Unsupportive boss.

[futuremummy237]

Hello! Im having a few issues with my boss, I wondered if any of you were the same?

I am a nurse and the sister on my ward is less than enthusiastic about my pregnancy. She has got me working 8 day and 9 day straight shifts and I am just absolutely knackered, im almost 22 weeks pregnant. I work on a really heavy ward and she really just is not supportive.

I told her today that I have to finish early on thursday because I have to go for another anomoly scan because my little girl was being stubborn and wouldnt budge so they couldnt look at her heart. Instead of saying 'yes thats fine, I hope the scan goes okay' she goes all grumpy with me and say' we are really short staffed that day. if you dont have lunch you can go'. This is literally pissed me off so much. She isnt giving me the annual leave I am entitled to before my maternity leave either and im fed up of it, im owed about 4 weeks, and she says I can only carry over 5 days because of staff capacity. Im sorry, but I dont see why I should be penalised for her shit staffing levels and management skills. URGH. So now I have to go on mat leave at 36 weeks, which is going to be nigh on impossible in my job. Also, for every antenatal appt I have had, I have had to swap my shifts so they fall on days off, because she wont give me the time off for them.

URGHHH. I just needed a rant, working in the NHS is an absolute pain in the arse.

xx

 

[Geekachublog]

By law you are entitled to time off for antenatal appointments within work hours, I would approach your HR dept and if necessary report her for mistreating you during pregnancy. It's not your responsibility to cover for their shortages.

 

[mrssmith2011]

I can sympathise my husband is a paramedic and they are an absolute nightmare if he needs time off. They should be giving you all the help that they can xx

 

[NinjaKitty]

Eerrrrm she seems to be breaking several rules all of which your employer would get penalised for. As mentioned you are allowed paid time off for antenatal appointments without having to sacrifice your time like not taking a lunch (FYI this includes taking stuff like antenatal relaxation classes and birthing classes). She can't stop you from taking holidays and then refusing to carry them over so you lose them, this would be the case if you weren't pg too. Also any holidays owed to you when you go on mat leave should be paid to you. Your boss or equivalent should have done a health and safety review as soon as they were told you were pg. was this done? Provision should have been made for any heavy lifting, long hours on feet and physical work you have to do. They have to redeploy you elsewhere or even stop you working with pay if it is deemed that your job is unsuitable and they have no alternative. These are pretty basic pregnancy and health and safety laws, look it up its laid out in .gov.uk websites. I agree I think you need to go to HR and get these issues raised. Hope that helps


Using Tapatalk can't see no tickers grrrrr.

 

[Dotty_woman]

Like the other ladies are saying, I think you need to take this up with HR or whatever equivalent they have in the NHS. I think some rules are being broken here too. Hope you get a better outcome. xxx

 

[Ella1979]

I just needed a rant, working in the NHS is an absolute pain in the arse.

Yes, it really can be. The NHS seems to be one of the worst employers for taking care of pregnant employees. With my first baby, I got told I had to do my own risk assessment!!! I read the Trust policy and it clearly stated it was the manager's responsibility, so I told them they had to do it. This time round they obviously just pulled the documents from last time, so it was nice and simple for them.

I know it can be like smacking your head against a brick wall, but you are legally entitled to take time off for antenatal appointments and you are supposed to be able to take regular breaks too. Shifts should really be altered too, to make sure you're not overdoing it. Having said that, I've also come up against problems with shifts (though nowhere near as bad) - I hadn't done any early (7.30am start, requiring me to leave home at 6.50am) shifts because of my morning sickness and trying to sort my 17 month old out as well (plus having to deal with my dad being diagnosed with cancer - my mum's my child's carer when I'm at work, so it's been tough), but got told that it was in my contract to do them to ensure I was competent to be called out at weekends. I was given a month to "get competent". Luckily the next time I'm scheduled to be on-call is at the end of October and I have a feeling I'll be on maternity leave by then!

 

[glowing]

I am in the NHS and my boss has been lovely. I do think it depends on the area you work. However with your annual leave speak to HR. I was told I am entitled to all my A/L and aslong as I had the opportunity to take before mat leave. I was off sick for some of my pregnancy including a/l and had it back, and was unable to squeeze al my weeks in before going off. I had a week in June and taken 4 weeks before mat leave at 34 weeks, my mat leave kicks in at 38 weeeks. I have 3 weeks and 2 days carried over to after the baby is here (I alsohave 8 weeks 2 days total). Plus I will have my years entitlement when I am back. I don't think she can decide on her own that you can't have it based on the ward establishment. You need HR to get involved anbd if no joy get the union involve. As for appts she has no leg to stand on you have to have time as it is law. If you haven't done a risk assessment do one and in your comment add that long stretches of shifts are making you feel to tired to do your work effectively, if you have already done one there is opportunity to revise it as things crop up. Unfortunately you need to fight for your rights.

