Work being unreasonable, handed a work place adjustment form & told to get a doctor to look at it.

[TCrystal]

Hi so I’ve returned to work after being off with muscular/skeletal pain for 2 weeks. I’m 28 weeks pregnant and expressed my concern about travelling in rush hour traffic and that i start to get cramp half way through the drive. So asked for 9-5 to be 8-4 instead and basically got told they can’t just accommodate everything for me because I’m pregnant.

I don’t feel safe at work, I work in retail and asked to be moved onto lighter lifting but they’ve tried to get me on bakery which is harder than the department I’m already on. I feel like my head department manager isn’t very sympathetic and she basically told me that I have to work within the business needs and where I’ll fit?

i now feel anxious and will a doctor even look at a form my work place has given me regarding work place adjustments?

But they are giving you the opportunity for the adjustments to happen, so I don't see the problem. Of course, they have to be guided by medical advice - employers always have procedures they must follow.

I'm fairly sure (and I'm sure other MNers will reply soon and confirm too) that if you're no longer able to safely do your job, you're entitled to a workplace assessment (I forget the official name of it) and can have adjustments put in place which includes changing working hours.

I found this link from the NHS which might help? https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/your-health-at-work/#:~:text=Once%20you%20tell%20your%20employer,include%20changing%20your%20working%20hours.

I'm sorry your work are being difficult, it's the last thing you want when pregnant. Are you able to take it higher, like to HR or an area manager?

No disrespect but I don’t think going from my own job and going into another department that’s the same level of work is beneficial for me. For the sake of 4 weeks I’m supposed to train and do the job correctly? I wanted to have an hours difference in shift and it was made out like I’m being unreasonable and they can’t offer me that, instead it’s been wrote onto a sheet to hand my doctor to look at and basically say what they think.

i have told them I’m struggling and that I’m very tired and not sleeping, given the fact I’ve just come back from being signed off with a suspected Pulmonary Embolism I think they handed the situation quite insensitively.

the whole way through my pregnancy I’ve done jobs I shouldn’t have been doing even though they said they’d help me - I never got the help once. I’m upset and frustrated at the lack of care, I’m being plonked on a department that is basically short staffed that’s all there is to it. It isn’t in my best interest at all.

Yes, I’ve looked it all up and they should put a Work place adjustment in place; It just feels like they don’t believe in what I’m saying and expect me to run to the doctors constantly for advice. You would think that it’s quite simple really, I’m getting leg cramps while driving & not sleeping the best at night. Up at the crack of dawn and tired again by 3pm - I thought I was being reasonable not shortening my hours just asking for an hours difference either side but it was made very clear to me that “They can’t just offer me anything it has to be beneficial for the business too”. That speaks VOLUMES to me!! X

Not only that it’s a lead manager that has said this to me, the manager above her has a rotten attitude too so I’d feel even more anxious going to her, I’m convinced it’s her that’s part of the problem!

As for HR is an online chat that is basically useless, no real HR to ask questions too. I think this is why they get away with behaviour like that

If they want medical advice, they need to refer you to OH. Your GP isn't the person to go to over this. Ultimately though they only need to make reasonable adjustments. If your adjustments aren't reasonable to the business needs, they don't have to comply.

Surely if it impacts my health/baby they need to take that into consideration. If that’s the case I’d have thought that they’re meant to suspend on full pay if a role isn’t suitable or deemed unsafe. I’m not really sure what I’m meant to say to a doctor about it though, they’ll probably say it’s not for them to decide!!

Would working 8-4 make all the difference though? I finish at 4 and it takes me as long to get home as it does if I finished at 5pm. The same going to work, the times I've gone in early it hasn't taken me less time to get there, rough hour tends to be 7-9am and 4pm-6pm.

Your GP won’t be able to do this - they are basically asking for an occupational health opinion which they need to provide.
good luck!

Have you had a pregnancy risk assessment? You need one of these - and more than one as your pregnancy progresses and your ability to do certain types of work changes.

Re your commute - well, you could request an occupational health assessment as well, this seems a fairly minor adjustment - assuming you work in a supermarket or similar.

Yeah, I’ve had a risk assessment and basically said I’m finding my calf is seizing up in rush hour traffic & that ideally I’d like to adjust my hours ever so slightly to avoid rush hour. I got upset a few hours later as I was shocked at the response I got & the manager later then asked how I was & then went on to say “we don’t have shifts available to suit those hours if you wanted to start at 7am and leave earlier you could pack on bakery and leave earlier”

So it seems like they’ve had time to think about what they actually said and realised it was out of order? I’m going to feel bit of a dick ringing the doctors up if they turn around and basically say it isn’t their place to do that 😬 it’s stress I really don’t need!

