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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Only pregnant one out of my colleagues... aibu ?

54 replies

karmacoma1 · 18/12/2016 20:15

Back story - work in an office 9-5 with 6 other, non-pregnant people.

At Christmas, our work drops dramatically, so we have the option of going to the local company warehouse to help out, which was agreed for us all to do last week.

I agreed to do and see how I got on (I'm 7 months pregnant) on arriving at the warehouse, I made them aware I was pregnant - however there was no health and safety guidance for me, or any of my colleagues, and by the end of the shift my hips were in agony, so I called and spoke to my manager and said I would have to work for the office for the rest of the week.

So for the rest of the week, I went in to the office and worked 9-5. This is a little annoying is because one of the 'perks' of the warehouse outing is they only work 10-2pm - effectively half a day. But I sucked it up, and went with it.

On Friday as I was in on my own, all my colleagues phones were going non-stop, I had to deal with all their customers issues, whilst they were out, effectively on a half day. Infuriating, but again I thought well they will all be back in Monday.

Then my manager got a call from them asking if they could work a further 3/4 days this week at the warehouse, leaving me on my own again - and he agreed!!! I pointed out I didn't think this was fair - last week was arranged, but this isn't on - they have customer issues to deal with, I don't see why I should have to do that for them
Whilst they effectively only work half days.

He couldn't see my point, so now I'm left feeling extremely resentful.

Aibu?!

OP posts:

Floralnomad · 18/12/2016 20:19

YABU , you are doing the job that you are being paid to do ,hardly their fault that you can't take advantage of the 'perk' .

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 18/12/2016 20:21

Hmm, as much as I believe they should have risk assessed you before you carried out warehouse work, you did actually request to go back to the office setting so YAB a bit U. You really shouldn't be doing work in pregnancy that results in pain in your lower body.

When you say warehouse work is 10am-2pm will they get paid the same as you for doing fewer hours?

Allthewaves · 18/12/2016 20:23

Yabu. You can't do the work in the warehouse, you said this is the usual procedure when office is quiet. If you need more help in the office then say to your manager

Original poster

karmacoma1 · 18/12/2016 20:24

@cherry yes, they will be paid as normal for the warehouse work as if they were in the office full time.

OP posts:

PeteSwotatoes · 18/12/2016 20:26

Why do they only work a half day?

Astro55 · 18/12/2016 20:26

Take a day off and rest - or two -

I would approach the boss with - the customers are complaining because -
Rather than I can't cope

RichardBucket · 18/12/2016 20:27

YABU

Who would be answering the phones if you weren't there?

Go back to the warehouse but only do as much work as you can, taking frequent breaks.

Pumpkintopf · 18/12/2016 20:27

Seems ridiculous to send all your colleagues to the warehouse if they have customer issues to deal with-have you made your manager aware of the volume?? Also your company was being very unreasonable not doing an expectant mothers risk assessment before deploying you to warehouse work.

Original poster

karmacoma1 · 18/12/2016 20:27

@ waves - I have spoken to him that I need more help - he doesn't seem to think I do. I accept the week that was agreed for us to go there, I had to come back to work in the office - my choice.

But now their adding extra days in, which is never what was agreed.

OP posts:

youngestisapsycho · 18/12/2016 20:28

YANBU if you are the only one in the office and you are having to cover everyone else's work?!

Bubbinsmakesthree · 18/12/2016 20:29

What would be happening to all these customer issues if you were working in the warehouse with the others?

RichardBucket · 18/12/2016 20:29

karmacoma1 Why should the managers have to agree anything with you? Are you a manager?

Your expectations seem very strange.

icy121 · 18/12/2016 20:29

Sorry YABU. You couldn't cope with warehouse work, they didn't force you to do it.

icy121 · 18/12/2016 20:32

Posted too soon. They employ you to work office hours in an office. The fact you can't do the 'better' warehouse work is just one of those things. Please don't play the "I'm pregnant it's not fair" card in this case; you can't physically do the 'perk' work, that is not their problem. Be glad to have the office to yourself! I love being alone in the office

UnderbeneathsiesTheMistletoe · 18/12/2016 20:46

If you are in pain, go to your GP and get signed off.
You may have aggravated your pelvis, and need to rest.

VimFuego101 · 18/12/2016 20:50

YABU - but in terms of answering phone calls, you can only do as much as you can do, just do your best and take messages. Presumably if you'd been at the warehouse too there would have been nobody answering phones at all.

Poppyred85 · 18/12/2016 20:52

Please don't go to your GP just to get signed off. You can self certificate for 7 days without a doctor's note.

estateagentfromhell · 18/12/2016 20:54

You would have a case for indirect discrimination on the grounds of yur pregnancy.

There is a perk available to all, but you are unable to take advantage of it due to your pregnancy. Were you not pregnant, I am sure you would have gladly taken on the warehouse work.

The question is, is it worth your while to make a 'thing' of it? If it is only for another few days, I'd be inclined to suck it up, but there seems to be a wider issue in your workplace around their ignorance of employment law.

I'm guessing small-ish company with no HR department? To be honest, I think there is little in it for you to complain, but I'd be very concerned that this ignorance would persist into your mat leave and beyond. Do you really think this is the place for you long-term?

danTDM · 18/12/2016 20:54

YABU and annoying.

AliceInUnderpants · 18/12/2016 20:54

Are you actually having to do extra, or just your usual 9-5 contracted hours?

estateagentfromhell · 18/12/2016 21:00

Are you actually having to do extra, or just your usual 9-5 contracted hours?

This isn't the point, the fact is that others are being allowed to take half days, but OP is not.

estateagentfromhell · 18/12/2016 21:02

I do think its a valid question to ask what they would do if you had not been pg and therefore able to take up the warehouse role?

Would they have left the office completely unstaffed?

alltoomuchrightnow · 18/12/2016 21:07

yabu

SouthWestmom · 18/12/2016 21:24

I don't think it's a perk though is it; the main thing is they are covering other duties due to work load and as an aside they have shorter days. The half days aren't a perk being offered, they are incidental.

SienaSun · 18/12/2016 21:25

YANBU at all. It's indirect sex discrimination.
You are unable to do the warehouse work due to your pregnancy so do not have the opportunity to work the shorter hours being offered to all the other staff.

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