Just have to rant - do any of you worry about your work too?

[jellymummy]

I've been off sick the past 2 days from work - have just about managed to get out of bed let alone anything else and work have been their usual nightmare selves about it! they just think we should come in unless were in a coma or something! I literally didnt have a choice in the matter and now im dreading going in tomorrow because theyll be complete idiots to me all day - theyre always the same. I cant have dentist appointments or doctors appointments during work time (i work mon - fri 9til6) they just dont get it 0 they even moaned at me for having my holiday this year because it was 2 weeks long and said i should avoid that in the future and just use my holidays as odd days spread throughout the year!!

They're this bad with illnesses and holidays I just know they are going to make my life hell when we get pregnant - god help me if i have horrendous morning sickness or something and have to have time off - I know legally Im entitled to time off for appointments but theyre going to make my life at work a nightmare

 

[Mama627]

I know how you feel about the work thing. I was a Chemist at a medium sized biotech company before we got pregnant with our daughter. After I got my BFP I realized there were no pregnant women where I worked. That seemed a little odd... I decided to keep it to myself until the 2nd trimester, but found that wasn't possible since I had to handle a lot of very hazardous chemicals. As soon as my "news" leaked out I was getting pressure from the HR manager, and my boss's boss to quit. They kept telling me they couldn't alter my job -- and thanks to feminists they didn't legally have to -- so I either had to suck it up and handle the chemicals or quit. They made getting time off for OB appointments a nightmare, approving my time only to tell me at the last minute that they needed me at work after all. Luckily my OB was very very understanding about the situation. At 7 months pregnant she took me out of work, as they were having me handle hazardous chemicals known to cause birth defects, without properly fitting PPE (since we were only allowed new stuff once a year and my old size didn't fit on my new size), climbing 7ft ladders, and lifting 40+lbs at a time. I was also limited in the number of pee breaks I could take, the company didn't allow 15 minute breaks to anyone, and since I was salary, they were having me work 7 days a week.

I was "downsized" during my maternity leave. The company hired another chemist a week later, but called her a "Junior Chemist" and put her on another departments payroll so it wasn't technically the same position.

If you think your job is going to give you a hard time about being pregnant, they probably are. From my experience, it'll be worse than you can imagine. If you have anyone else there that's been pregnant while employed at that company, ask them what their experience was. If you can't find anyone (like I couldn't), take that as a big red flag.

 

[GettingBroody]

This is awful
I realise I'm very lucky with my situation (I'm a teacher and I know there'll be no problem with maternity leave, doctors appointments etc when my time comes) but reading your stories has made me feel even more fortunate! Can't believe they'd make it so hard for ye

 

[jellymummy]

I know how you feel about the work thing. I was a Chemist at a medium sized biotech company before we got pregnant with our daughter. After I got my BFP I realized there were no pregnant women where I worked. That seemed a little odd... I decided to keep it to myself until the 2nd trimester, but found that wasn't possible since I had to handle a lot of very hazardous chemicals. As soon as my "news" leaked out I was getting pressure from the HR manager, and my boss's boss to quit. They kept telling me they couldn't alter my job -- and thanks to feminists they didn't legally have to -- so I either had to suck it up and handle the chemicals or quit. They made getting time off for OB appointments a nightmare, approving my time only to tell me at the last minute that they needed me at work after all. Luckily my OB was very very understanding about the situation. At 7 months pregnant she took me out of work, as they were having me handle hazardous chemicals known to cause birth defects, without properly fitting PPE (since we were only allowed new stuff once a year and my old size didn't fit on my new size), climbing 7ft ladders, and lifting 40+lbs at a time. I was also limited in the number of pee breaks I could take, the company didn't allow 15 minute breaks to anyone, and since I was salary, they were having me work 7 days a week.

I was "downsized" during my maternity leave. The company hired another chemist a week later, but called her a "Junior Chemist" and put her on another departments payroll so it wasn't technically the same position.

If you think your job is going to give you a hard time about being pregnant, they probably are. From my experience, it'll be worse than you can imagine. If you have anyone else there that's been pregnant while employed at that company, ask them what their experience was. If you can't find anyone (like I couldn't), take that as a big red flag.

This is exactly what I imagine happening at my job - the main boss has 3 children of his own but work always comes first, he didnt even have time off for one of their 18th birthday and went out with a client on the night time (arranged by him so could have easily been another day) they just think work comes above EVERYTHING else - theres only 6 of us in the office too so it makes everything seem worse because theres no one to vent to or talk to about anything - 2 of the women i work with are in their 50s, neither have children so that suits my boss down to the ground and the other girl i work with is part time so they don't worry so much about her.

I have no intention of going back to full time hours and I already know part time/flexi hours will not even be worth asking for so I'm currently thinking when we do get pregnant I will leave at about 6/7 months and just not go back. We have no HR dept so I know theyre going to screw me over with regards to money etc so am fully expecting SMP from day 1, I've been employed there over 18 months now so am I right in thinking id get maternity allowance if I just resigned rather than going on ML? I just am dreading it - I know what theyre going to do, theyre going to fire me by making me so stressed and hate it so much that i quit which saves them the legal side of firing a pregnant woman but they still get me out of their way. im no good to them pregnant i know that.

 

[ilvmylbug]

I understand completely. I may only be a cashier but my work is the same too. They just don't work with my schedule with my daughter, and now that I am pregnant again they will most likely be more difficult.

What sort of work are you in, btw?

 

[jellymummy]

I understand completely. I may only be a cashier but my work is the same too. They just don't work with my schedule with my daughter, and now that I am pregnant again they will most likely be more difficult.

What sort of work are you in, btw?

I work in fashion so probably one of the least child/family friendly industries at best!

 

[littlemonster]

I'm so sorry you ladies have to deal with such horrible people at your jobs! If you're sick, you're sick. I'm diabetic so I appreciate those who stay home when they're sick so I don't catch anything.
I know in the USA we have the Family Medical Leave Act so employers can't legally tell you that you can't go to appointments and do things you need to, especially since pregnancy is classified as a disability.

I personally have never had a problem when I have been pregnant and at work. (I have had 3 miscarriages) I also have family that work in health care, so that might be part of it, but I think if your doctor will help you if you need your work to take it seriously, that would definitely benefit you and don't ever be afraid to ask!

I had a friend who was pregnant and at the time she was a nursing assistant. She had alot of complications because one of her kidneys failed and her boss was trying to get her to quit because she had constant kidney infections and was spending almost every other week at the hospital for about 3 days each time for IV antibiotics and stuff. She told her doctor what her boss was doing and he called told her boss what was what and if her boss wanted to take medical responsibility for her and her unborn child she can go right ahead and he will fax over her charts...needless to say they gave her leave with pay after that.
It's disgusting how many employers want to give pregnant women a hard time even though they are growing a life and need to take things atleast a little easy and get some leniency especially for pee breaks. If you can't go pee when you need to you risk getting a urinary tract infection that can become a kidney infection.