Work being slightly difficult

[MollySxx]

So to cut a long story short and I've posted my threads about my struggles with pregnancy losses. But I am now nearly 7 weeks, I had a scan on Thursday that showed heartbeat and was all in line and fine for this stage.

When I found out I was pregnant again I had a slight meltdown, my doctor signed me off work for 2 weeks leading up to my scan so I could rest. I asked to not put on the note pregnancy as I didn't want work knowing incase I had another miscarriage and it's just hard going in and explaining.

My note has now ran out and im back to work tomorrow. I won't give away where I work, but it's a supermarket and it's a LOT of work and the company wants your blood sweat and tears. I've spoke to my boss (she's new) after the scan and I've explained and I've also explained the medication I'm on and it's not your standard straight forward pregnant and all jolly. I've got a note off my doctor to explain light duties and not to work late night shifts. For example you could start at 12:30pm and not be out till 11pm. She's basically dismissed that note and said she didn't need it, and as of late nights she's said I have to. She's unwilling to cater to someone who can't work stock. She's now offered me to be the new cleaner but stay on my contract hours. But then followed with the bins are heavy duty but can I manage. It's really starting to frustrate me because she's not listening at all. She goes 100 miles a minute and I got about 3 words in our conversation. She also said when I have scans and I'm put in work can I get my shift covered before going to her about it. Which is fair. She then followed with its hassle but she'll let me go. Oh thank you for letting me go to my own scan🙄 I'm already dreading going back tomorrow

I work at a supermarket too and to me sounds like she’s being unreasonable. I’d read up in your company policy about your rights while pregnant and if you are part of your union at work see what they say about your rights. There are government websites about pregnancy and rights such as www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights which states you have a right to paid time off for appointments. I would definitely look into what you are entitled to and go from there.

I don’t understand the late nights thing though. What’s the difference between being able to work in the day and unable to work when it’s dark?

@PotteringAlong have you ever worked a late/night shift? It completely changed your body clock for starters, different eating and sleeping times.

She can't over-rule a GP note, you need to go over her head immediately, to HR if necessary, and fuck her response to it. The only important thing is you and your baby. Remember if you died, a job advert would be placed before your funeral. Your employer doesn't care about you, so give no fucks about them.

@NS1988

I work at a supermarket too and to me sounds like she’s being unreasonable. I’d read up in your company policy about your rights while pregnant and if you are part of your union at work see what they say about your rights. There are government websites about pregnancy and rights such as www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights which states you have a right to paid time off for appointments. I would definitely look into what you are entitled to and go from there.

@NS1988 please excuse me for sounding naive, but how would I go about joining a union? Around 2 years ago a girl was pregnant in my work and she joined a union because our boss at the time was an arsehole. And after that they basically bowed down to her. I think I need to look into it because the company is honestly corrupt. So many people have handed their notice in lately and she used flag as her excuse. She said she doesn't have the head count to cater to my needs if it doesn't benefit her

@toomuchfaster

She can't over-rule a GP note, you need to go over her head immediately, to HR if necessary, and fuck her response to it. The only important thing is you and your baby. Remember if you died, a job advert would be placed before your funeral. Your employer doesn't care about you, so give no fucks about them.

This

@PotteringAlong

I don’t understand the late nights thing though. What’s the difference between being able to work in the day and unable to work when it’s dark?

@PotteringAlong it's not about understanding. It's down to the fact I'm on medication for this pregnancy and it needs a routine. There isn't going to be a routine if I'm out the house 13 hours at a time. Day shifts aren't that long and it would allow a routine for me

[quote Sassymcsasserson]@PotteringAlong have you ever worked a late/night shift? It completely changed your body clock for starters, different eating and sleeping times. [/quote]
@Sassymcsasserson thank you for this! It really does mess up stuff. If I wasn't pregnant I wouldn't care. But I am and it's not a straight forward pregnancy

What would light duties be working at a supermarket? Will it be working on a check out? I'm just wondering how feasible it is for you to do light duties and wondering if it would've been easier for you to get signed off?
It's up to you if you answer of course but is the reason for the time off and the note due to anxiety relating to your previous miscarriages or is there something physically wrong with you or baby? If it is the former your boss could be thinking that you're only 7 weeks so what are the other 30 weeks going to entail. Of course it's wrong and if she is annoyed she should keep it to herself but I'm trying to think of why she's being like she is.

@toomuchfaster

She can't over-rule a GP note, you need to go over her head immediately, to HR if necessary, and fuck her response to it. The only important thing is you and your baby. Remember if you died, a job advert would be placed before your funeral. Your employer doesn't care about you, so give no fucks about them.

@toomuchfaster couldn't agree more! My job is honestly proof of that. She said she didn't need the note to give me light duties, but I've got the note and she's having the note. I'll stand her watch her photocopy it and I'll keep the original. My area manager is really understanding, so I will go to him

I’m not part of the union at my work as they treated me really well and I know people who worked in HR who gave me advice about my rights within the company but if you ask around at work I’m sure people could direct you to union reps. You could always go higher and to a more senior manager for advice or to HR as they will know what you are entitled to. My work had all policies online so I could read through them and understand what I could do and what I was entitled to

I work in HR and ignoring the doctor’s note could amount to maternity discrimination, as well as going against health and safety legislation. Has she carried out a risk assessment, as this is a legal requirement and medical advice like this must all be taken into account with reasonable adjustments made. If they can’t comply with the fit note then they need to treat you as if you are signed off work. I recommend you speak to HR, as your manager is clearly unaware of legislation relating to maternity.

