Apparently I cant do my job properly because I refused to climb up on a table

[smokey]

Sorry this is going to be really long but I have to rant about it.

I am so peed off with one of the managaers at work.
All other managers and HR even the company owner has been great so for, understanding when I had a bit of time off with bleeding in early pregnancy, making sure I wasn't doing anything to much.
Even refusing to let me carry too much and great whith letting me go sit down or have any time off.
But last night one of them who I have known the longest and have always got along great with really peed me off.

I have never played the pregnancy card ie going home early or getting out of doing anything (unless I saw it as unsafe to do so) but all I said to him last night was " I don't think ill be able to stay late tonight because im in a lot of pain and feel really dizzy" (its in my risk assesment im not allowed to be made to work past 10pm even though most nights im still there at 11:30, it wasn't my choice but HR)
so I wasn't after going home early just going home at my finish time of 10pm
and he suddenly turned really nasty saying everyones pissed off with me not doing my job or working properly and using pregnancy to get out of working all the time.

I was totally gobsmacked, I asked him what he was on about and it turned out he was still peed off because last week he asked me to get some sauces off of some tables but someone had stacked the tables against the wall 3 tables deep and would of ment actualy climbing up onto the tables to reach them which I said I wasn't going to do, he started having a go at me again last night about why I wouldn't do it so I got really angry and said "do I really need to explain to you why nearly 8 month pregnant woman with hip and pelvic displatia cant climb up onto a table and acroos 3 tables to reach some sauces" so his answer was why couldn't I have picked the tables up and moved them, I just started laughing at him at that point.

He then started having a go because when I swept the floor I missed a chip under one of the booths, I tried explaining it wasn't lazy or intentional but I cant climb under the tables to check down the back of the booths for stuff so I can only sweep what I can get to.
He just going on at me about how im not doing my job properly and I keep going home early with "pregnancy problems"
I told him to check my timesheets and that I have never once gone home early due to pregnancy, im on occasion sent home early if business is slow and no customers but how is that my fault or anything to do with pregnancy and im often there way past my finish time.
I also then started going into one that the owner told them 5 months ago they where to change my shifts so I was doing days instead of evenings so I wasn't there during the rush times and so I didn't have to walk home at 11pm at night on my own which they never changed.
There wasn't enough work to take me on during the day so I agreed that I would stick to my evening shifts on the condition that I would do my best and if there was stuff I couldn't do then fine and that if I did take ill I may need to go home early on occasion.
He started having a go saying I shouldn't be there so I pointed out that the law states if my work is unsuitable for me to do then suitable work needs to be found or I am to be sent on leave full pay and if he wanted to get nasty with me then I will play the pregnancy card and take what is legally my right.

It basicly ended with him saying if I cant do the job I shouldn't be working there.
Im putting a complaint in about it tonight with the main manager because as far as im concerned I do not use my pregnancy, I do my work and my job a dam sight better then most of the other useless staff there (any coincidence I have been there the longest, have the highest sales records every week for 6 months straight, have multiple customer letters sent in about me complimenting how brilliant I was and have the highest sales per head in the company)
Yes Im a bit slower these days but for f*ck sake im nearly 8 months pregnant, have spina bifida, hip and pelvic displatia, and a frigging tumer growing next to the placenta with severe anemia and a potential hernia forming.
Its a frigging wonder im still standing let alone running around being a waitress doing my job.
Iv always been so proud that I am still going and not letting it stop me or get to me when I could have easily just gone on the sick to be told people are pissed off with me using pregnancy to not have to work

In the end I just walked out at 10pm last night, didn't even ask if I could go, just said right its my finish time im doing stuff by the book now see you later.

 

[LoraLoo]

He is discriminating against you because you are pregnant and therefore breaking the law Idiot. Also tell him that he feels you are unfit to work whilst pregnant due to your pregnancy issues, he can sign you off- he will still have to pay your full wage (until 36 weeks i think, when you would have to start your Mat leave)- Im pretty sure thats correct, as I had similar in my old job and spoke to ACAS who told me this x

 

[Mum2BKW]

Hugs!

What an arse, it sounds like he'd had a crap day and totally took it out on you! Definitely complain and make sure he knows he can't speak to you like that. You're not being unreasonable at all by refusing to do things that are unsafe!

 

[xforuiholdonx]

How RIDICULOUS! Id definately take this up with not only your other managers, but the OWNER himself, as it would be his behind if something happened to you while at work, when you werent even supposed to be there!

 

[smokey]

He is discriminating against you because you are pregnant and therefore breaking the law Idiot. Also tell him that he feels you are unfit to work whilst pregnant due to your pregnancy issues, he can sign you off- he will still have to pay your full wage (until 36 weeks i think, when you would have to start your Mat leave)- Im pretty sure thats correct, as I had similar in my old job and spoke to ACAS who told me this x

Yeah that was part of the argument I made last night that if suitable work couldn't be found they have to send me on paid leave, he later started ranting about how I shouldn't be working there if I cant do all the work so I told him fine, send me home for the remainder of my term before maternity leave but youll pay me full pay and explain to HO why im sitting at home and your paying me for it rather then my working and doing what I can as best as I can and keeping this stores sales figures up.

I should have taken leave 5 months ago when they couldn't change my shifts but I was stubbern and refused to sit at home, im having to take maternity early as it is because of all the problems so only have another 3 weeks there.

 

[Lovemybump1]

What an idiot. Make sure you put that complaint in against him and well done for standing up for yourself x

 

[smokey]

What I think it is is hes still bitter about something that happened week before last.
I had a section that had a large booking and once the tables where set up and the customers in there (they where rather large people) there was only a foot space between the backs of the chairs and the wall.
I went to walk down to the section and couldn't physicaly fit past the first chair let alone get to the tables.
I told this manager (hes actualy more of a supervisor) that I couldn't fit and was concerned about getting hurt if someone suddenly moved their chair as this has happened before.
He went and moaned to the main manager that I was "refusing to do my section" so the main manager came over to look and said to him "well don't be so stupid of course she cant fit down there, I couldn't even fit down that, you shouldn't have put the tables there"
He then made this manager do that section (he hates that section as its the kids area)
and gave me another section where the tables where much wider apart and safer for me to do and said I was to do that section in future.
The supervisor got pissed off because the section I was given is known for getting much better tips as the kids section is mostly younger families)

 

[Babushka]

That is terrible, what a horrible man! Of course you shouldn't be climbing on tables (unless your a stripper!) and it's difficult to reach down when you are carrying a baby in front. Definitely file that complaint and finish up earlier if you can. In fact, go to the doctor and get a note saying you are stressed then take a few days off at their expense!

It really peeves me when people think you are 'pulling the pregnancy card'. I refused to do a lot when I was at work because I have a bad back and was not going to risk aggravating it whilst pregnant because there is no way I would be able to take anti-inflammatories. Luckily my bosses agreed but I'm sure people talked about me.... whatever!

 

[smokey]

I spoke to my manager tonight and put in a complaint about it but have decided other then making him aware not to take it any further.
Turns out the other manager is going through a tough time as his little brother was stabbed and killed in london the orher night and they found and arrested a guy yesterday trying to get out of the country.
Its not a excuse for the way he treated me but in the scheme of it all I think its best to leave it as a complaint and no further and just carry on doing what I can.
The manager agreed that im doing my job fine and has no problem with me and will talk to the other guy.