Lovely Boss...... :(

[fatheadsgirl]

Morning Ladies!

Need a bit of a rant....

I was having a shower getting ready for work on Saturday and I started to feel a bit funny. Anyway I ended up throwing up then collapsing. BF had to break the bathroom door down after hearing me fall, finds me on the floor in more of my own vomit (nice). Banged my head on the sink too, ouch! Once I was up I felt asolutely fine, just a bit of a sore head. Bf wanted me to go to hosp but by the time we'd gotten there it would have been pointless anyway so I said no. He refused point blank to let me go to work and called my boss to explain what happened. My boss knows I'm pregnant.

Anyway I went into work this morning and my boss calls me to the office for a chat. So he asked me what happened and I told then he started calling me a stupid girl for not going to the hosp even though I tried to explain why. This wasn't said like your mum would say it to you, with a bit of concern, he was practically shouting at me. He said he didn't want to work with someone so stupid and has covered my shift for the day and told me to go home. Then he started saying that i'd probably made the whole thing up so I could stay home and watch the football (we're not showing any football in our pub you see)! He called me an idiot a few more times and then told me to leave and come back tomorrow "if I could handle it." I nearly burst into tears then and there but managed to keep it in until I got home. My BF nearly went down to see him, thankfully he didnt or I'd definately get fired.

I was absolutely distraught. I've really never been so upset. I dont think the hormones help

I have never had a day off for anything, I always come in last minute when he needs me to. Im good at my job, im not lazy. I even do 12 hour shifts, without any breaks, a few times a week and I NEVER complain.

I've been wanting to ask my boss all week about changing a few things but now I dont see how I can, Im so worried I'll lose my job. I'm still doing barrel changes, bringing up stock and carrying these huge flower troughs in and out of the pub - they take two people to lift them. I promise you all of these things are very heavy. I'm not trying to shirk away from my responsibilities at all I just dont want to tempt fate but I'm so scarred I'll lose my job.

Sorry for the hideously long rant

Hope everyone's having a good day

x x

So sorry this has happened to you! I don't know much about employment law so hopefully someone with more 'technical' knowledge will be along in a minute, but just wanted to say, a) I think the way your boss has treated you is unacceptable verbal abuse / bullying, and b) you have certain statutory rights when pregnant, including, I think, that he has to do a risk assessment of your work/workplace and make reasonable adjustments, i.e. it's not reasonable of him to expect you to lift heavy stuff when we are all medically advised against heavy lifting in pregnancy!
Is there an HR dept you can speak to?

YOu should for sure not be lifing heavy things prevous poster is right a H&S assesment should be done . Also he cannot fire you as that would get him in up to his neck in trouble.
Was he over the top concerned for you by saying you should have gone to hosp ?.....I would have probably just have gone for a check up if it was me .....

so sorry fatheadsgirl

I'm absolutely livid on your behalf, what a horrible, insensitive, insulting way to treat someone and completely unacceptable as well. Your boss has no right to speak to you or any of his other employees that way, and there is absolutely no way you should be doing barrel changes and all that. I worked in a pub for a few years and there is no way I'd be wanting to do any of that heavy stuff now I'm pregnant.

If I were you I'd consult your contract, speak to someone in HR if that's a possibility and get a line from your doctor to take a few days off. Use the time to think over your options and get a bit of perspective on what has happened. Your health and the baby's health are the most important factors to take into consideration and that is what the law legislates for, so don't let yourself be bullied and made to feel stupid for being pregnant.

Glad your bf is being supportive - hope you're able to get this resolved.

nasty man, a risk assessment is the law when you inform employers of pregnancy so make sure that happens. Has he acted differently since you told him? (of your pregnancy) it might be hes annoyed hes losing a good employee for a while

What is your relationship usually like with your boss? He doesn't sound like a very sympathetic man. Especially if he's still expecting you to change barrels and carry heavy flower troughs. I would say expecting you to do those things makes him a lot more stupid than you for not going to hospital! If his reaction was seemingly out of character perhaps there is a reason? Maybe someone close to him lost a baby? You never know when people react in such an extreme way whether there is something else behind it.

Of course, there is a strong possibility he could just be an arsehole. In which case, do you want to be working in a pub where the boss makes you continue to do things that endanger your pregnancy? He may of also, selfishly, be trying to cover his backside, thinking that if you've gone in to work after that you may potentially collapse again at work where it may cause problems for him.

Might be a good idea to check you don't have concussion though? Or blood pressure issues.

What a horrible foul man!

What goes around will come around.

I don't really have any advice, apart form try to have a nice relaxing day.

I do think it's worth having a check up if you faint again though, especially as you're pg.

This is a horrible way to treat someone it may be that it came from genuine concern but for whatever reason he blew it out of proportion and crossed the line of verbal abuse. You never know where it is coming from it may be that his wife had a miscarriage and he is overreacting to your situation or possibly he is just an arsehole is he normally like this?
You cannot be lifting heavy things in a pub when pregnant, I worked in pubs for years and my boss never made me lift a barrel and I wasn't even pregnant at the time they got the bouncers to do it as standard.
Find out your rights, I'm sure someone more qualified will be able to offer you better advice than me but try not to let it get to you too much and you are lucky to have a lovely supportive boyfriend.
Hopefully it will all be fine, Goodluck!

He is very out of order and is putting himself in a very bad position re worker's rights. I am also a pub manager and 22 weeks pregnant. If you would like any advice on how to approach him about changes I'd be happy to help. Remember you are not a bad employee for setting limits, everyone is entitled to say if they don't feel comfortable lifting something!

Is you pub part of a bigger company?

Sounds like an arsehole

your employer is legally obliged to ensure your job doesn't endanger your pregnancy. So lifting anything is right out. Potentially they need to accommodate different hours for you, to allow you more flexibility to allow for sickness/ tiredness etc

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmate rnityrights/DG_10026556

How far gone are you? It sounds like he wants you out to avoid paying for mat leave!

This is harrassment and it's illegal. Don't let him get away with it. Do you have an HR department or a different manager you can talk to? ACAS are supposed to be good for advice btw.