Orglethorp
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Hi. Just wanted to see if anyone else does or did work a similar job to me while pregnant. I haven't talked to my bosses about being pregnant yet, and I'm really nervous about how & when they'll want to change my job.
I work in the stock room at Walmart (Canada). I'm on first shift, which means I work 7-3, 4 or 5 days a week. I became full time in November, so I don't qualify for benefits until some time in May, and I'm not sure how that affects things if my job needs to change before then. I'm worried that I'll lose my full time status if I have to move to another department, or that any other positions I could fill would have hours that don't work for me. Before landing this position, I was a part time floor associate in the seasonal department, and despite being the department manager's favourite and available all hours, I was mostly getting 4-5 hour closing shifts. This was absolutely not working out, as my fiance and I carpool and he works 7:30-5, so I'm in town at 7 no matter what. I was looking for a different job when they offered me the stock room 7-3 position.
My job involves:
- moving boxes to and from warehouse shelves & stock carts
- climbing ladders
- pulling skids (loaded pallets) of freight using a manual pallet jack
We are trained and expected to team-lift heavy objects, and if a pallet is heavy enough to require a powered jack, we're not allowed to use the manual. I'm not currently certified for the power jack, so I wouldn't ever be pulling (for example) a full 4.5-foot-tall load of Pepsi products. I'm much more likely to be pulling a 3.5-foot-tall pallet of shoe boxes or cookies, or a pallet with a single patio set.
If I had to put something on a high shelf, I place the object on top of the ladder, then climb the ladder. I do not climb with objects in hand. If I can't get the object onto the ladder myself, I don't put it up. Period. That's what the power equipment is for. The heaviest I've put up on a ladder is a small microwave or a child's scooter, but now knowing that I'm pregnant, I'll ask to team lift those if they've got to go up. I've probably taken slightly heavier down in the form of rugs (rolled), but that's mostly just guiding it as it slides to the ground.
Anyone else had a job like this while pregnant? How long into your pregnancy were you able to work it? Anyone happen to have experience specifically with Walmart Canada (even if it's not this type of work) who can shed some light on their pregnant employee accommodation habits?
In case it's relevant, I'm 29 and this is my first pregnancy. I'm no body builder, but I've been doing physical work for the last year (seasonal involved lifting and moving patio furniture, BBQs, Christmas trees; and last summer I was in the garden centre loading soil) so I'm certainly not out of shape.
I work in the stock room at Walmart (Canada). I'm on first shift, which means I work 7-3, 4 or 5 days a week. I became full time in November, so I don't qualify for benefits until some time in May, and I'm not sure how that affects things if my job needs to change before then. I'm worried that I'll lose my full time status if I have to move to another department, or that any other positions I could fill would have hours that don't work for me. Before landing this position, I was a part time floor associate in the seasonal department, and despite being the department manager's favourite and available all hours, I was mostly getting 4-5 hour closing shifts. This was absolutely not working out, as my fiance and I carpool and he works 7:30-5, so I'm in town at 7 no matter what. I was looking for a different job when they offered me the stock room 7-3 position.
My job involves:
- moving boxes to and from warehouse shelves & stock carts
- climbing ladders
- pulling skids (loaded pallets) of freight using a manual pallet jack
We are trained and expected to team-lift heavy objects, and if a pallet is heavy enough to require a powered jack, we're not allowed to use the manual. I'm not currently certified for the power jack, so I wouldn't ever be pulling (for example) a full 4.5-foot-tall load of Pepsi products. I'm much more likely to be pulling a 3.5-foot-tall pallet of shoe boxes or cookies, or a pallet with a single patio set.
If I had to put something on a high shelf, I place the object on top of the ladder, then climb the ladder. I do not climb with objects in hand. If I can't get the object onto the ladder myself, I don't put it up. Period. That's what the power equipment is for. The heaviest I've put up on a ladder is a small microwave or a child's scooter, but now knowing that I'm pregnant, I'll ask to team lift those if they've got to go up. I've probably taken slightly heavier down in the form of rugs (rolled), but that's mostly just guiding it as it slides to the ground.
Anyone else had a job like this while pregnant? How long into your pregnancy were you able to work it? Anyone happen to have experience specifically with Walmart Canada (even if it's not this type of work) who can shed some light on their pregnant employee accommodation habits?
In case it's relevant, I'm 29 and this is my first pregnancy. I'm no body builder, but I've been doing physical work for the last year (seasonal involved lifting and moving patio furniture, BBQs, Christmas trees; and last summer I was in the garden centre loading soil) so I'm certainly not out of shape.
