced to tears as I was asked things by the HR lady such as; “how will I make this up to my colleagues?” “How will I make sure I’m not a burden?” “What extra can I do so as I’m not sitting round doing nothing all day?” She even said to me that I might ‘feel better’ in a month’s time and start teaching the classes again. I cried for days after this, and my colleagues were shocked and assured me that I had nothing to ‘make up’ to them. Just to add, the classes take up a maximum of 1 hour each day, these are just part of the things we do, not the only thing we do.
So yesterday I am called in to speak to my manager, he tells me that from next week I will be coming in and just doing admin, however, he tells me that my shift hours will be changing. I explain that this will be difficult as I commute with my husband, it will mean 14 hour days as we wait for each other to start/finish work. I ask that since I am just coming in to do admin, it shouldn’t matter what time my 8 hours start or finish. He just tells me that this is what was agreed with HR, and that's what I'll be doing.
So today I have called in sick, I just can’t face going in and I can’t stop crying. I’m seeing the doctor next week and hoping that he’ll sign me off with stress. I guess I’m just looking for reassurance that I’m doing the right thing as I have been made to feel like I’m demanding and a burden. This is my first pregnancy and I just want to be able to feel excited and happy and I feel like work are taking that away from me. It’s a boy BTW! xxx

 

[Girly922]

Congratulations first of all!

Are you in the UK? I only know about the laws over here so sorry if this isn't much help to you. What they are doing is discriminatory. It goes against the equality and diversity act. Do you have a union? If you do I would strongly recommend you get them involved. There is a law to protect pregnant women and mothers from unfair working conditions.

You've said about going to occ health. They should be doing regular risk assessments on you and tweaking your job description accordingly. For your manager to go against your latest occ health review implies that they are ignoring the recommendations from your risk assessment. But also you need to make sure you stand up for yourself, if they push you into doing something and you end up injured you'll be in the wrong for not following policy.

I think seeing your doctor is a must, if just to have it on another record the issues you're having in case anything happens. As they can't sack you for being pregnant, some companies do make things difficult to encourage the employee to leave so they don't have to stick to maternity benefits (employing someone on a temporary contract, keeping your job open, maternity pay, etc).

I hope you get things sorted out and have a lovely pregnancy.

 

[.Mrs.B.]

Thank you for your reply, I feel better knowing that I shouldn't be treated like this and that it's not just me overreacting. I live in the UK and work in London but I'm not in a union.

 

[Girly922]

Not being in a union won't affect you too much, just means you haven't got someone to sit in on meetings with you. You can always go to a union rep stating that you're thinking of joining....what sort of advice and help would they give you for this problem.

We have a lot of protection in the law as employees so don't let them make you feel you have to do anything.

Also, don't let them drag you to another impromptu meeting. It's completely inappropriate as meetings with HR will be organised in advance and you should have at least 24hours notice, this is so you can arrange a union rep to sit in. They're trying to bully you, stay strong.