Work harassing me while on maternity leave

[Lilannii]

I found out I was pregnant April last year and after asking the home I work in to put me down for shorter shifts was declined I took my maternity leave ASAP. Since then they have made a list of bank staff and text them with available shifts for the week, but it's every single day. My little one is 5 months old now and these bloody texts keep waking him up! I shouldn't have to silence my phone all day every day. I never opted to be on this list, I even told them late December I had quit. I get about 8 texts a day, I have called them twice last week, the first time the person in charge was supposed to call me back and never did and the second time the receptionist was supposed to pass a message on, I have called them this morning and am waiting again for the person in charge of the list to phone me back. Does this constitute harrassment?? What can I do about this? It's driving me nuts. Especially when little man has been ill and only just drifted off to sleep them to be woken by work texting

[Tiptops]

What sort of phone do you have? I can block numbers who are being a nuisance of my handset itself. Depending on which phone you have, you may be able to do the same or need to call your network provider to have them block the number.

[Tiptops]

*on my

[Lilannii]

I've got an iPhone 4, but I shouldn't hve to block the number. I would like them to stop really

[Mouthfulofquiz]

Write to them. Tell them you are to be removed from the list. Then put your phone on silent - is it really that big a deal to do that?

[airplanesandsun]

It is not harassment. They just need to take your number off the automatic text system properly. Just move your phone too or block the number. On Friday I got 10 calls on the home phone from silent call centres !!!

[EarthWindFire]

I've got an iPhone 4, but I shouldn't hve to block the number. I would like them to stop really

You can't have it all ways. If you don't want them to contact you just block the number. I really don't see why it is that difficult.

[weedonleg]

They're not harrassing you, it's just an administrative error that you've ended up on a list that you shouldn't be. Yes it needs to get sorted, but I can't see why you won't (while they are sorting it), block the number, rather than rant on here?
Do you really think thwey are doing it out of spite????

[mommy2ash]

You are being a bit unreasonable if you have the means to block the number but choose not to but want to make a song and dance about it instead. but shouldn't have to responses are really annoying.

it's the same with putting your phone on silent. I doubt a text from work is the only notification the comes though all day so it's either the phone wakes the baby or doesn't. if it does put it on silent. my phone is usually on silent it's a habit I picked up from when my dd was a baby

[Icelollycraving]

Just block the number. It's v simple on iphone.

[dawndonnaagain]

It is harrassment and it is illegal. Ring them and remind them that it is illegal and ask for your name to be removed until your leave is at an end.

[Lilannii]

Well I didn't expect most of you to start having a pop at me! To be honest with you no it's not just texts from work I get all day but all friends and family know not to contact at certain times of the day. But thanks so much for all your help rolls eyes

[Nicknacky]

It's not illegal ffs!!

[HayDayQueen]

Well I didn't expect most of you to start having a pop at me!

funny thing the internet, makes you realise that maybe, just maybe, you're in the wrong?!

Block the number and be done with it!

[airplanesandsun]

I am always surprised at people who insist on silence when PFB trying to sleep .... never plan on sending them to nursery or having a second child if they can't sleep through a quick text message :(

[airplanesandsun]

and you could also just choose a quieter text alert?

[Unexpected]

How often is your dc sleeping? Yes, it's a hassle getting unwanted texts but unless your dc is sleeping all day surely it is only a text per day which occasionally wakes him up? What happens if you get a text from your doctor/dentist/the nice company offering you PPI refunds or an insurance claim for your car accident when he is sleeping? People have offered you lots of helpful advice here, all of which you have dismissed.

If you dc can't sleep through a text notification, you must be having a hard time with the doorbell, passing traffic or the kettle boiling, not to mention all the other everyday noises.

[EarthWindFire]

It is harrassment and it is illegal.

Why? The OP is in their employment.

As has been said by others just block the number. Why is everything such a big drama?

[Suttonmum1]

Yanbu, next time phone them and tell them you will be charging them £5 for each text you receive from them. Also say you will be putting in a complaint about the "data protection" issues involved.

Whether either of those holds water doesn't matter, might be enough to get someone to sort it out. Also take the name of the person you deal with and make a great fuss of recording the exact time that you called.

[EarthWindFire]

How on earth can you charge them £5 per text!?

[BristolRover]

it's not illegal harassment by a long chalk. Also, it's possible to turn your phone of for part of the day then all those inconvenient texts that you can't work out how to opt out of / the ones you want to get when it's convenient will be ready and waiting when you're prepared to hear the sound the phone makes. It's even possible with an iPhone to put it on mute so that they come in and you can see them without hearing anything!
you've made three phone calls in more than five months, it's not exactly exhausting all avenues to end someone banging on your door and making demands of you

[Unexpected]

Or you could write them a letter instead of calling them again and talking about non-existent data protection issues and non-enforceable fines for sending texts!

[BristolRover]

data protection issues? to her own employer? yeah, good one!

[Icimoi]

Why do you keep your phone anywhere near the baby if it wakes him?

[flowery]

Three things to do

1. Write to them (not ringing people, wanting messages passed on etc) formally notifying them that you wish to be removed from the list.

1. Block the number

1. Change your text alert to vibrate only, or a very quiet bing, or something. You can't have a situation where your child is woken up from a nap by a text message, that's just bananas.