Working whilst on probation - problems?

[maybaby2018]

So I started my job In August and I'm on a 6 month probation which ends in March. Everytime I have a day off or I'm struggling at work, I'm made to feel guilty for it. I'm a high risk pregnancy and had a lot of complications in my previous pregnancy. I feel like whenever I have time off or I say I'm struggling, it's just another reason for them to moan or not pass my probation...

Anyone had this or got any advice/know where I stand?

Thanks xx

 

[Bonnie11]

Do they know you're pregnant and that's why you are taking the time off?

 

[Talia12]

https://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/pregnant-and-on-probation-at-work-your-rights/

Read this hun. You still have rights even while on probation. You can't do much about them moaning/making you feel guilty unfortunately - they sound like knobs - but they can't not pass you because of your pregnancy.

 

[maybaby2018]

Yep they know I'm pregnant! They're just not being very supportive!

Thank you I'll have a look through xx

 

[Ginaj]

Are you in the UK? If so, legally they are not allowed to treat you less favourably or differently due to pregnancy. They also will need a super good reason not to keep you after probation and unless the whole company is being shut down I can’t see anything that would legally be a good enough reason that wouldn’t look like discrimination. Keep track of any comments or unfair treatment you receive and if it gets too much I would threaten legal action. Even just a threat should be enough to make them buck their ideas up. Otherwise you may be able to get some initial free advice from an employment solicitor. We have a law centre where I live where this can be done for free (in some cases) so might be worth checking if there’s one near you? But It probably wouldn’t even need to get that far!

 

[Wobbles]

How far are you and how long have you left on your probation period. If you are high risk and can get this confirmed by a doctor maybe it is worth discussing your options?

 

[DobbyForever]

I was on a temp contract during my pregnancy with a cyst that ended in a loss, and my boss tried to let me go but my union stepped in.

I was on a temp contract with my twins loss and missed a lot of work, and nothing the union did could stop them from letting me go.

So this last pregnancy I made sure I was at work no matter what and did extra work. Now i’m Two months away from tenure. They can’t legally fire you for missing work, and the comments they are making is illegal BUT burden of proof and they can always say something else. So if they are making comments, I would really work with your gyn to find ways to be at work. It suvks and it’s not the way it should be. But sex discrimination (pregnancy) is hard to prove and costly and these cases drag on for years usually with no happy resolution for the employee.

Do you have a union? Or Human Resources? Because tbh it doesn’t sound good to me and you might want to have a confidential conversation about what is going on

 

[Bonnie11]

I would say they don't have to give you such a reason to dismiss you while you are on probation, they can just say it wasn't working out and they don't have to prove much beyond that. To be able to fire people easily if they don't want to keep them on is one of the reasons that companies put you on probation, it's much easier not to keep you on and it sounds like they are not going to be very sympathetic to you, let alone wanting to pay you maternity pay etc so to give you a full contract at the end of your probation I have to say looks unlikely. Of course you do have rights and your maternity allowance will still be in place as you have worked the weeks needed but I would be surprised if they did offer you a full time contract. Your rights are there in theory however as a pp said in practice you may end up battling them in court for a long time (and a lot of money) if it did come to it and it is difficult to prove. Hopefully it won't come to that but just trying to make you aware. And you will still be entitled to maternity allowance even if they terminate your contract xx