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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is discrimination?

47 replies

shiveringhiccup · 04/05/2016 18:18

I'll try and keep it brief - long time lurker but first post so I want to get it right for all you lovely MNers!

I have a 3mo DC. I've been offered some short term work (for about 2 weeks). It's all done remotely on the computer, hence why I applied for it.

However now I've been accepted for the work, I've found out that they expect me to do a training day. I emailed them and explained that I have a 3mo who is EBF and asked if there are any facilities for me to bring the baby (to be fair I should have been clearer - I meant is there baby changing etc so I can sit in the training with DC with me).

They replied and said there are no childcare facilities and that it wouldn't be ok for me to bring DC with me so what I should do is turn down the work.

Is this allowed??! I totally understand that they might not want to have a baby in the room while they're doing the training, but I thought that by law there's some protection there, especially because DC is EBF?

OP posts:
DoreenLethal · 04/05/2016 18:19

Yes I don't think they will be able to do that because by you turning down the job because they can't facilitate the breastfeeding is automatically discriminatory.

EmeraldEars · 04/05/2016 18:20

Who would be looking after your child?

manicinsomniac · 04/05/2016 18:23

I don't think it's normally expected that employees can bring their children to work with them? EBF or not. They should have mentioned the need for the training on the job advert but I don't think it is discriminatory to expect their employees to attend work/training without their children.

LittleMissBossyBoots · 04/05/2016 18:30

You seriously think you should be allowed to take your baby along on your training course and not being able to is discrimination? Sorry but I think YABU and a bit bonkers to boot.

QuiteLikely5 · 04/05/2016 18:32

If you value your work with this company I would not risk having a go at them for discrimination over a one day event.

Express milk and do it that way?

LindyHemming · 04/05/2016 18:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 04/05/2016 18:34

YABU.

Why should they accommodate your baby?

Rockchick1984 · 04/05/2016 18:34

All that they have to do is allow you to express at intervals, I'd imagine there is very few jobs where you can take your baby on training courses!

As an aside, do you have childcare for the baby while working from home?

Original poster
shiveringhiccup · 04/05/2016 18:36

Lol ok... Looks like IABU then!! Thanks all.

OP posts:
winchester1 · 04/05/2016 18:37

They have to provide you space and time to pump not allow you to bring your baby with you. Can your partner or one of your parents have the baby for the day?

x2boys · 04/05/2016 18:37

Yeah the should have mentioned it but I dint see how it can be discrimination ,I was a nurse when I had my babies and I went back to work when they were around 5 months I didn't breast feed but if I had i,m told they would have had to make provisions to allow mothers to express milk but that's all.

kippersandcustard · 04/05/2016 18:37

They need to provide facilities for you to express or feed your baby in a quiet place, but not for the baby to stay. If you had a friend or relative who could bring the baby in during your lunch break that would be fine. You definitely have no right to keep the baby with you for the day. Sorry but no discrimination there.

RortyCrankle · 04/05/2016 18:38

It isn't just the breastfeeding though is it. If you take your baby into the training room with you, what do you do if he or she starts crying and won't be calmed? You will either miss part of the training trying to deal with your child or it's going to disturb other people who are there to learn.

I don't think they are being discriminatory expecting your attendance for training without your child.

I ran many training courses before i retired and would have given you the same answer.

EmeraldEars · 04/05/2016 18:39

Were you genuinely expecting to be allowed to take your child with you? I don't understand why you would think this would be ok? If that was the case everybody would take their children to work. Confused

Becky546 · 04/05/2016 18:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackforGood · 04/05/2016 18:42

It would have been helpful if they'd mentioned the training day before you applied, but you can't seriously expect to be able to take your child to work with you.

WriteforFun1 · 04/05/2016 18:42

It's rubbish of them not to explain there was a training day but it's not discrimination to say you can't bring your baby.

x2boys · 04/05/2016 18:42

Ok.op has said she was been unreasonable now Hmm

MummyBex1985 · 04/05/2016 18:44

It's not discrimination. YABU.

Lunar1 · 04/05/2016 18:45

Who would look after baby between feeds

x2boys · 04/05/2016 18:46

Ffs she posted she was being unreasonable Hmm

PirateFairy45 · 04/05/2016 18:57

You're wanting to take your baby to work, YABU.

Could you get someone to watch DC for a little while, it's only for a few hours

EmeraldEars · 04/05/2016 18:58

x2boys - I think we all get that she's accepted she's been unreasonable I'm just intrigued as to how she thought it would work.

peggyundercrackers · 04/05/2016 19:02

I was allowed to leave early if needing to bf but during the day I wasn't allowed to bring my child to work to do it - who would look after the child during the times they aren't feeding?Confused I don't think it's discrimination I think you need to adjust your expectations.

Gileswithachainsaw · 04/05/2016 19:06

Did you ask of you can do the training, via Skype or video conference etc.

people apply for jobs because it suits regarding family or illness/disability/location etc so surely can't be a surprise taht people find it difficult to make it in for "training" days that they weren't even pre warned about.

it's all talk amd stats and videos anyway. nothing that couldn't he emailed or uploaded etc