Using pregnancy as an 'illness'...need to rant!!

[Yazz_n_bump]

Hi everyone.
Basically I need to rant before I slap the girl whom this rant is about!
Basically I work at a pub 40 hours a week, just normal bar work & waitressing and cleaning.
But my supervisor is pregnant and has been using it like an 'illness', so she can sit on her bum and do not work.
It's like the other day me and her were cleaning the pub before we opened up and shes like 'oh I can't possibly move this LIGHT WEIGHT hoover up one step because it'll harm the baby.' Now she doesn't know I'm pregnant yet, only me and OH do... so I just sallowed me wanting to slap her because seriously it's just a lazy excuse and did it for her.
Also she keeps ringing in sick not because she's plagued with morning sickness but because she keeps going to the DRs NON stop because shes scared at every twinge.. fair enough but I don't like it when she rings me half hour before her shift is to start and begs me to go in for her..
As I'm the only 'normal staff' who knows how to cash up tills and lock up etc. So I'm like doing 60 hour weeks because of her right now with no days off to spend with OH or recover from my morning sickness or just chill out.
Sorry needed to rant that out as I'm sick to death of her using it like an illness, it's not a fricken' illness!

 

[Sophiiie]

It might be a good idea to tell her that you're pregnant, I know you probably want to wait to tell people.. but stressing yourself out about it won't help anything x

 

[Yazz_n_bump]

It might be a good idea to tell her that you're pregnant, I know you probably want to wait to tell people.. but stressing yourself out about it won't help anything x

I would LOVE to tell her because then it would prove how pathetic she is being, but she is known to have a big mouth and blab these sort of things and seeing as my mother in law works there, I can't as OH wants to tell her when the 3 months are up.

 

[QuintinsMommy]

everyone body/mind reacts differently to pregnancy.

 

[amylou1992]

i'd tell her to stop been so bloody lazy, n that shes preggers not dyeing!!

 

[Bride2Be]

I agree with PreggoEggo. This woman may have a long list of losses and wants to be extra careful so that she doesn't loose the baby.

 

[rainbows_x]

Yeah I also agree with PreggoEggo.

I have had a previous loss and was (and still am) very carefull about lifting things etc, I carried a hoover up the stairs a few months back and had some bleeding.

She may also have other things such as SPD - Which I can assure you isn't nice!

Give her the benefit of the doubt, some pregnancies are harder than others.
x

 

[xoxsarahxox]

lol bless ya, personally i would start taking the piss and keep ringing in sick with all different excuses and if she tries to get u in shit for it there is nothing that work can do cuz u r not obliged to tell them your pregnant til u r 24 weeks anyway x

 

[Yazz_n_bump]

Yeah I also agree with PreggoEggo.

I have had a previous loss and was (and still am) very carefull about lifting things etc, I carried a hoover up the stairs a few months back and had some bleeding.

She may also have other things such as SPD - Which I can assure you isn't nice!

Give her the benefit of the doubt, some pregnancies are harder than others.
x

It's not just that I mean okay a hoover fine okay I'll lift it for her, but she sits on her arse most of the time she does turn up for work meaning everyone else has to work even harder.
Everytime her boyfriend turns up she always finishes like 3/4 hours early and doesn't even tell anyone! Which is completely unacceptable.

 

[aob1013]

How far along is she?

 

[Yazz_n_bump]

lol bless ya, personally i would start taking the piss and keep ringing in sick with all different excuses and if she tries to get u in shit for it there is nothing that work can do cuz u r not obliged to tell them your pregnant til u r 24 weeks anyway x

I can't really do that as I need the money but 60 hours is really way to much work for me. If I wasn't pregnant I'd be fine with it but it's just silly how much laziness she really is. I wouldn't mind if she didn't wanna carry things or have a little longer break but she takes it to the extremes. If she's that bad she shouldn't be at work full stop.

 

[Yazz_n_bump]

How far along is she?

