Bullying at work?

[Pocky]

I don't really know if this is the place to really be asking..

I've been unhappy at work for a long while anyway, but since being pregnant my manager has been unbearable.

It's at the point now where I end up breaking down, but she's caused me so much stress (and just the job is stressful enough!) that it's making me ill.

Since finding out I was pregnant they've cut my hours right down to 12, so i won't even qualify for maternity pay. So i've got no reason at all to want to stick around.

But I feel like i'm stuck there. If i quit before it's time to go on maternity leave, it will look really bad on me when I try for another job won't it?

I suppose i'm wondering if anyone else has had abuse from their boss since getting pregnant and what they did about it. I'm desperate to get out but feel rather trapped sorry if this isn't the place.

 

[Cheshirista]

How long have you worked there? You could try for constructive dismissal.

 

[Pocky]

This'll be my 3rd christmas there.. but i've been there about 2 1/3 years.

I don't really understand how constructive dismissal works.. don't they have to actually fire me?

 

[kat2504]

You will qualify for maternity allowance even if you don't qualify for SMP. You apply for that through the job centre. You can select the best payslips from when you were doing more hours in order to ensure you get the most benefit.

Have you any way of proving that it is because you are pregnant? If so you have a case for discrimination.
You don't have to get fired for constructive dismissal, but you have to prove that it was impossible for you to remain in your job.

 

[I-want-1-2]

What reason have they given for reducing your hours? Is this related to the fact that you're pregnant? If so, that's discrimination I would've thought. I don't know whether I'd leave, it's tough out there to find another job at the moment. Surely some wage is better than none? I know how you feel on the bullying point though, my boss is making my life hell and it's only got worse since I told them I was pregnant. But I can't afford not to work and I'm stuck unfortunately! If it gets much worse, what about asking the doctor to sign you off for a week or two? Hope it gets better x

 

[Pocky]

Have you any way of proving that it is because you are pregnant?

I don't really have any proof that it's because of that, but it's got worse since. Now any little thing the manager can make my fault she will.

What reason have they given for reducing your hours?

They didn't. They're quite a stingy company though so we had a feeling they might reduce them (as apparently they only have to pay for the average of the last so-many weeks you worked until maternity leave?).. but I went from almost 30 hours one week to 12 after i'd told them, and it's remained at 12... whilst they've carried on understaffed or ringing every other other person available who could come in to cover.
My supervisor let slip though that at 12 hours a week i won't even qualify for pay.

---

And yeahhh. It's turning in to every little thing though i'm worried that too much stress is going to end up causing damages.

 

[kat2504]

In that case, if you do quit you should still get Maternity Allowance. I think you would still be entitled to that if you stay in your job but I am not sure.

Have they reduced hours for any other employees? If not you may have a case for saying they have only done this to not have to pay maternity pay. It's bollocks anyway because employers get the SMP money from the government so it costs them nothing!

 

[I-want-1-2]

In that case, if you do quit you should still get Maternity Allowance. I think you would still be entitled to that if you stay in your job but I am not sure.

Have they reduced hours for any other employees? If not you may have a case for saying they have only done this to not have to pay maternity pay. It's bollocks anyway because employers get the SMP money from the government so it costs them nothing!

Totally agree with this - do you have a HR department you could talk to in confidence? Or maybe try citizens advice if you want clarification on the rules about SMP (I haven't a clue). My understanding is that you qualify for MA if your income in below a certain level.

Sound like a bunch of w***ers! Is your boss a woman, out of interest? Mine is, absolute cowbag she is.

 

[Pocky]

Nope. Infact a couple of the others have been complaining about how they're barely getting time off at the moment

 

[bumphenders]

Have a look at what your contract states, if it says 30hrs then they cant just drop them, if your contract states 12+ then they can...

What's your contract say?

 

[Pocky]

Yeahhh she's a woman. She's always seemed to be a bit off with me (though we're quite different.. she's very loud and likes to get smashed at the weekends, had kids whilst in school etc... i'm incredibly shy and quiet and even though i'm nearly 22, i still feel too young for kids :O ) but since the pregnancy it's like she's been trying to drive me out.

She phoned me today (on my day off) to have a go because i said to someone (they were talking about the two minute silence online and how customers were really rude about it) "i don't think we do the two minute at my store i don't know if they're worried about upsetting the customers or if it's losing the profit or what".

As apparently it was slagging off the company and I "could be dismissed" for it and that i had to delete it, and how she so very fuming and that she'll talk more about in my next day in (hooorayyy).

But.. I didn't mention the stores name or anything, and i never claimed it to be factual. I asked last year if we did it and they told me we don't.

Was just the icing on the cake really on top of everything i've had from her lately, so i ended up having a bit of a break down ._. (and now my eyes sting like a bitch.. )

 

[Pocky]

My contract is 12 ( i suppose that's planned when hiring girls, just incase).. but it's always been atleast 20 hours a week. I expect it's perfectly legal for them to drop them, it's just a kick in the teeth that it's quite obvious why, when i've been going out of my way for them for the past few years

 

[Pocky]

Hmm.. my reply before that didn't get posted..

But yeahh she's a woman. She was very gutted when I said I was keeping the baby, but since then it's just been downhill