Work - 5 days a week and never given two days off in a row

[LordyLady]

Hello ladies! Hope you're all feeeling good. I'm new here and seeking a bit of advice...

I work in a (extremely understaffed) gallery and we've had a sh*t rota since summer when two people left. We rarely get two days off in a row, and now I'm preggers (11weeks +2) I'm knackered and getting more angry about it.

My boss has so far been really understanding, letting me come in late due to horrendous ms and giving me a post that means three times a week my hours are a bit reduced. The thing is I live 200 miles from my mum and can't every go and see her due to the no weekends! It's hard enough to catch up with friends I have here. I've been offered a week off in Jan but am a bit reluctant to take annual leave when I might need it later down the line when I'm a hefferlump.

I feel a bit like I'm a moaning g*t and being unreasonable...or am I? Any advice would be fab, oh wise ones

Should add that I've already raised this issue with my boss and have kind of been palmed off with the 'we have no money for staff' and 'take a week off' lines....hmmmm

Do you have a permanent contract or are you a temp worker?

Hi Chineapple, I'm a permanent member of staff with contract n all :)

Hi Lordy, do you know what your contract states in regards to holiday entitlement? I know it probably won't stipulate that you should have more than one day in a row off, but it does seem a bit grim not to have consecutive days. Having more than a single day at a time is NOT an unreasonable request IMO. Perhaps the Citizens Advice Bureau could help you out? When you start delving into employment law and employment contracts it's a bloody minefield! It's all so blooming subjective and "open to interpretation" that you'll be spinning like a top before long.
Sorry, not much help, I know :)

it sounds to me like they are trying to be pretty accomodating with late starts and shorter hours. i've always had lots of energy in my pregnancies though and am still doing 7am starts and 10 hour days in week 38. everyone's tolerance level is different, but at least it sounds like your boss is making some effort.

No, not at all! Every bit of advice helps :)

It's crappy isn't it? And hard to swallow when my boss is off from Thursday to Monday every single f-ing week . My contract is extremely basic but I'll check again about holiday entitlement, which I'm loathe to use before I'm hot and fat in June!

A trip to CAB is a good idea for some advice, and I feel there may be mutiny on the bounty soon as each member of staff gets more and more hacked off with it all. You are right about employment law, it's a bloomin minefield... I'm tempted to drop one day but the pay is so diabolical and it'll affect my maternity entitlement that I'll just be shooting myself in the foot.

I'm soooooo jealous of every expectant mum who doesn't have to work right now!!

I work 6 days on and 4 days off, which probably sounds great, but I work 9 and 10 hour shifts, which is exhausting. Sitting at a computer for that length of time is rotting my brain. :) I feel for you though. At least I can "get things done" and visit the in-laws on a 4 day break. One day is a bit limiting :(

If your standing etc most of the day tell them your starting to get physical pain and need 2 days of to make sure your resting yourself properly.
If they haven't got the staff, why are they offering you holidays? surely arranging it so you can have 2 days off, even in the week would be easier?

To look on the bright side - you may well be less tired after the 12 week mark especially when ms vanishes. You could start planning annual leave now so it is spaced out - work backwards from when you plan to leave work. Don't attempt to hold out til June!

Is everyone on the same contract terms? If so I doubt you would have much chance of a better shift pattern. But it's worth talking to HR or CAB about what they can reasonably manage.

Can you mum come and visit you?

I agree working is tough in pregnancy! My work have been fantastic but it's still been hard especially after 34 weeks. I stopped at 36 and couldn't have managed another day, I was so exhausted.

Good luck!

It's a horrible situation to be in, but I worked in a bank which opened mon-sat (obviously sat was busiest day of the week) and closed Sunday, so very rare to have 2 consecutive days off in that situation either. Rather than taking a full week off, could yo book 1 day holiday next to your day off so that you get the 2 days together? You could do this 5 times and have only used a week's holiday. If you were lucky or timed it well, you could possibly have 3 days off in a row eg mon and wed as days off, take tue as holiday. Personally I wouldn't be too eager to cause a massive issue out of it as it sounds like your boss is already being very accommodating with you. As said earlier, you are fast approaching 2nd trimester so hopefully you will start feeling better soon.

ACAS have a very good website and also a phone help line. Will save you a trip to Citizens Advice. They were brilliant when I was having work probs.

I'm contracted to 5 days out of 7 so rarely get 2 days off together, and did 2 pregnancies on this contract

I took advantage of the fact that I had a full year's holiday entitlement to take before I went on mat leave -so a full year in 7 months for me

I would take 2 days off as holiday every 2 or 3 weeks and it made a huge difference

arguing that you need 2 days off together as you need the rest doesn't stack up as it generally means that you have to work more consecutive days to then get the 2 days off so it's swings and roundabouts really

congratulations x

Hi everyone, thanks for your advice and help. We've just been told it's looking highly likely the gallery is closing down completely in March next year so now I have to deal with being pregnant and potentially having no maternity pay. If only I could go back in time and never have taken this job! Things have improved a bit with my boss moving me to a different role with less hours and we talked about the days off - she's going to sort it for next year as much as possible. Unfortunately I don't have much holiday left (3 days!) so I can't really use it for extra days off. Let's see how things go eh? As if having your first baby isn't stressful enough