Maternity Rights...

[Belle]

Sorry to bother you all with this but wonder if you can give me some advice.

My employer is putting me 'under investigation' with a view to possibly taking me through discipliniary action because of things I have apparently said about the company and colleagues. All of which are not true. I basically feel I am being singled out and wanted out due to the fact that I'm soon to go on mat leave (I am due to go on the 19th September). This 'investigation' and course of action is causing me so much stress, lack of sleep and causing me to break down in tears all the time that I am going to struggle to contine working in the environment. I have to work very closely with people who have made allegations against me.

I am going to see the dr tomorrow who will hopefully sign me off sick - does anyone know if being on sick affects maternity benefits at all? I am worried sick about this as I have worked so hard to get my maternity entitlement and cannot believe that this company is putting me through this worry. PLEASE can someone give me some advice as to where I stand? I am off to the Citizens Advice Bureau tomorrow too but if any of you could help me out with where I stand that would be a great help.

Thanks

Belle
x

 

[charlie_chalk]

hi belle.

sorry 2 hear your having a bad time at the mo. go see your local citizen advice (sorry bout spelling) they need physical proof 2 hold a hearing. if youve not got a formal warning on your record they cant terminate your employment, only give you a formal warning as its not gross misconduct. if they do give you a f/warning still check with cit advice as tribunal sides with the employee not employer. because your pg and due 2 go on mat leave it will look like the company is trying 2 save money.

good luck, and if you need any other advice pm me. (hubby gave me the advice)
take care
claire
xxx

 

[Yvonne]

God belle thats terrible,

What are you have meant to have said that is bad enough to take you to a tribuneral?
That is so inconciderate of them, do they not understand stress is bad for you and Baby, the doctor should sign you off but you still have the stress of the hearing!

I truely cant believe it, being off sick will not affect you maternity benefits as you haven't or will not be off long enough, i think there is a time frame but its not long enough.

 

[Helen]

Belle that's awful.

There's loads of stuff in the HR press at the mo about the amount of discrimination suffered by pregnant women. Unfortunately, it's pretty widespread. There's a topic on an HR discussion forum I go on about discrimination suffered by women in HR. It's outrageous that employers try to get away with it with any woman and not only that are stupid enough to try it on women who are clued up on employment law!

I don't want to worry you, but if you are signed off sick they may actually hold the hearing without you, not good if you want to defend yourself.

What did the citizens advice and doctor say?

 

[boo boo]

Where i wrk, if u go on the sick within 4 weeks or so of maternity leave then ur maternity leave can start frm then.

Actually jus ran off and looked it up in a book and it sed it in there, so think it is pretty much the same. Have u got the company notes on maternity leave etc, get them and check. So if u go on the sick u should be able to start maternitl leave.

If u do decide to leave early, ne diciplinary meetings that take place u can still attend and u are allowed to be acompanied by someone els if u wish, so it mite do u good, if u leave a bit earlier jus so u can get the stress of havin to be the everyday off ur back. Because regardless of whether u are there or not the investigation will countinue.

Unless u are bein investigated on the grounds of gross misconduct then they can not terminate ur employment stright away, gross misconduct is t he only way that ur contract with a company can be terminated immediately without any warnings. If action was to be taken then the most u should get is a written or verabal warning, i too was had an investigation and later a disciplinery into circumstances much similar to urs a few months back, and was givin a written warning. I am terrified now that they are goin to use my pregnancy against me to get me fired, as my assistant maneger is already bein a prat about it.

Ne way if i was u i would go to citizen advise and find out in a lot more detail ur rights and also request a copy of ur ontract and ne other document on the company rules and procedure which could help, cos u may find (jus like the palce i wrk in) that some companies only tell u wot they want u to hear, not wot they are actually spose to do.

If u feel that u are bein victimised because of ur pregnancy and the company have no proof wotso eva to be puttin u thro this strees and tryin to dismiss u on grounds which they can not even bacjk up, i would make a formal complaint that u feel u are bein victimised.

And as someone stated if the worse does happen then ull ahve to take them to a tribunral, i know is stress ful, but dnt let these wankers think they can walk over us ladies, jus cos we are preganat, for god sake if thier mothers went pregnat then they never would have been here ne way.

Best of luck and keep us updated hope everythin goe well for u x x

bec x x