Need to vent really (work related)

[babyjenks93]

Hi there. Sorry if this is just going to be some good old venting.
I am exhausted. I work retail and I'm finishing my PhD in the meantime, and my retail job is killing me atm. We have 10 hours shifts (shopping centre opening hours), on my feet all day, a lot of bending, only 30 mins lunch, and now extra busy christmas period running around all the time. I am going on maternity on christmas' eve (at 31 weeks) earlier than I would like just because I am so exhausted. I have also developed gallstones and I'm in pain a lot, so I don't sleep well. I'm calling in sick today as I haven't slept at all and I hurt all over, but god I feel guilty and I know my manager is going to put up such a fuss about how "pregnancy is not an illness" (something she has said in the past when I had morning sickness...) and I should just suck it up.
Sorry :(

Pregnancy is not an illness in itself, but it can cause or exacerbate lots of other illnesses - tell your manager to stick that in her pipe and smoke it! I hope you feel better soon x

They should of done a risk assessment and put in place a stool etc for you to be able to sit whilst serving etc.
I would try and read up on the policy’s they should have put in place.

Can’t they put you on the tills for most of the day, at least then you’d be able to sit at quieter times

Pregnancy is not an illness, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't affect you physically and affect your ability to do certain things. It's got to be one of the biggest physical endurances you can put your body through. The 'pregnancy isn't an illness' line really annoys me!!

Your manager sounds like a prize twat. Do you have an hr dept you can speak to? I’d be engaging with them if possible and look to see if they can provide any support.

Your manager can fuck off. Don’t give it another thought x

Don't worry about it. If she cared about you not calling in sick, she would have put things in place to make your life easier. Like a chair at the till and a couple of extra comfort breaks.
She can't do anything about you calling in sick!