To think work are taking the piss now

[DelphineCormier]

Posted another thread a few weeks ago and don't really want to go into all that again, but brief summary, my boss tried to cancel my booked holiday two days in advance because colleague 1 had been forced to take early maternity leave unexpectedly. Couldn't persuade anyone else to cover the shift so told me I would have to cancel my holiday booked for that day as my cover was needed to cover colleague 1. I had worked xmas day on the basis I would get this day off, eventual outcome was colleague 2 was persuaded to cover my shift. Maternity cover for colleague 1 eventually started a week later, boss had struggled finding cover.

Colleague 3 is also pregnant, and has just put in a request to start early maternity leave. Boss is freaking out slightly over this as colleague 3 had said she would start maternity leave much later iyswim, colleague 1 was early but not this early. Cover has been found, but will not do weekend shifts. I have been 'asked' if I will take on colleague 3's Sunday shift until an alternative solution is found. I am allowed to say no, although colleague 3 and other colleagues are putting a lot of pressure on me to do this.

I already work Saturday mornings and am a single parent. Not left with a lot of time when I would actually see my child if I were also working Sundays! I would get another half day off during the week but no guarantee what hours this will be. Childcare on Sundays would be an absolute nightmare. No one else works both days at the weekend, and lots don't work weekends at all. AIBU to tell them to ask pressurise someone else?

Is anyone else hoping that OP isn't at work??

Well done on saying no & forwarding the email to HR.

I've said it before but I don't understand the workplace culture! Resourcing is a management issue and it's not for the pregnant colleague to need to find cover to begin may leave.she should have submitted her request and then if her circumstances have changed request an earlier date or if unwell be signed off by a GP. It's absolutely bizarre that colleagues are putting each other under pressure. Fair enough if it was a shift swap request but if someone is told "no" that should be the end of it

No, I haven't been called in!!! I have my work phone but am not checking emails/messages, if it's anything urgent they will call and they seem to have worked out that I will not be covering on Sundays. I have made clear that if they try to change my shift pattern I will be looking for another job. Pregnant colleague was threatening to take it to HR yesterday, so I imagine she will be doing that today.

She is asking for next week to be her last week, which puts her at leaving about 6 weeks earlier than planned. No medical reason that I know of and I think she would have shouted about it given how vocal she has been about the whole thing. Said in her email that I am putting myself and my child's needs ahead of hers as a pregnant woman. Well yes, I am I do have a union, I will involve them as a last resort but work seem to have stopped pushing me for Sundays. Pregnant colleague has not. I get the impression she has been told she cannot take her early leave until cover is sorted and is trying to push me into filling the gap IYSWIM. I doubt I am the only one she is doing this to.

I do have a union

Thank god for that - also that you've not had any more pressure from them today (though you're absolutely doing the right thing not to check your phone)

I don't know if "3" is planning to blame you yet again when she gets to HR, but anyway that's their problem. Given her appalling email to you, if she pushes this too far I imagine they might even start looking at ways to avoid having her back; maternity issues might be protected, but acting like a twat certainly isn't (at least, not yet )

Keep sending the emails to hr

Tell them that whilst you understand she may be feeling stressed due to the pregnancy, she is bordering on harassment and it needs to be made clear to her that her maternity cover arrangements are her employers alone

They would be mad to jeopardise your position as you seem the only one they can rely on!!

Wow your pregnant colleague sounds unhinged.

Definitely escalate and report her emails, although your workplace management sounds fairly useless and won't do much about it.

If she emails again would email her back and tell her you're forwarding all of her emails to management and not to contact you again.

I'm also wondering if it would be worth clueing the union in on what's happening ... not to take any immediate action, necessarily, but just to have things on record as they develop

Apart from anything else, it's often easier to explain what's going on at the time, rather than trying to recall details later

The whole thing is insane. I know she is taking leave early but who was going to cover her shifts when she was supposed to be going on leave? IF the cover they have employed doesn't cover all of the necessary shifts, then they haven't found cover!!

Wow number 3 is delightful! Obvs her unborn child's needs are far more important than your DD's

I totally sympathise op! I also work in health care and I'm a single mum. I work every other weekend which suits me as his dad works the opposite weekend to me. I also get pressured to work extra shifts which used to bother me. Now I just say no and don't give a reason why. If asked why I just say it doesn't fit in with my son who comes first. I always help out whenever I can and have the youngest child out of everyone there. Even if you didn't have a DD to consider they shouldn't be pressuring you. I get asked less now since I asked my manager politely if she wanted to pay for childcare as then I may consider it!

