To ask if you would stay here?

[portalooprobs]

I work for a large organisation and we are a community event today until 5pm doing promotional work. It’s outdoors and on a field, we have a stall. I agreed to work it presuming there would be toilet facilities as there is a community centre nearby but it’s closed. There are portaloos but they look as though they have not been cleaned in years. I have honestly never seen toilets in a worse condition, I will spare you the details but everything disgusting that you could imagine and more - encrusted, flies, no soap or hand washing.

I’m 8 months pregnant and due to go on maternity leave quite soon. I agreed to work today over a month ago thinking it would be a bit of overtime but regretting this now, entirely because of the toilet conditions. I need the toilet every half an hour as baby is sitting low and with feet in my bladder. There are no other facilities near. I feel as though leaving for this reason is pretty weak though as ordinarily I’d be happy to stay and just put up with it.

AIBU to leave early?

Initially I was going to say stay until you mentioned your pregnancy which has changed my mind. If it was me I would probably make an excuse about feeling unwell. At your stage rubbing your bump and saying you are getting some twinges will probably be enough.

Do you think it’s not worth just being honest about the condition of the facilities? My manager isn’t in today but I’ll have to tell her on Monday. I sense they might be privately thinking I am starting to be flaky. I’m away almost every week now with something, be it a midwife appointment, hospital appointment or trip to triage.

It would be easy to say I just didn’t feel well but I also don’t want them to have a bad impression of me when I return from maternity

I would definitely leave and be clear why - you don’t need to go rubbing your bump and blaming your pregnancy. Just say ‘these working conditions aren’t acceptable’.

Photograph the toilets and contact your manager
Having to use filthy facilities is disgraceful.

I’ve googled it and there’s a leisure centre about half a mile away that I could walk to but not the nicest area to walk through, I’d have no idea where I’d be going so would be following maps on my phone. Probably takes 30 minutes there and back on foot but not sure about leaving the stall unmanned for that long, plus not much point I guess if I’m only going to need it again when I get back.

"The toilet facilities here are not fit for humans to use. I am 8 months pregnant so would likely be needing to use the facilities much more regularly than others. I won't put myself at risk of infection by using filthy, uncleared toilets so I'm leaving now."

Agree re photographing the toilets and saying you can't use them, especially when pregnant. Also, you don't need to feel flakey or guilty about having regular hospital or midwife appointments - you're heavily pregnant, it's what happens!

Thank you. Been to take some photos. I’ll save the more graphic photos but this is the empty hand sanitiser dispenser in one of the toilets…

Thank you

If you just left would that mean the stall would be unattended. Would you have to pack it up?

Yes we would, as one person can’t stay alone all day as no lone working once we get back to the office

Not a fucking chance in that loo - and I'm a slattern when it comes to housework

Email the photos to your managers and tell them that the facilities are not fit for use

Be honest. I wouldn't stay, and I'm not pregnant. Employers need to understand employee safety, especially for pregnant women.

I wouldn't stay and I'm not pregnant!
That's disgusting, if they can't provide proper, clean facilities then it's a straight no from me.

Contact your manager, say you need to leave and does he/she wish to take your place?

I would contact your manager and tell the truth and ask what you should do. If you just leave it will not go down well. I would also send your manager the pictures now.

I just left in the end, we said sickness and didn’t tell the organisers of the event why. Will give manager real reason. They aren’t working themselves so probably won’t want to get into a discussion over it at the weekend

I wouldn't have stayed or gone to that loo, pregnant or not

Please be honest and the words unfit for humans are appropriate. In fact it is disability discrimination. Although Matt Hancock seemed to brush it off when asked at a Covid press conference, access to a functioning toilet is essential for many people with varying conditions.

Oh I’ll definitely be honest to my manager next week. It’s out of their control really, as externally organised, but just hoping they won’t be annoyed I chose to leave

I don't think anyone with any sense would be annoyed you left. I would have left even when not pregnant!

Also, you are entitled to maternity appointments from your employer and should never feel guilty about taking them. Look at the website pregnant then screwed for tips on how to ensure you are being properly treated by your employer during pregnancy and once on maternity leave. It's a protected characteristic so you should not ever feel like you need to apologise.

I hope none of the stalls involved food considering there are no hand washing facilities!