Unfair Employers

[JemRose]

Hi,

Does anyone have any experience of feeling like your employer is being unfair to you in pregnancy?

I feel very mistreated at work at the moment and I really believe I fall under pregnancy discrimination for a couple of things.

But I have absolutely no idea how to get around this, it is really making my pregnancy miserable and not a happy time at all. I don't know who I need to speak to for advice or what I can do about it.

Would really appreciate anyone with any experiences and advice!

Thank you x

 

[TORino]

Could you contact hr?

Or Acas if you want someone truly independent?

There are lots of websites you can look at regarding what they should and shouldn’t be doing to pregnant employees.

 

[JemRose]

It's really confusing because I work in a GP surgery, so my manager is the HR and everything.. not sure who I can go to go higher than her x

 

[Jamie.d]

they definitely can't discriminate against you, they should be even more careful if anything not to while you're pregnant!
The only difference is that you're carrying a child why do people instantly think we've become disabled!?
Can you go to an independent union agency?

I'm having the opposite problem! they've completely ignored my pregnancy and last week I was made to move a whole kit bag of kettle bells and scale an eight foot fence! Twice! and heave some goal posts over them...now the lifting doesn't bother me (even though I've had no risk assessment done yet) but climbing is a bit outside of my comfort zone

 

[rainbow.23]

I agree with the above, also make sure to keep a diary with dates and times of exactly what happened and what was said, whilst it's fresh in your mind.
That behavior is not acceptable!

 

[Spriddy7]

I’m 23 weeks not even had risk assessment yet. Annoys me I work nights so they get away with not giving me time off for antenatal appts etc but I need a night off before glucose tolerance test and I have to have it unpaid and this is in the period my maternity pay is calculated so will affect that.

 

[Sugarpop]

It's really confusing because I work in a GP surgery, so my manager is the HR and everything.. not sure who I can go to go higher than her x

The partners of the doctors...probably the main doctors?

 

[JemRose]

It's really confusing because I work in a GP surgery, so my manager is the HR and everything.. not sure who I can go to go higher than her x

The partners of the doctors...probably the main doctors?

Yeah but they are all in each other's pockets unfortunately so going to them won't really help at all x

 

[urban23]

My employer is absolutely USELESS with pregnancy! We're a small company so we don't have any HR either. My friend from work is currently on mat leave and she was the first in the company to get pregnant so my employer was a bit rabbit in the headlights with it. We didn't even have a maternity policy in our contract! Now i'm 23 weeks pregnant and I often feel a bit mistreated. For example I asked for a maternity health and safety risk assessment and she went off her rocker at me! I spoke to my Mum and she just said keep a log of every interaction that you feel is not right. Also note who else was present at the time as a witness. Then if you feel up to it I think you can report them somewhere (don't ask me where as i've not got a clue - haha!).

Sorry i'm not too much help but you're not alone! It's also in the news today about how useless employers can be with pregnancy!

 

[CornaliaFord]

I was fired from my position as a manager in a big company (6-7 month) because of * a decrease in work efficiency *. World is not fair...

 

[YorksLass]

Citizens' Advice can offer some help, and might refer you to ACAS, as somebody else mentioned. I'd be on the phone to CA first as they might have suggestions you can try before having to get ACAS involved. They helped me a lot! Hope you find some way through it

 

[Jamie.d]

having simliar struggles now ¬¬
Am really unwell with a sore throat, fever and feel so lightheaded with cold sweats! I've 'phoned in sick' but as we lone work they've just basically shrugged at me and made me sort it out on my own!! I'm now stuck here from 8:30-190 BY MYSELF 22 weeks pregnant and feeling like crap! YAY!

 

[SugaryIris]

Ladies, this is absolutely NOT OK, this is not unfair, this is discrimination and we have laws to protect our pregnant women at work. You should call ACAS for advice, they are really very helpful. Definitely keep logs as well.

 

[Jamie.d]

Hope things are better for you other ladies?
I can't even cope anymore... literally 6 weeks and counting until I can go on mat leave
Yesterday (my day off!) one of the customers rings me... she can't get in the building for her fitness class as manager never bothered to let anyone know we're closed for Easter!
I had to get a taxi there with my kids and had to take my kids to work today too -_- getting so stressed