Tbh it sounds like management aren't doing their jobs properly by not recruiting adequate cover. They're pressuring you to take the heat off of them!

I'd also question management, if they raise it again, as to why this seems to be particularly your problem? Are they putting the same pressure on your other colleagues? Seems bizarre that you appear to be beating the brunt of this from every angle...

Say you can't work Sundays for religious reasons - I'm sure I read something somewhere that this is a real thing!

Other than that just say no - you do a weekend shift. You work the hours employed to work and cannot commit to changing them.
There may well be people looking for a Sunday shift only type job (if it's type of job uni student/college student could do) and I'd suggest to boss to advertises to that market with employment opportunities.

I remember your last thread op.
What was the outcome? Did you end up working that shift?
Your work sound awful TBH and I would be looking for a new job!

I think it comes down to that for years I was flexible, and that we do have a culture of occasional shift swapping, but emphasis on the occasional. It's definitely not a regular occurrence. I also had to take unexpectedly early maternity leave when I had DD, this was years ago, but I don't know if there's an element of I should understand. Very different circumstances though. I really don't think I'm the only one who's being pressurised over this, but I'm conscious that if I start discussing it with others that could get nasty very quickly.

It's not something a student could do unfortunately. Ideally we need someone covering all of the maternity leave rather than a staff member working Sundays only, but honestly I think we need anyone qualified at this point. Outcome of the Christmas shift thing was I got the day off as planned in the end, though it was far more painful than it needed to be.

My worry at the moment is what happens if boss decides on a rota system to cover Sundays, as that is going to be a total nightmare. I don't think there's much chance of them forcing me to do it personally, but I can see them moving to a rota if pregnant colleague keeps pushing to go early.

I guess a lot would hinge on how often each person on the rota was expected to cover? If there's a shortage of staff, though, it might just kick the problem down the road - and that's without factoring in future expectations that you'll cover for others yet again

Wouldn't it be easier in the end just to look for another job, and free yourself from these idiots?

Good for you standing up for yourself and your dd. I would speak to your union for advice on handling this and the possibility of a forced Rota though so you know where you stand before any further hassle occurs. What a selfish disorganised bunch of twats your work are. Is job hunting an option for you?

I'm glad you're standing firm, OP. Your colleague is completely out of order. Of course your child's needs take priority over her needs. You are her mother, and Sundays are your only full days with her. And on top of that, why should you have to pay for childcare for a day you are scheduled to be at home with her.

I hope HR take action against the colleague for harassing you.

Checked my work email this evening. I've had another ranting email from her which got quite personal, so I will be making a formal complaint about her tomorrow morning. Not sure I even want to face her tomorrow in all honesty.

Good luck.

Remember that you haven't actually done anything wrong! Hold your head up high- they are bullying you.

That's outrageous. How dare she! So cross for you.

Good grief, this woman is thick.

She should get to go on early maternity leave because she should be sacked for harassment!

That's totally unacceptable.

I'm sure you don't need telling this but remember to keep completely polite and professional in your dealings with her and do not respond to her insulting and hurtful statements in the same tone.

Though it's the managers that are to blame for this - they should not be making this mess either your problem or your colleague's. She should just go off work when she needs to and shucks to the lot of them.

I was quite a long way into my own pregnancy before I knew I was pregnant. She is actually still slightly behind I was when I found out. Appreciate that sounds strange, she is requesting to go very early and I had no symptoms and was probably in denial in hindsight. Believe me, I got a lot of stick for it at the time. So her argument now is that I can't relate and if I understood I would take her Sunday shift. Not something I really want to be dragged up in that context.

a little bewildered as to why she doesn't just get her doctor to sign her off at this point if she is finding work so stressful, we would have to come up with an immediate solution then. Current tactic isn't going to get her off early if boss keeps insisting we need to sort her cover first. Tempted to say I won't be coming in until I can speak to HR at this point.

I also remember your other thread. Colleague 3 is a nasty bully and I'm sorry you've been on the receiving end of her email abuse. I hope she gets a formal warning for her behaviour. You sound like you've been a great employee and now they're taking advantage of your good nature.

I'm wondering if you like your job and in general, if you're happy there. It may time to move on so you don't have to deal with their poor management affecting all aspects of your work and personal life.

Could they offer Sundays up as overtime? If they were to offer additional pay (double time or such like) it may become more appealing to you or other staff.