It is a well known large supermarket I work in too, there’s no way there is no other roles available for me for 4 weeks while I come to end of pregnancy and go on maternity leave at 34 weeks. Their a bunch of managers my age (28) with no experience, people skills and on a power trip it’s just not a nice place to work at all anymore

From your last post, you said you wanted to avoid rush hour so they've suggested a job that avoids rush hour, why isn't that suitable?

Because the job is physically harder/strenuous and short staffed therefore creating more stress. Why put me on something that requires 1:1 training for a matter of weeks? I had originally said I’d be okay on shop floor with light isles like crisps/sweets and tidying the shelves up. I don’t think that is really helping me - it’s helping them cover a department that is struggling

The note is called “Fit note support document for the Gp” I’ve genuinely never heard of one!

Without meaning to sound harsh, you do sound like no matter what they suggest, it won't suit.
You can get referred to OH, reasonable adjustments can be suggested/implemented.

They have gave two options.

What department were you originally in?
Can you suggest till work?

Regarding driving and cramps etc, is there public transport you can get to help?

I don't think you're being unreasonable OP - is this tesco by any chance?

I'd honestly be tempted to go to your doctor with stress and try to get signed off sick for the last 4 weeks. Fuck em

I’m shocked actually at the lack of understanding of others on here. I was upset with the lack of understanding and this said manager only decided to offer up starting at 7am and finishing earlier after I’d said I was struggling. Why ask and do a risk assessment if there isn’t a way to help? I don’t think I’m being unreasonable in saying light duties on shop floor 8-4 instead of 9-5 😂.

It’s not Tesco! But another large competitor! The way it’s made me feel I feel like going off with stress, After having a scare of having to have CT scans and shit at A&E it has made me more anxious for the rest of pregnancy, I’ve also got notching through the cord and on aspirin throughout aswell so i don’t really need this unnecessary stress!

Im on Hot food and pizzas. I was going in the large freezer heavy lifting and cleaning a large rotisserie oven aswell the whole way through when it actually says not to do any of that on the risk assessment. They never helped once to get someone to cover it!

Tills, I have offered to queue bust (I have been told that long periods of sitting isn’t good for blood flow - I have notching in the cord)

as for the the bus that’s even harder work.. 20 mins to the bus stop, 50 minute Journey and then another 20 minute walk to work. No offence but that’s unreasonable when an hours change of work hours isnt a huge ask. I definitely don’t wont to add 3 hours a day on travelling.

When I was pregnant I went to gp explained I was struggling, and they actually offered to sign me off.

I was keen to stay in work, they pretty much asked what adjustments I wanted, put on the form.

When i handed to work they took seriously and implemented all.

If work have asked for it, try a visit to gp and see what your work do with the form.

If they asked for it hopefully they will comply with what doc puts on it. Surely they can't argue with medical advise they've requested!

Its hard working heavily pregnant and it's harder for some than others.

You can also consider sick leave if that's what's best for you and baby.

Hope it works out for you

You shouldn't have cleaned it tbh if it said not to. Up to them to sort otherwise. If they didn't get someone else to do it, their fault.

No of course an extra 3 hours into your day is silly but was worth an ask as obv don't know how far you are from work.

I would go on the sick with stress, doesn't look like anything can be agreed and for the sake of 4 weeks, is it worth it?

Just get signed off work. No point in this much stress, if they aren’t willing to make reasonable adjustment of working slightly changed hours and a lighter load then screw them. You need to put yourself and baby first.

I think a chat with the GP would be really useful. See of they will give you any specific advice with their knowledge of their health issues e.g. how much are they happy for you to lift repeatedly e.g. less than a kilo? - like your sweets but not big pop bottles.

How long are they happy for you to sit e.g. not more than an hour without walking around.

Are they happy for you to repeatedly bend down e.g. filling low shelves.

Try and pin down the advice and if you get it (in writing) pass it to your employer and refuse to break those rules.

You might find your GP says they aren't happy to agree any of the activities are safe in your particular circumstances and ask for office duties or be signed off i.e. no lifting.

Speak to the GP - it can't hurt.

If you get signed off at a certain point (I don't recall what point but think it's 28 weeks?) Doesn't that automatically start your mat leave? It certainly did in my day.

I do think you are possibly being a little PFB saying you can only do light lifting. With your second pregnancy you'll be hauling a 2 year old around and sitting him or her on your bump without a thought. But it's understandable.