Hello,
boss here.
My background: I run a whole depot, I manage both the office and the depot staff. Along with fleet. I’m educated and certified to boss degree and I’ve had personnel management training for managers.
What you should know:
number one-
All ladies should make a habit making the pregnancy notification in writing. Aka -email to your first line manager, CC HR if you have their email available. As soon as you’ve let your employer know of your pregnancy, your lawful, expectant mother’s protection kicks in. If your employer wants to get rid of you and they can prove that they were not aware of your pregnancy, then they can try sacking you for poor attendance or poor performance.
Number two-
If you have proof your employer is aware of your pregnancy, then the next thing to do is to yes, indeed, involve HR. Ask your boss to involve HE and provide you with a risk assessment. That risk assessment they are required to offer you, there is literally no legal or cheap way for them to sack a pregnant woman without a risk assessment. None.
In your risk assessment you need to note you suffer from nausea and poor wellbeing as a result of the pregnancy and it can affect your attendance, workload you can carry and amount of stress you can be exposed to. Meaning, your stress needs to be limited. Meaning, your boss should not be manipulating you the way he/she been doing.
My advice going forward-
Recording conversations- welllll, I tell you this…recording your boss might ruin your relationship with your EMPLOYER, the company. Your boss does not matter, your boss is manipulating you by saying what he/she says, they are inexperienced. Your boss already does not like you, but that does not matter, because at work people need to see past their personal preference. Especially bosses.
Your boss might get a warning for inappropriate handling or mismanagement for the way they speak to you or threatening you or manipulating you if you record and give it in, but it will also make the COMPANY distrust you. HR’s job is to protect the company, not you.
When you complete your risk assessment, they can offer you easier work or to work with someone else or in an another department for the duration of the pregnancy or until an another risk assessment, but without a finacial loss. Your employer is legally obliged to guarantee you a safe and secure working environment while you are pregnant. But they cannot sack you. If they cannot provide you with a safe working environment they should be placing you on a fully paid garden leave for the remainder of your pregnancy.
Doing that risk assessment will tie the hands of your mean and clueless boss, therefor protecting you. Once you note on it what needs noting your boss is literally prohibited from applying pressure to you or managing you on the back of your attendance or “suitability”.
good luck going forward!