Unsupportive Workplace

[amandapanda]

Hi I am 13 weeks pregnant tomorrow. I have been struggling with work so much - have been really low with tiredness and hormones anyway and have found myself crying in the toilets and finding it difficult to cope. Last week I came down with cold, earache and urine infection all at once - so along with the low mood my GP signed me off for a week - feel soooo much better for having some time off! My work are really disciplinarian about sickness, make you feel so bad about it - so I told them I'm pregnant and made sure my doc stated my sickness was pregnancy related so they can't discipline me!

My boss was so uncaring on the phone - didn't even say congratulations or ask if the baby is ok, just was obsessing about what date I was coming back cause she wanted to write the rota!! This has annoyed me so much, especially as she knows I had a miscarriage a few months ago! I'm not looking forward to going back on Weds - just cause I know they are not happy about the pregnancy, all they think is I will be swanning off on maternity leave soon and leaving them in the lurch. Expect my colleagues will talk behind my back too, it's a bitchy kind of place if they feel your not 'pulling your weight' - but at the end of the day I don't really care what they think cause nothing is more important to me than my little baby!

Anyone else had similar experiences?

Amanda x

 

[xshauna_bazx]

I don't know if mine is a simular experience...but i told my boss i was pregnant and he gave me more work (im a cleaner) I just went above his head...and the lass higher up than him got him told...if he said anything she didnt agree with she said "no, im definatley not having her doing this" or whatever it was. Which i never thought she would be like that as she is a bitch anyways.
Maybe try going to someone higher up with problems if you think there not being very nice (which they arent)
Some people can be so unsupportive! xxx

 

[NatEvz]

Ahh hun, sorry your having such a hard time. Honestly they sound like a bunch of arseholes. Like Shauna said, is there anyone higher you could take this too?
Ive had experience of an unsupportive workplace (not pregnancy related) so i do sort of understand how you are feeling xxx

 

[amandapanda]

Well unfortunately the higher up boss is even worse - they call her the robot because she seems incapable of feeling any human emotion, lol! I really want to leave but am stuck there till my maternity leave so I guess it's just a case of grin and bear it till then - hopefully it will pass by quickly what with Xmas coming up in the middle!

Thanks, Amanda x

 

[xshauna_bazx]

Ahrite...i hope time flys for you til you get out of the place, thats how i feel with my work xxx

 

[Piglet's Mama]

Hi - just thought I'd have a little wander over to Tri1 (even though I am still TTC) and saw your post Amanda.
I work in HR and know that any unfavourable treatment on the basis you are pregnant is sex discrimination. Keep a note, if you can, of what is going on, what has been said etc and if it gets too much then you have the right to raise a formal grievance. It must be treated seriously and the matter must be investigated - if this doesn't happen, I would suggest getting some advice from ACAS, CAB re how you could pursue the matter with the Employment Tribunal.
Hopefully it won't come to that and it will get better for you x

 

[amandapanda]

Thanks for that Jenny, I'll keep that in mind.....I think my main worry is just more how they will make me feel....offering no congratulations to someone speaks volumes about your feelings really! Trouble is I am so over sensitive at the moment anyway - think I may need to toughen up!

Thanks, Amanda x

 

[ShadowWolf]

I had exactly the same experience with my workplace hun, my boss was fine but the rest of the staff and the assistanat manager were all arses to me. I got bullied and treated so unfairly. I'm almost glad that I got signed off sick from 18 weeks as I don't think I would have been able to cope with it.

Here is what you need to do, and this is essential. Keep a diary of any incidents of bullying that happens to you, dates, times and witnesses (even if it is other staff) and then if it gets too much, take it to your HR departments or citizens advice. There is so much in the law to protect pregnant women at work so if you're having problems, don't stay quiet.

I really hope that you get sorted hun because I know I wouldn't have been able to cope with what i was suffering until maternity leave so I know what you're going through.

xxxxx

 

[amandapanda]

Yes thanks Shadow wolf, I will do that if I need to - unfortunately my workplace can be quite bitchy, even the boss joins in , totally unprofessional! - they single out people who they think aren't pulling their weight and bully and bitch about them, I've seen it twice and I've only been there 6 months - the woman they are doing it to now actually works in a different location (but is still part of our team) and she doesn't know half of what is said about her!

So far they seem to be nice to me - but now I have had over a week off sick and am pregnant I am worried that I will become their latest target - it's hard to pinpoint though cause they are sickly sweet to your face and it all goes on behind your back or with a few snide comments - i hate bitchy workplaces!!

 

[ShadowWolf]

Lol, it really sounds just like my workplace XD I feel for you so much hun.

xxx