Help!!!

[dink]

Hi Girls and guys,
I am new to this so if it's in the wrong place please forgive me.
I am currently at my wits end. I am 13 weeks pregnant today , and approx 15 weeks ago started a new job as a cafe manager in my local town. I have always been a hard worker, and never been out of work, but I have had a few problems as far as mental health and depression is concerned.
This year has been full of ups and downs, we have fallen pregnant 3 times, 3rd time lucky...so far...so good, however the stress of work is or has become unbearable. Before I told my boss (family run cafe) I was pregnant he was more than happy for me to work all the hours under the sun, 70 hours a week no less, which I did to get the place going. Without any payment other than my normal wages for. Since telling him I have become pregnant, and due to the previous upset we've already had, I waited until I was 8 weeks, just in case, he has now begun to claw back all my responsibilty as well as my hours. In a nutshell, I have spoken to acas and they've advised me to write a letter of complaint, but it'll only go to him, so won't get any result. And as he has offered me alternitive work, after I advised him he was NOT ALLOWED to cut my hours (down to 26 no less) he has agreed to give me 40 hours a week in another position, which would result in 2 other people loosing their jobs. One of those people are my mother. AS you can see the situation is murky to say the least.
Anyhow, after advising the boss, I was unhappy, going home in tears most days and that my midwife had wanted to sign me off weeks ago, I made an appointment to see my GP who told me that she would sign me off for the rest of my pregnancy, should I wish. But that, with whats happened in the past, my mental health and the miscarriages, that I would most probably be unable to return to work there for the sake of not only my health but the baby.
I am going to see the CAB tomorrow, as I have no idea where I stand with anything but wondered if anyone could advise me that if I leave this place of employment due to me not being able to work there for health reasons, is there any help out there at all for me as far as benefits go?
As a business head myself, I know as much as people can't NOT hire you because you are pregnant, but I also know that the cost of training etc for an employee to only be there a couple of months would make me pretty much unemployable.
I really don't know what to do so any help or advice would be great.
Thanks in advance
Gem

 

[flexilexi394]

gosh what an interesting situation. i think the best option is the CAB as they will advise you accordingly. are you in a position where you absolutely have to work? if not i would just chill out for the rest of my pregnancy if i were you. its a tough one isnt it, bosses can be so awkward!! i dont know what to suggest really, i know you probably arent feeling your best either, hope you get it sorted, let us know what the CAB says and you can go from there! keep us updated honey x

 

[titch]

what reason does your boss give for reducing your hours? I think this is a case of 'constructive dismissal'. he knows he cant fire you for being pregnant so hes making things difficult to make you quit. doing this because of your pregnancy is illegal and gender discrimination. get as much evidence as you can as you'll need to prove that you left your job for a good reason to claim certain benefits. you dont want to end up in a situation of his word against yours. if you can email him as much as possible so you've got a record of whats been said.

 

[dink]

Thanks ladies,
My problem being.......My wonderful boss, will not pay anyone for more than 25 hours through the books, so to speak as his contribution to tax and national insurance would go up. I have no contract of employment apart from ye old verbal, which is my word against his, and with only 25 hours on my payslip every week I have no proof I have been working soooo much more than that.
Tiny, his excuse for cutting back my hours is simple.....I shall explain as simply as I can, He is a tight fisted....BEEP.....and will not pay anyone to be at work after the cafe has closed. This being said, my opposite number, a lovely young girl who bends over backwards to please everyone, was down stairs (kitchen is upstairs) writing the blackboards, when he came down, and said it was time to go. She replied "but I have to close the kitchen down" to which she was told that HE had already done it and as she doesn't have a set of keys, she HAD to leave when he did. I went in the following morning, as always, an hour before opening, went to switch everything on in the kitchen and went for a flying lesson, across the floor and falling over. AS he could see, I was not happy when he came in as the kitchen had not been closed down, not even a rubbish attempt and I went flying because the floor had not been swept or mopped. WE have no window in the kitchen and with 2 fryers on all day the grease ends up on the floor and it gets slippery. Which is why, every night the last thing to be done is that the floor is mopped within an inch of it's life. I then went to hospital after finally getting hold of my midwife to ask what I should do, thankfully was told everything was fine, but that said, this was the icing on the cake. He now claims he has good reason to no longer let me work in the kitchen, even tho, after checking with the EHO, there is no reason why I can't and certainly does not want me there alone. (which I might add is only for a minimum of half an hour at most in the morning and I NEVER leave my mobile phone anywhere except my pocket.) The EHO has no problems with me continuing my job whatsoever, he is the only person that does have the problem. But like I said, this has only really come to light, since, due to HIS negligence I went flying. I explained, as calmly as I possibly could, that ANYONE walking into that kitchen that morning would have fallen over and that it was NOT because I was pregnant, to which he could not agrue, but also would not budge.
I really feel like I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. If I could afford to not work, although I would be bored out of my mind within a couple of days, I would. But needs must and short of a lottery win I am snookered to say the least. Right now I need more money than ever what with bump to prepare for and I can't rely on handouts from my family as they are in no position to help me out. My other half is great, male but great, lol, but as it's been just the 2 of us for years we have coped, now there will be 3 and I really can't see how we'll survive without any help.
On the up side, I guess I am going to have plenty of time to knit, lol.
I will post back after I have been to CAB tomorrow, fingers crossed they can give me something positive to cheer me up )
Between the constant toliet trips and stress going on in my pounding head looks like a semi sleepless night for moi.
Thanks for your help so far tho x

 

[Lander]

Just a thought, but if you do leave, can you sign up to an agency to do some temp work for a few months before delivery?
Would also be easy to work around MW apts etc?

Hope all goes well for you.

Lxx

 

[dink]

Thanks Lander,
I did have that thought myself, but unless it's going to be very regular I can't see how it would be of any help. Thanks to the credit crunch most of the agency work in my area has dried up, but I will be looking in to that as well today ) x

 

[titch]

if he wants to ban you from working in the kitchen he needs to do a proper maternity risk assessment.

just saw an advert... where theres blame theres a claim would serve him right!!

 

[dink]

lol, thanks Tiny )
He says he has done his own risk assesment which is why he doesn't want to take the risk....little bit too late if you ask me, but I don't like causing trouble.
UPDATE!!!!
Well, CAB were pretty usless, strange experience for me as they have always been so helpful in the past. Possibly just an off day, lol. They and the job centre have pretty much said I will get SSP for up to 28 weeks and by then my maternity allowence will kick in, or something to that effect. I should also get help with rent and council tax, which is a mass weight off my mind, however, in the next breath she said it would take a minimum of 3 weeks to sort out. GREAT, something is better than nothing tho I guess. My partner is suggesting I move to his house, the other end of the country, which is just not a good idea, signed off with stress so leaving my support network and friends behind to move 400 miles away to be alone, without him being there I don't think is an option. Bless him tho.
As much as I have managed to sort loads out today, I am still so angry about the situation, so a couple of DVDs, big bar of cadburys, PJ's and phone switched off in the hope that I feel a little better soon )
Thank you again to everyone for all of your help and advice in my hour of need. you are all stars ) x

 

[titch]

a couple of DVDs, big bar of cadburys, PJ's and phone switched off