Pregnancy and inconsiderate bosses!!?

Question

Please all have you say about this matter!

I have been suffering pretty bad lately with my tiredness and sickness (im 6 weeks pregnant) its my first pregnancy and im not used to it.
However, my boss who is male, just keeps having more and more time off, leaving me in charge of the office with one other male member of staff...working 8.30 till 5.30 every day sometimes without a full hour break

They are so inconsiderate and i have to keep reminding him to make sure he is in on 01.11.2007 as its my first midwifery appointment.

I am so mad!

Anyone else experienced this?

Answer 1

Actually, it's inconsiderate to expect the business world to adjust to your pregnancy.

You are inconveniencing them. The boss expects you to work a full day (8:30 to 5:30 is perfectly normal) and you are entitled to 2 breaks of 15 minutes each - NOT a full hour break!

You cannot demand special treatment because you are pregnant. Pregnancy is your choice and your responsibility. If working is too hard for you, then work from home or find other ways to make income that are not so taxing.

And I can't believe you are "reminding him to make sure he is in" while you go off to a doctor's appointment! Who's calling the shots at the office - you or him? If he needs to go somewhere or be somewhere that day, your doctor's appointment should not stop him. Business comes first.

Answer 2

I feel for you!!!!!!! I had a hard time too, but not just with my male fellow employees, I am unhappy to say!! I am at 37 weeks now and I took a early leave, because I had a really hard time a work. My morning sickness wasnt too bad, it was my second trimester because I have a low baby and had lot of urinary infections, makes it hard and uncomfortable to sit for a long time. Its not that I complained but if I took time off, (which I have never done, worked through the worst of flus in the past) they would tell me they were disappointed in me. I even got asked to lift heavy marketing boxes. They made a big deal when I had my OBYG appointments.. and obviously you can only book those mon-frid 9-4, :(. I ended up leaving early because I was stressed out.

Answer 3

Have you informed your HR department in writing that you are pregnant? Because once that is done then you need a risk assesment to address any issues, and come up with solutions, for example if there was heavy lifting you are no longer permitted to do it etc etc. Ask for your risk assessment and explain that you are suffering from morning sickness and need more support.
I would also like to remind you it is ILLEGAL to not give you time off work to go to the doctors when pregnant, so if he isn't there when it is time for you to go, then you are well within your rights to just go anyway.
When pregnant you become almost unsackable, just make sure you do everything through the correct channels and put everything in writing and record everything.

Answer 4

hi there i hate to say it but pregnancy isnt an illness and we just have to get on with it and deal with it best we can I'm 11 weeks pregnant and my job is very hard going and physical i only work p/time but i still work long hours some days i do 7am till 2 then back out at 5pm till 10 that's very hard, when i come home i play with ma wee girl so they days i get no rest at all.

Answer 5

Pregnancy is no longer considered a condition to receive special treatment.

I think if you had a female boss who had an easy pregnancy she also may not care.

You should continue to remind him about your appointment but except for going to your Human Resource Manager there's not much else you can do.

Answer 6

You are definantly not alone - i went through similar issues with my ex employer.
If you live in the uk you are legally entitled to take time off for midwifery appointments. Make sure you check our contract and make your boss aware of this.
As for the sickness you are experiencing - try ginger. I drank (well sipped) ginger beer and tea for the first 3 months of my pregnany. It worked a treat - but of course i still got caught out occasionally and found myself mid-sale runnin to the bathroom. Thats just a reality of pregnancy im afraid.

Take Care - And find out your rights.
I hope things get better for you.

Answer 7

Yeah, my boss is being the same, I am a waitress and when I told him I was pregnant he almost fired me. He said I am not pulling my weight now and I definality won't be now that I pregnant, and it will just make his life more complicated. Now, when I go to work, he is watching me to make sure I don't mess up so he can have a real reason to fire me, and I don't need that stress right now

Answer 8

by law u should have a risk assement done for litfing stress etc if not sure ring instil consultants they r very good my wife just had a baby 11 week ago and i was her boss so i know alot of things u get paid for your scans docters appointment as long as u show them the appointment card,u dont get paid for your first prenancy test at the docters,

Answer 9

i had a similar problem but worse my boss still expected me to offload wagons delivering to my workplace and we didnt have a dinner break anyhow so he thought it was ok for me to be stood all day from 9am to 6pm without a break, that was until my midwife stepped in and kicked their butts!!!! his wife was worse than he was about what they wanted me to do. they tried allsorts to get me to start my maternity leave early

good luck and find out as much info as you can so you can back yourself up if they try any funny stuff

Answer 10

You need to be assertive to get your needs met. Tell him you're not feeling well and it's difficult working longer hours with less breaks. You can't expect people to do things to help you if you're not telling them you need help.