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Employees rights

4 replies

lozzza13 · 16/07/2025 13:32

I’m currently a manager in a retail store and thought I was clued up completely on my rights… Until now ive fallen pregnant im currently 17 weeks and my manager is being inconsiderate due to the fact I have had abit of time off as ive been bleeding and been in alot of pain. She herself has recently come off maternity leave so i thought she would under but clearly i thought wrong. Even down to comments when i told her i was pregnant at 6 weeks but i was bleeding (i made her aware i havent yet even told my own mum so was very scared in terms of what i was going through as i felt had no support until i told her) she mentioned ‘if you was having a miscarriage you would know’ at the time i was taken aback by the comment but looking at it now it was completely the wrong thing for her to say. My main concern is recently we had a meeting where she asked me if i felt i was still capable of the job as ive had alot of sick days recently. I feel as though she was indirectly asking me whether i would want to step down which again im sure is not okay for her to do. In the meeting she also made me aware because some appointment days i am unable to make it to work before my appointment time due to working an hour away from the hospital and not driving. She informed me if i cannot attend work beforehand then i need to make up the time later in the week. Im struggling myself to even work my contracted hours due to extreme tiredness and feeling under the weather constantly. as far as i am aware she cannot ask me to make up the time but she still is. Again shes only giving me 30 mins for appointment time when some of my appointments can be an hour long and i can be waiting in the waiting room for up to an hour alone. She said if i go over the 2 hours reasonable time shes giving me for the appointments that she will need to approve me to be paid so i need to tell her as soon as i know. ( i enter all my own time cards she just overseas and signs it off ) I feel two hours when the hospital is an hour away and i have to get two busses which are not reliable is not reasonable also. I have asked her to put this all in an email 6 days ago which she said she would do. This morning i asked her again to which her only reply was ‘are you available for a call at 5pm’ No comment on when id receive this in writing, if she doesnt give to me in writing can i still take this further? If she does give to me in writing but changes her tune and actually goes with the policy can i still take it further for the original comments and things shes told me to do. Thank you

OP posts:
tighterthanaducksarse · 16/07/2025 13:41

https://www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights
Contact acas. I'm really sorry you're going through this. When I was pregnant over 29 years ago I had to do a risk assessment and reasonable adjustments were put into place such as no overnight stays or heavy lifting.

Pregnant employees' rights

Legal rights for pregnant employees - including paid time off for antenatal appointments, maternity leave and pay, protection against discrimination and telling the employer about the pregnancy.

https://www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights

Mrsttcno1 · 16/07/2025 14:27

I’d contact ACAS to discuss.

Legally you are entitled to the time for your appointments and that includes the travel time & the time in the waiting room- you cannot be asked to make that up.

Not working before an appointment is a bit trickier though. If you were due to work from say 9am, and had an appointment at say 11:30am and didn’t want to work beforehand then you can be expected to work that time back- other than the time for travel/appointment itself.

ConfusedChic · 16/07/2025 15:23

I am really sorry that you are having to go through this. As mentioned above you are entitled to have time out for all your appointments you should not have to make this up.

Many of my appointments were late morning so I would come in the morning and leave for my appointment but either way they should not be telling you that you have to make time up

I think what your manager is doing is unreasonable and by the sounds of it is causing you more stress. Have you spoken to your HR department to find out what your maternity policy is and what it entails as this should be covered.

If things get worse I would consider making a formal compliant about your boss as she is meant to be supporting you and helping you have a safe environment to work in otherwise they would be liable for a law suit on their hands if anything happens to you.

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 16/07/2025 19:02

You're manager is an arse!

I'd concentrate solely on the work/time off/payment. I'd send her an email confirming my understanding of our discussion on x (date). I'd say I'm a little confused as I thought I had the legal right to 'reasonable' paid time off for maternity/antenatal appointments e g. sufficient time to travel to, to attend the appointment, and then to travel back to work. Please would you clarify this?

I would also wish to confirm, that despite me needing some time off for pregnancy reasons, I am happy to continue in my current role and plan to do so.

Record everything ... date/time/what was said.

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