 

[futuremummy237]

Thanks for the replies!

I did go to HR straight after I found out about my anuual leave, and they said no you are entitled to carry it all over. So I went back to my manager and said that if I cant have it before I can go on maternity leave, I can tag it onto the end of my maternity leave because technically nobody would have booked their annual leave for that year, so I would have first dibs on it. The reply I got to that was no I cant do that because of staff capacity, and that is at the managers discretion. The absolute most I can carry over is 10 days now apparently.

I had my health and safety checklist done at about 18 weeks pregnant, even though they knew I was pregnant from about 6 weeks. And that has turned out to be a waste of time to, in it I have been told that I shouldnt be doing nights or long day shifts. So a week later I look in the off duty and lo and behold, I had been put on nights and couldnt change them!! Also, I would rather work 3 long day shifts (14 hours each) with days off inbetween, than 9 day straights. I feel like going off on sick leave because my hips are so bad and im so exhausted from all of this, but then I would be bitched about and penalised for that (I work on the bitchiest ward ever). Also in my checklist I am not to do any manual handling of 'heavy patients who take two to turn'. However, I work on an elderly care ward where practically EVERYONE is MH2 and because of staff capacity I have no option to.

Im absolutely fed up of working so hard for something when all they do is treat you like a number and dont care about your own health. Im sick of putting mine and my little girls health at risk because of my managements budget cutting.

Throughout my pregnancy the only time off I have had is 10 days, and that was because I kept having high blood pressure, fast heartrate and palpitations, and feeling very faint at work when I was working nights, and I had to go for scans of my heart etc for it, which was probably due to them not sending me home to rest when they should have!

Sorry, my rant just continues doesnt it!

xx

 

[Geekachublog]

Put a complaint in writing to HR about your manager, make sure you have a copy of your policies/procedures and also your risk assessment detailing what you should and shouldn't be doing.
You'll get further this way because they HAVE to act on it, it's not "managers discretion", it's the law!

 

[Sammy jo]

I would also be getting the union involved if you are a member they are trained to understand the ins and outs of the procedures I work for a big company and they have no empathy what so ever my jobs quite manual and although in the risk assessment they've said ask if its to heavy there's only two of us allowed to do my job on my shift so if the other girls off I have nobody to ask I'm leaving as soon as my 6 months after maternity are up!!! Xx

 

[kat1988]

that's illegal and immoral! I'm angry she's putting all that extra pressure on u it's the last thing u need! my boss was just as uncooperative wen I was pregnant so I know how u feel. If I were u I'd ask to have a sit down meeting with her to discuss what u need, have u had a risk assessment done yet? if she doesn't give u your basic rights ie paid time off to attend scans and appointments etc I'd go to hr, go above her head! A very good friends of mine runs a ward and she'a told me all about the problems, staffing levels etc but she would never ask a member of staff to do what you're expected to while pregnant. you and your baby come first, end of!

 

[MrsLG]

That's terrible babe - like everyone else has said you are legally entitled to paid time off for maternity appointments and if your HR has confirmed that you are entitled to all your holidays then your manager can't say jack - like others have said I would write a letter of complaint to your hr department stating what your manager says. Hope it all works out for you! xx

 

[NinjaKitty]

Definitely put in a complaint and get the union involved. That's disgusting treatment. You are asking for the basic entitlement.


Using Tapatalk can't see no tickers grrrrr.

 

[clareybell]

I just want to back up what everyone has said, and also say it sounds like your manager is just trying to fob you off with anything in the hope you'll just continue to take it - and quite frankly she's lucky you have put up with it this long - get a copy of your maternity rights and put in an official complaint - this is really not what you need at the moment ... and being a hospital they should know better xxx

 

[glowing]

I think it is time you started mentioning light duties and perhaps redeployment if necessary for the remainder of your pregnancy. (she will definately twitch then). Speak to unison or RCM for advice even if they don't act for you). If HR have told you that you can carry it over then she can't really block it. Is there a directorate manager above the sister you can speak to? Perhaps arrange a meeting with them and/or ask HR to attend and take the union rep with you. The sister cannot do what she is doing, she is just thinking of the ward and not your welfare. If you are struggling go off sick as pregnancy related sickness doesn't count in normal sickness triggers. (Just be aware if off sick a month before your mat leave starts they can make you take it earlier (not the advice you would want to hear but she is forcing your hand). Look after yourself as 14 hr shifts can be a nightmare.

 

[futuremummy237]

Thanks guys, I think im going to have to grow some balls and write a complaint to matron. Im a bit of a push over when it comes like things to this and I never want to 'disturb the peace', but I think its going one step too far now and its not before long until my partner just goes into work and shouts at her, which will get us nowhere fast. Oh goshhhh i hate complaining.

Time to bite the bullet and go to matron! Thanks for the encouragment!! xx

 

[kat1988]

let us know how it goes, will b thinking of u! xx