Pregnant, not allowed to eat at my desk

[elm26]

Hi

Our manager is well known for having what we call "one of her days" where she gets picky with us.

I work in a team of 17 in an office and have my own desk. I'm 26 weeks pregnant and already working reduced hours as I've suffered hyperemesis since 6 weeks.

Today, she's announced that none of us are allowed to eat at our desks any longer as one banana skin was left in one of the bins overnight and she's told us about this and it makes her feel sick.

I've explained to her in private that if I don't pick/nibble at dry crackers at my desk I will be sick. It's the only thing that stops it. I'm still not allowed to eat.

She's refused my mat b1 form and wants the original which my midwife told me not to give as they can't issue another one if it gets lost, I offered a photocopy but she wants the original one.

What can I do in this situation???

[tattygrl]

Today I learnt that bananas are considered a smelly food!! 😄

Admittedly there was a room at my old workplace that had a rancid smell that I could only ever describe it as pungent bananas. I associate that smell only with over-ripe ones left in a room too long, though.

Anyway, OP, well done!! I hope your sickness clears up soon.

[roarfeckingroarr]

@elm26

Hi

Our manager is well known for having what we call "one of her days" where she gets picky with us.

I work in a team of 17 in an office and have my own desk. I'm 26 weeks pregnant and already working reduced hours as I've suffered hyperemesis since 6 weeks.

Today, she's announced that none of us are allowed to eat at our desks any longer as one banana skin was left in one of the bins overnight and she's told us about this and it makes her feel sick.

I've explained to her in private that if I don't pick/nibble at dry crackers at my desk I will be sick. It's the only thing that stops it. I'm still not allowed to eat.

She's refused my mat b1 form and wants the original which my midwife told me not to give as they can't issue another one if it gets lost, I offered a photocopy but she wants the original one.

What can I do in this situation???

They can issue another MATB1. I had to get one after HR lost mine.

[Catspyjamas17]

Just tell her to do one. There are other jobs and sacking you while pregnant is not a good look. If she makes trouble, join a union and get them to kick her arse.

[lieselotte]

Gosh she really does sound like my old boss. With people like that you have to put everything in writing to protect yourself.

[lieselotte]

@monitor1

I think you do have to hand over your original Mat B1 - you can keep a copy for yourself

Yes I think this is true. I handed over my original Mat B1, anyway.

[SallySunrise]

If there's a radiator in her office hide an old banana down in.

[HedgeWitchy]

Just eat them, explain why, calmly carry on. It’s fuss and noise

[Thatcatisdrivingmenuts]

It doesn't matter what you like, @sianiboo : the law is the law.

[sianiboo]

I banned bananas from our small office when I was a manager, as one of the staff kept bringing in banana sandwiches, and as we didn't have a fridge, by the time lunchtime came around they stank to high heaven...and he didn't have manners enough not to eat them in the office!

Even now the smell of bananas makes me hurl. Haven't been able to eat one since, and that was 35 years ago!

Saying 'no smelly food - no curries, no chilli, no fucking bananas' would have made more sense in this situation.

[OutofEverything]

I would personally just let everyone know in the office that you are really sorry but you need to eat to stop yourself being sick. You have explained that but she still refuses to let you eat.
Then I would just let myself be sick. If she does not like a banana skin in a bin I wonder how she will feel about vomit?
I would also be collecting evidence for a pregnancy discrimination suit - contact Pregnant and Screwed for advice.

[gritdiamond]

Maybe throw up on her desk and see what she prefers

[doadeer]

What can she do if you eat the cracker, she sounds like an absolute tyrant. I would keep eating them and say it you don't you're going to vomit. You poor thing

[Trixielo]

She’s a total control freak! And I’ve never heard of anyone hoovering the office each evening! Glad you’ve got permission to eat OP and hope the rest of your pregnancy goes well without too much puking.

[IMustDoMoreExercise]

@elm26

I don't know if it definitely was.

It's not my job to tell people what they can and can't do, I'm not a manager. I get paid to do my work and then go home.

If I saw somebody about to do it I'd obviously remind them to save them getting in trouble but I'm not going to police the bins.

And yes, you aren't the manager but the manager won't tell new starters so surely it makes sense for someone else to do it so that you all have an easier life? It will only take a minute each time you have a new starter.

[monitor1]

I think you do have to hand over your original Mat B1 - you can keep a copy for yourself

[IMustDoMoreExercise]

@elm26

I don't know if it definitely was.

It's not my job to tell people what they can and can't do, I'm not a manager. I get paid to do my work and then go home.

If I saw somebody about to do it I'd obviously remind them to save them getting in trouble but I'm not going to police the bins.

Where did I say that you should police the bins? Surely it makes sense to have a list for new starters otherwise a similar thing will happen again and everyone will suffer?

If you can't be bothered to do it then fine, but surely it will help everyone (you included).

If you don't care then just carry on complaining on MN each time your manager is unreasonable!

[lieselotte]

@Tekkentime

People like this make going to work unpleasant for so many.

Somehow they always have some small amount of power and despite clearly not being right for the job, never get fired. Everyone else eventually quits instead.

Yes my micromanaging boss is still there. Goodness knows how.

[lieselotte]

Someone went home because she didn't like their perfume? Wtaf

I actually have more sympathy with this, certain perfumes are awful.

[Tekkentime]

People like this make going to work unpleasant for so many.

Somehow they always have some small amount of power and despite clearly not being right for the job, never get fired. Everyone else eventually quits instead.

[lieselotte]

Tell her to bog off, you can't be told you can't eat non-smelly things at your desk. Whether pregnant or not.

If someone said this to me, I'd tell them to stop micromanaging me and remind them I was an adult. There are limits.

I had a boss who told me to print something off instead of working off a screen. I told her I wasn't a trainee, and would work in the way that suited my way of working. She wasn't impressed, but she backed down.

[StrawBeretMoose]

Keep breadsticks up your sleeves and eat those!
Seriously though, I'd email her so you have a written record and if she persists then email back asking if she can confirm that she's refusing to make reasonable short term adjustments due to pregnancy related illness.

Could the whole team do a mass eat at desks demo, see her explode!

[DaveyJonesLocker]

Just eat at your desk. What's she going to do? She can't legally do anything because you need to, she can't sack you. She's on a little power trip and someone needs to put a stop to it.

Someone went home because she didn't like their perfume? Wtaf?

[Madamecastafiore]

Be sick on her shoes. It's a bigger to get out and may just hammer home your point.

[Pirrin]

Banana needs to go in kitchen bin, not unreasonable. But the hypocrisy that this must be adhered to primarily because it makes her feel sick, whilst having zero empathy for the fact that you also wanted to not feel sick at work is ridiculous!

[AlbertaAnnie]

She is ridiculous- I can’t beilbe she works in HR as she is breaking the law - you are entitled to reasonable adjustments- if she won’t do this you can take her to employment tribunal and go off on the sick.