@mummyh2016

What would light duties be working at a supermarket? Will it be working on a check out? I'm just wondering how feasible it is for you to do light duties and wondering if it would've been easier for you to get signed off? It's up to you if you answer of course but is the reason for the time off and the note due to anxiety relating to your previous miscarriages or is there something physically wrong with you or baby? If it is the former your boss could be thinking that you're only 7 weeks so what are the other 30 weeks going to entail. Of course it's wrong and if she is annoyed she should keep it to herself but I'm trying to think of why she's being like she is.

@mummyh2016 so basically yes, it would just be sitting at the tills of guarding self service. Everything else is heavy duties like 6ft pallets of stock or my main role was the bakery so lifting heavy boxes and going into a -22 freezer.

Regarding why I was signed off for 2 weeks was my anxiety around the 4 miscarriages, I was really anxious of being on the medication at first. And also having to tell work before my scan incase something went wrong, so that would leave me to carry on as normal in work which is a risk. So it was in fact my fertility doctors suggestion to sign me off until I had my scan and then my gp has done another note stating light duties and not late night shifts due to medication I'm on. When I was pregnant in March my old boss knew I was pregnant and was still putting me in a situation that was risks and I didn't have a note to back me

@Littlegoth

I work in HR and ignoring the doctor’s note could amount to maternity discrimination, as well as going against health and safety legislation. Has she carried out a risk assessment, as this is a legal requirement and medical advice like this must all be taken into account with reasonable adjustments made. If they can’t comply with the fit note then they need to treat you as if you are signed off work. I recommend you speak to HR, as your manager is clearly unaware of legislation relating to maternity.

@Littlegoth thank you for this advice. I did try and explain to her on the phone about what the note will say from my gp and she made the rota anyway. So following our call on Thursday she didn't let me get a word in edge ways. And she said she doesn't need the note. But I'm giving her the note and keeping the original copy for my own back up. A risk assessment hasn't been done yet, I'm back tomorrow and she's in so I'm going to ask her then. Especially as we have new managers and they need to know when I'm on their shifts

@toomuchfaster

She can't over-rule a GP note, you need to go over her head immediately, to HR if necessary, and fuck her response to it. The only important thing is you and your baby. Remember if you died, a job advert would be placed before your funeral. Your employer doesn't care about you, so give no fucks about them.

A GP note is advisory. They don’t have to accommodate GP advice (but they may not be wise to ignore it).

@NS1988

I’m not part of the union at my work as they treated me really well and I know people who worked in HR who gave me advice about my rights within the company but if you ask around at work I’m sure people could direct you to union reps. You could always go higher and to a more senior manager for advice or to HR as they will know what you are entitled to. My work had all policies online so I could read through them and understand what I could do and what I was entitled to

@NS1988 I think I'll speak to my area manager. He is really understanding. Knowing my history, when he heard I was off he sent me a really kind email offering support

@NavigatingAdolescence but if the note is stating pregnancy can they really ignore it?

In theory they can do what they like. Whether their actions are in line with their policy/the law can only be tested in court.

Pregnancy isn’t a get out of jail card for much. You can’t be refused time off for scans and pregnancy-related sickness can’t lead to action, but they don’t have to accommodate adjustments for anyone (but as I said, that may not be wise).

(I’ve been a HR Director for a long time. I might advise a manager that it would be unwise to do something, but if they decide to do it anyway they risk being taken to court for it.)

go back to your gp and explain work have dismissed the note and refuse to put you on light duties

@ivykaty44

go back to your gp and explain work have dismissed the note and refuse to put you on light duties

@ivykaty44 they haven't refused light duties. But her suggest of me being the new shop cleaner has sort of contradicted herself when saying "I can give you this that isn't late nights. But also you need to empty heavy duty bins" She just sort of ignore the late night shifts part of the note at this moment in time

@ivykaty44

go back to your gp and explain work have dismissed the note and refuse to put you on light duties

What do you think the GP can do?!

Occupational health may be able to help you, OP.

@NavigatingAdolescence isn't a doctors note back up for you if push does come to shove and action has to be taken? Like going to the union or HR. Proof is better than no proof in that situation surely

Email your nice Area Manager and include a scanned copy/picture of your Dr's note before you go in. Tell him that your new boss didn't appear to understand what the GP has advised & still wants you doing duties that include heavy lifting & using chemicals. Ask is there any way he can help with arranging suitable daytime shifts on the tills.

Hopefully he will then put new boss straight & you won't stress as much. It doesn't sound like new boss is particularly understanding or accommodating so you need someone on your side.

Good luck.

It’s been a long time since I’ve dealt with this, but I think it’s still correct that if they can’t or won’t honour the adjustments on your sick note, you’re off sick.

Essentially the note is a “fit to work” note; which says you are fit to work if you can do light duties. If the employer can’t accommodate those; you’re not fit to work. Is your sick pay policy good enough that you can survive being signed off?

You’d want the new note to mention pregnancy, as sickness for pregnancy related reasons won’t be counted into any sickness investigations, whereas your first note can be as it wasn’t specifically pregnancy related.

If you’re off sick at 36 weeks; your maternity leave will automatically start then.