to tell my area manager to do one!!!

[Jemima1988]

I have a gorgeous 6 week old baby boy.

During my pregnancy my area manger has been a cow she is the least maternal person I know and has 0 sympathy, bit of background for you .....

when I told her I was pregnant her response was ..... are you going to keep it?
I was hospitalised 13 times in the first 28 weeks. when I returned to work she had me doing 15 hour days. One day around 20 weeks I was working late on a Friday my branch manager was away therefore I was in charge, I rang her in tears as I was getting serious stomach pains she told me I was hormonal and letting things stress me out, after 2 hours of trying to finish work I walked out went to a&e to find out I had kidney stones!!! my partner works for the same company and at this point wrote to HR letting them know what was going on after that she started being a lot nicer.

at work we have keeping in touch days she wants me to attend an assistant manager retreat on 20th Nov, baby will be 7 weeks old.
she told me she wanted me to attend this, i told her I am breastfeeding and I will not be able to express 12 hours worth of milk to keep DS going while I'm away from him.... she made a snotty comment stating that I didn't attend the last 1

DS WAS 3 WEEKS OLD!!!
and they are not compulsory

am I being hormonal or is this woman a cow?

[upduffedsecret]

she's a cow

[JamNan]

She's a right nasty cow!
YANBU.
Jeez some people.

[Jemima1988]

in all honesty I have been thinking of putting a serious complaint in about her attitude towards pregnant workers

[ClumsyParents]

This woman is awful. I suggest you emailing her, copying in HR, reminding her that KIT days are not compulsory and whether you choose to use them is a matter for you. Explain that you are unable to attend the course she has proposed but that you will attend it on a date which is convenient to you during your mat leave or when you return to work (whichever you'd rather do.)

If she persists in being difficult with you, I would make HR aware

[HedgehogsDontBite]

She's crackers. I had an area manager like that when my daughter was tiny and I was part-time. The nursery rang me up on a day she was around as DD was poorly and her temperature was going up and up. Area manager couldn't understand why I was putting me coat on and told me I needed to get my priorities straight and that I'd lose my job if I left. Let me see, poorly baby needing her mummy or saturday job stacking shelves? She looked genuinely surprised when I walked out.

[ClumsyParents]

Email her not emailing her

[Iggi999]

KIT days are not compulsory full stop. Also not much financial point attending them if you are still in receipt of full pay, as they cancel out you maternity pay for that day.

[CookieLady]

Complain. Otherwise it's not going to get any better when you do go back to work.

[Jemima1988]

iggi I was not made aware if that!
definitely not worth it. thank you

my main issue is what she is going to be like when I go back to work or I would complain

[Dudurama]

YANBU - she sounds like an airhead to me.

What is she doing managing people with this kind of outlook? I would be very interested if I was paying someone to manage, and they were making employees feel that not attending retreats 3 weeks post partum, would reflect poorly on their employment.

She is lucky you don't ask HR whether or not it does.

[ILovePud]

YANBU, I'd gather all the evidence and put in a complaint, her behaviour is discriminatory. Congratulations on your new baby btw and I hope your enjoying your mat leave.

[Wishtoremainunknown]

I'd be going to HR again if it were me.

[sparechange]

You are looking at complaining the wrong way around.
Rather than thinking 'if I complain, she will make my life difficult when I go back', I would think that if you DON'T complain, she knows she can bully you, and get away with it.
If you complain, involve HR or her manager, and point out that her behaviour is bordering on illegal, she will have to play by the book when you go back

[StrangeGlue]

Op I'd re-post this in legal as they're really good on advice there. KIT days are entirely optional (I did none last time) and from what you've said it sounds a bit like she's harassing you because you're on mat leave esp since you've said these retreats are optional when you're in work.

Document her treatment of you through your pregnancy and may leave and consider raising a grievance.

[Delatron]

Agree, this will get worse if you don't speak to HR. It is bullying and it would be taken very seriously. Mainly as what she is asking/doing is illegal. The company would not take a light view on this and would stop her behaviour immediately. I would go to HR immediately and document/save all communication from her.

[LumionaMoonsplash]

Definitely post in Employment as the HR gurus will be able to give you great advice on how ti deal with this cow properly.

[Whatisaweekend]

You say in your OP that she started being nicer when you contacted HR before so I would definitely update them with her new antics. What a cow!!