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Is boss out of line??

5 replies

Lesxxx · 20/10/2022 12:39

I’m 35 weeks pregnant and about to start my maternity next week…. I work in a very small office and due to sickness within the workplace, there was just me and the company director working yesterday. Since announcing my pregnancy, he has made a couple of comments that didn’t particularly sit well with me but I also don’t feel like there was any personal malice behind them. Anyway - it was just him & I working and out of the blue he asked if he could tell me a baby related story, but I could tell by his face it wasn’t a sunshine & rainbows story so I said hmmmm is it gruesome?! And he made a face that indicated it may have been, so I said oh no I don’t want to hear it then. He replied ‘awwww it was a good story as well’ and I’m not sure about anyone else but as soon as someone says that it makes you more intrigued than ever!! So I said okay go on then - in my mind, for whatever reason, I thought he was going to tell me a story involving ghosts or ghost babies (please don’t ask why). I was so wrong…. He then proceeded to tell me about a very true story in my home town of a mother going into her work place during her maternity leave to visit colleagues, and the baby being old enough to crawl, and who eventually crawled through a gap in the railings on the balcony and falling to his death!!! Yes - the baby!!! I was in complete shock as to why on earth he would even think to tell me this story!!!! There wasn’t even a prior conversation of babies or anything remotely baby related!!!! I didn’t really know what to say but after letting it sink in, I’m angry/shocked/a big sickened. Am I over reacting?? How strange for anyone to tell you that whilst heavily pregnant (& about to go on mat leave). Oh also he then went on to say we wouldn’t have that problem in our office because we’re on the bottom floor - bloody weird right?!!

OP posts:
Spareline · 20/10/2022 12:46

Well, is’t he just a ray of sunshine.

Azandme · 20/10/2022 12:47

It's not the best story, but I wouldn't give it too much thought.

Reservoirbogs · 20/10/2022 13:03

Yeah, that's weird. I do remember that happening as it happened near me, utterly tragic, but not a story I'd be relaying to a pregnant woman, wtf was he thinking! Maybe he's socially anxious or something and has that need to fill a silence with nonsense?! Or possibly just a thoughtless wanker.

Aprilx · 20/10/2022 13:12

In terms of a boss being out of line, my mind meant more to employment law matters. So I probably wouldn’t put it that way exactly. But it is very very weird and unpleasant thing to say to a pregnant woman and to be honest I am not pregnant and I wouldn’t appreciate that story.

Princessglittery · 24/10/2022 11:46

OP he goaded you into asking him to tell what he knew would be an unpleasant story, particularly for a pregnant woman. Not a nice thing to do.

As you start mat leave in a week just let it go. If he tries it again stay firm or say only if you hear my story first and then tell him a gruesome story about a former colleague who ended up losing a testicle in a simple work place accident.

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