work - getting stressed due to nasty work colleague please help

[leesa86]

Hi
I am new to this but wanted some advice from people who are not related to me and always going to come down on my side ( though if you do that I wont be upset, just be extra validation that I am not overreacting)
I work in a bookmakers, which in my branch employees 4 people, we are open from 9 am till 8pm 6 days a week and on sunday 10am till 6pm, so its fair to say that you probably can see more of your work colleagues than of your own family and friends, and this is the catch 22 situation.
I am 25 weeks pregnant and work 3 - 4 days a week depending on if I work the Sunday, I usually work with the same woman 90% of the time, she is the deputy manager and before I was pregnant I worked the most with her as I was the most easy going and laid back over her snippy attitude and habit of being judgemental, this has changed since I became pregnant as most of her snippy comments are now directed at me. For example
"Pregnancy is not a illness, I think the HR are taking it to far, its only to cover their own backs." - this is in relation to what I am now allowed and not allowed to do; for example I not allowed to empty our gaming machines - due to bending and carry the money, both incase of robbery and the stretching and weight of cash( which some days can be very heavy), I am not allowed to do money transfers to other branches or the PO( same reason safety - ie robbery) or climb into a window that every struggles to get into when not pregnant as the gap is tiny.

This is it really and it is all I dont do, I do tidy ups, I take the bets and still give great customer service, I dont moan about the length of her breaks ( which she takes a lot of. But I have not only had these snippy remarks made to me I have watched her say to the customers as well " She's only pregnant" when they ask me how I am and to watch myself. I have said to my manager but because of the close nature in which we all work, she hasn't figured out a way to say to her without it rebounding on me. ( which it would)

So ladies what do I ?

Speak to your HR people and follow the formal complaints procedure, so that this woman is made aware that her comments are 1. inapporpriate and 2. unacceptable in a work place.

I'm assuming they've done the risk assessment and these are the points the risk assessment has identified as unsuitable for a pregnant woman.

She's entitled to her opionions, but I'd consider this telling you her opinions to be bullying and harrassment.

it could sound like she is defending you - stopping men from staring at you 'its not a disease you know' and perhaps she percieves it as sticking up for what she thinks are feelings of being too mollycoddled and protected 'I can't believe they are stopping you doing what you can do/treating like you can't do anything 'in your condition'.

I think you are right to think about the possibility it is all negaive, and to get a discussion going even if its managed, but I wouldn't sue her ass off if there is a liklihood of a misunderstanding.