My work load is unbearable, any advice?

[Leviathan]

hey,
My job is utterly manic - crazy unbelievable workload that shattered me out even before I got pg. (I'm 7 weeks)

My employers don't know yet - don't want to tell them till I'm at least 3 months - but I'm at a loss what to do.

Basically I work for a charity doing pretty physical work (although it shouldn't be this bad) and my boss has been piling the work on to a ridiculous amount. I can see the other team members struggling (even the strapping lad on the team) and the work often means I have to spend the whole weekend recovering physically. Yesterday was 8.5 hours with no break and loads of lifting, digging etc. It's too much anywaybut now I'm pregnant, even worse.

I had a scare today and thought I was going to miscarry. Think I'm ok, but really shattered.

I plan to talk to the boss next week about the work load in general

Should I tell him I'm pg? (not even told my family yet) Would that negate the pressure on the rest of the team?

We are in a risk assessment mad organisation but no-one seems to have risk assessed the effect of overwork on the staff (other teams are under loads of pressure too)

Any suggestions?

(sorry long post)

[Ripeberry]

That sounds like VERY bad management. You say its charity work but you all sound like you work harder than prison convicts!
Sod them! Tell them you are pregnant, they can't sack you for that.
Your health and that of the baby is MUCH more important.

[Parmageddon]

Hi

Dp works for the HSE. His advice is to tell your boss of your pregnancy and then a specific risk assessment has to be done on your job to ensure that they take your condition into account and that there is no additional risk to you.

If nothing changes once you have told them, dp says you can call the HSE Complaints line at your local office and they will send an inspector to have a look! You should stress that you are pregnant and are having to do heavy manual work.

If the findings of the risk assessent show that the risks are too high, they have to find you alternative work or at worst suspend you on full pay.

[flowerybeanbag]

You need to tell them about your pregnancy. If you are doing physical work that may put yourself or your baby at risk, you need to make sure your employer knows so that they can take the necessary steps to protect you. You need to focus on yourself and your baby, and the best and quickest way of doing that is to tell your boss immediately, get a pregnancy risk assessment done and your duties changed.

[Leviathan]

Thanks to all for your kind replies. Sadly I miscarried the day after posting. The doctor said that nothing I have done could have caused it but it still leaves me with very mixed feelings about work. I'm going to talk to the union.

[flowerybeanbag]

Sorry to hear that Leviathan. Hope you get the workload issue sorted anyway.