Not allowing heavily pregnant woman to use a loo

[pelvicfloorisnomore]

I’m imminently due my third baby and have a massive bump. Popped to the local coop post school run and as I was checking out was desperate for the loo. My pelvic floor is pretty shot from previous 2 kids, the baby had dropped during the school run walk so I was feeling like I could not wait. The store was empty bar a couple of pensioners. I asked if I could use the staff loo as desperate, there are no other loos nearby and I was unlikely to make it the half a mile home in time. The member of staff said no against policy and I soiled myself before I even made it the front door of the shop. Completely humiliating and had to walk home like that and could have been avoided if a little kindness shown.

AIBU to expect some flexibility in branch policy to accommodate for those in need? It hardly fits with the coop key value of caring for others.

I'm going to hazard a guess that you don't live somewhere where your staff are likely to end up in a dangerous situation because of that choice? Because when you have to make that decision for someone else (as a business as big as the co-op does) you have a duty of care to protect your staff.

I live in a town with about 15000people...I have a choice of 2 supermarkets which deliver and aldi and lidl which don't. Both supermarkets have toilets. Lidl staff allow access to a staff area...not in goods inward.
The next town has about 5,000 inhabitants and is quite spread out. It has a small supermarket, a cafe which does allow access to toilets. Pubs not open in the morning. Schools can be quite a distance from housing. No public transport. I can imagine op lives somewhere like this. Except the small supermarket staff seem likely to be understanding.

A lot of our shops here have the same rules however a manager can usually decides to overrule. I’ve been allowed when pregnant, just after having baby and also for nappy explosions. My older children have been allowed also once managers approve.

Usually the staff member says they can’t allow due to insurance but they’ll seek approval from manager and it’s allowed.

So sorry this happened to you 😭

A lot of our shops here have the same rules however a manager can usually decides to overrule. I’ve been allowed when pregnant, just after having baby and also for nappy explosions. My older children have been allowed also once managers approve.

Usually the staff member says they can’t allow due to insurance but they’ll seek approval from manager and it’s allowed.

So sorry this happened to you 😭

But how do you know it's not a fact? You haven't provided any evidence either.

What difference does it make that they see you several mornings a week? You don’t work there!

If they let pregnant women use the staff toilet, then why not young children? And pensioners? And people with health conditions? So it has to be 'no' to everybody. And that's without the security concerns and the need for you to be accompanied.

They often do let young children and people with some medical conditions use them. I used my discretion.

I know it is not fact because no company would have insurance that only covered the public in public areas. Why take the risk? Also, as many posters have pointed out some shops will let the public use toilets in some circumstances including the coop. That wouldn't happen if no insurance.

If there is so much demand from all of these diverse groups then all the more reason to invest in customer loos!

@wombat15 forget about the insurance thing. Let that go 😂
The majority of the time it will be because there simply isn't enough staff to escort someone to the backshop and leave the shop floor understaffed.

You don't know that and even if it was the case why not just say that to OP? I just find it quite bizarre how people are so willing to defend the staff when they don't actually know they had a good reason and also to have a go at OP.

I understand that there may be reasons they'd rather not, but it's a shame we're living in a time when people can't use common sense, in addition to demonstrating a basic level of compassion. If someone's standing in your shop or other business and seems desperately in need of a loo, I'd rather bend the rules than have them lose control of their bladder (and then possibly have to clean up after them).

@wombat15 no I don't know if that was the reason in the OPs case but I do know that many many retailers are running on incredibly small amounts of staff.

@wombat15 not that it's your business but I often also have to find toilets quickly while out and about but I know not to ask staff in shops because I know the simple logistics of there being a member of staff available to escort me is unlikely.
To me that just seems so obvious. Sales staff can't leave the sales floor of a shop when the shop is open. Does that need to be explained to the regular public? It seems just so obvious.
Maybe it isn't 🤔

Staff toilets are private and not for public use.

The staff member does not have to provide a 'good' reason to anyone wishing to use them, even though it's easy to think of several such reasons.

They aren't going to let the public in general obviously. Many companies and certainly chemist shops we'll let people with specific medical conditions, heavily pregnant women and small children used toilets though. The co op does usually too.

They don't have to but if they don't have a good reason it is not nice to refuse if someone is heavily pregnant.

I am sorry you had an awful experience .

i can understand how you feel - however the biggest problem firstly there is likely only one staff , or one doing delivery - you would need to be escorted.

I have absolutely no doubt that you are genuinel , however lots of people aren’t - I work in the city centre - you would be amazed how often children are used for theft . Distraction whilst someone else steals which is where insurance and blanket policies come from .
shops are at the bear bones of staff . There definitely isn’t spare staff to take staff to the toilet.

If you've read this thread thus far, you must know very well that there are many 'good reasons' to deny use of private toilets in a shop to a member of the public, pregnant or not. It's unfortunate for the OP, but the shop assistant is not required to justify the policy to her.

my point was trying to help the op as the question was posed by the op to begin with on how they could of planned better

Perhaps OP should write to Co-op head office and see what they think. It doesn't fit with their stated values and they do say they accept "can't wait" cards for example.

@wombat15 where you work must have a decent amount of staff then
As I said upthread - many small convenience shops like the co op frequently have just one or two member of staff there.

Absolutely it's due to insurance and security where I work. Our toilets are next to a massive stock room, and expecting a member of staff to chaperone would have it's own issues (safeguarding etc). It just wouldn't be worth my job to go against the policy.

Erm, yes they do. It might also cover things like staffing levels on the shop floor, which would be affected by escorting a customer to the toilets.
Different shops have different rules because different shops have different layouts, facilities and staffing levels.