Hi all, sorry in advance for the long post but I'm after some advice.
I've worked for my current employer for two years, in a managers role. I work essentially in a franchise, the branch I work in is privately owned but held under a large company name if that makes sense.
I've been doing this role for four years, but basically moved to this branch for a change/fresh start and a new employer. All I asked when I came here was that he (my new employer) would match my old contract, I.e, same salary, an extra week's holiday and full sick pay. I was assured this was fine - yes yes, I'll get your contract sorted etc. I am still waiting for my contract, despite asking once a month or so.
The boss is very remote - I run the business entirely, he drops by a couple of times a month to pick up post, rummage through the stationary cupboard, that sort of thing. This however can occasionally be very stressful if we are short staffed as he does not know how to work in our office. None of our daily tasks, none of our balancing, not even basic customer facing tasks. So if we are down in staff, he can't even come in to cover as he refuses to be trained.
I am currently 23 weeks pregnant. At 16 weeks, I reluctantly took a 2 week sick note from my doctor while I had some palpitations investigated. While I was away from work I got several text messages from the boss asking when I would be back /could he have some names of people who might be able to cover me. On my final Friday before coming back to work, I got a message asking for my password to log into my account. We work in a financial environment - in no circumstances do we share passwords. I refused to give my password,but ended up ringing the branch to talk another member of staff through a procedure.
I returned to work on the Monday to absolute hell. Firstly I was blocked out of my account because my boss had tried to guess my password. My desk was piled high with paperwork,things to be sorted, notes about tasks needing to be done, money missing, you get my drift. I felt completely overwhelmed, utterly downtrodden and obviously spent two full days trying to fix everything. I did, including finding £1600 worth of mistakes in one unit alone, speaking regularly to 'head office' because compulsory basic reports hadn't been filed etc. There was no word from my boss, not a phone call or text, nothing to say was there anything he could do, did I need any support etc.
On the Wednesday, I called an ex colleague to say thank you for doing a couple of days cover while I was off - she sounded uncomfortable on the phone and I asked if everything was ok. She said no, basically while I was off my boss had been bitching about me, saying that I would complain it had taken my 3 days to sort this office, perhaps I'd think twice about taking time off in the future? Also that he had a plan to reduce my role, withdraw my title and do all the admin himself.
That afternoon he turned up, explaining he'd left it a couple of days for me to 'catch up'. He then proceeded to say he wanted to put a plan in place to take over - I made sure I said 3 times that I didn't need him to take over, just to be trained enough to cover me should I need to take any more time etc.
Since this conversation, he has been in a handful of times to do some 'basic training'. In this time, I received my full pay for my time off, and also turned down two more sick notes on the understanding with my dr that I would work until the end of October so as not to leave the office in the shit.
Last Wednesday, boss took me aside and explained it was very expensive to cover me if I'm off work, so any sick time in future would be statutory pay only. I explained this wasn't what we agreed, and asked him to clarify any changes he intended to make. He then backed down, said to forget about it. I said I couldn't as now he'd brought it up, I'd be crapping myself if I needed to take time off wondering if he'll see fit to pay me or not. He left in a strop.
He proceeded to go and visit the previously mentioned colleague, and told her he had no intention of giving me any contract now as he was intending on selling the business and he didn't want anybody else to be held accountable to my demands.
At the end of all this, I have written him a letter of grievance to say I would like a written contract, I want him to clarify if he will or will not pay me what he promised, and that I was finding the situation hugely stressful and pressured. However I have had to send it to the office, as i have no idea where he lives, and since it arrived last Friday, he has not been in. I am now getting to the point where unfortunately I cannot work - my palpitations are constant, debilitating and 100% worse when I am at work. We are also coming up to our busiest time of the year, will get incredibly overworked and other colleagues have holidays booked in which I need to cover. For the sake of myself, and my baby, I will need to be signed off at some point - but there is no way whatsoever I can afford to take SSP of £17 a day for the remaining 13 weeks before my maternity kicks in.
I simply don't know what to do - he has made me feel totally worthless, or demanding but I am gutted because I worked very hard for this job, none of us get paid much more than minimum wage but one of my few perks was a bit of security. Now I feel really let down, and when I really need to be looked after I have no where to turn.
Any ideas? I'm at the end of my tether and very worried my dr will insist on signing me off before he even responds to my letter.