She had her 3 month scan about 2 weeks ago, so 14 or 15 weeks. The thing is the doctor has told her shes all fine and dandy shes never had an M/C or anything, this is her first. I understand she wants to be protective but if she really has such a big problem she needs to give her some of her hours so she doesn't call in sick so I don't have to come in and cover her.

 

[rainbows_x]

How far along is she?

She had her 3 month scan about 2 weeks ago, so 14 or 15 weeks. The thing is the doctor has told her shes all fine and dandy shes never had an M/C or anything, this is her first. I understand she wants to be protective but if she really has such a big problem she needs to give her some of her hours so she doesn't call in sick so I don't have to come in and cover her.

Sorry, just wondering, how do you know she hasn't had a miscarriage?

No-one but my best friend and OH knew I had a MC in RL & everyone presumes this is my first.
x

 

[amylou1992]

can you not talk to your boss? just explain 60hours is too much for you and you was happy with the hours you was working before and is there any chance they could perhapse take a few shifts off her and hire another person or have a word with her about it

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

I think your being a little harsh tbh. I was plauged with morning sickness it was morning noon and night. Some women really suffer during pregnancy. If she says she is I would give her the benefit of teh doubt
xx

 

[Justagirlxx]

Lol just wait till you're in 3rd trimester!

Everyone's pregnancy's are different and some people have it much worse than others. A little empathy would be nice... I never had any symptoms at your stage either and couldn't possibly have understood what it was like later on, how hard it was, etc.

 

[xoxsarahxox]

i think it is mean to expect u to do 60 hours a week wen u cant handle it right now and u have no legal right to explain yourslef. do you have a work contract that states the hours you work? x

 

[pinkribbon]

Just tell her that you understand she's pregnant and is concerned about her baby but that your health and state of mind is being affected by working such long hard hours. Some people like to milk it more than others I know what you mean but like others have said she might have some real reason for her laziness?

 

[AriannasMama]

I agree, everyone's bodies react differently to pregnancy. I was totally fine at work up until recently, now its getting a lot harder to stand for a long period of time, bend down, and I really cant do much but work at the cash register. She might be having a really rough first trimester.

 

[LoolaBear]

hey hun, as others have said each person reacts differently to pregnancy so it could be legit.
but one way of making it easier for you is maybe sit down with her and explain that you know she might be going through a tough time at the moment with being pregnant but it is putting a huge strain on you so would it be possible to sit down together and work out a sttratedgy plan so that she still manages to work but it be easy light duties but also it be fairer on you.
are you basically working every single day? as it is actually illiegal to work more than 10 days in a row without a day off. (thats UK dont know if your UK or not)
and also is there someone higher up that her that you can inform of your pregnancy? that way they can take her to the side and say that you are actually in fact having a few problems of your own, that she is relying on thers a little too much, that you want to help her out and help make things easier for her but she does also need to pull her weight. her boss can actually request a Fit Note (like a sick note but informs employers of what they can and cant do) from her doctor that basically tells him what duties she can do that way it will make things easier on everyone.
and also if she cant actually do any of her work due to her pregnancy she is classed as unfit to be at work and should actually be signed off sick and if shes not being signed off then shes fit to do some lighter duties.
was a risk assessment carried out when she first announced she was pregnant? if not then it might be an idea to suggest to her boss that a risk assessment be carried out as you feel she needs one so that she knows she can work in a safe enviroment.
just a few ideas hun.
if she is taking the piss then it will soon become aparent that she is and it could be that shes taking the piss because everyone is letting her do so and pussy footing around her. but for now until something is done give her the benefit of the doubt until you know if it is real or not. innocent until proven guilty and all that and as others have said everyone acts differently to pregnancy.
best thing to do is just sit down and say something to her first, then if she doesnt pick her act up then say something to her boss (assuming she has one as shes only your supervisor again going by UK understandings and dont know if your US or UK) so that her boss can do something about it. that way youve gone through the legal chain of command without jumping any steps and you then cant get in trouble for it for going straight to her boss without trying to sort the matter yourself.
i work in HR so understand the processes of these things a bit more (for UK anyway). xx