hell's kitchen

I work in a kitchen as a prep/line cook and have terrible, terrible morning sickness. It's actually how I found out I was pregnant - I walked in one day and threw up because of the food smells.

Things in our kitchen... aren't exactly up to labour board standards. Unless you smoke, you don't get a break. I tried to go outside just to sit down yesterday and they sent me back in. Over the last couple of shifts I've been throwing up 8-12 times a day because of all the smells. The guys (I'm the only girl) think it's hilarious and wave pans of roasted garlic in front of my face, which sends me running to the bathroom. They won't let me go home sick if I'm feeling particularly terrible (which is the LAW - morning sickness is legitamate). And yesterday, one of the guys kicked an empty box at me and hit me in the back. I have a bad back and even an empty box really hurt. They mock me for being "miserable" and "bitchy" because I won't joke around with them anymore, you know - between puking. Even the restaurant general manager - who has children - doesn't care. And she's a girl!

I can't afford to quit. We make enough to be comfortable by our standards, but my ex is suing me (LONG story) so we can't afford to live on one income. But there aren't any jobs here either. It took me two months to find this one! I've been looking but I can't work in another kitchen and I can't work as a cleaning lady (the chemicals) - which seem to be the only available jobs.

I don't know what to do, it's honestly torture to drag myself to work every day. And tonight it's a night shift (4-12), with an opening shift in the morning at 8! I won't get home until 1am and I have to leave at 7am to get there. That and this is a 6 day week. I'm exhausted.

You poor thing, that sounds absolutely awful. It doesn't sound like a sustainable situation. Have you made a formal complaint to your manager - sometimes nothing gets done unless a formal complaint is made as managers don't like to upset colleagues unless it's necessary. Do your co-workers know how unwell you are - we all know how men in packs can be and periods, pregnancy etc are an easy target. Men don't always pick up on the difference between light-hearted joking and going too far. Could you explain to them that you are really feeling very unwell and could they give you a break? Would you be able to do some admin for the restaurant or something similar in another place - no smells? You need to have breaks and can legitimately complain if you don't get them. The following link has some useful info

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/DG_10026556

Good luck and hope your tummy settles soon and things improve :hug:

Wow that sounds terrible. There are agencies in London that help people find work. Maybe that is something you could try. PM me if you like I will try to get the name of it.

That is NO way to have to work and that is illegal what they are doing to you.

I did make a complaint to the manager today and told him all of the above and that I was especially worried because my last pregnancy ended in a miscarraige. His response?

"Miscarraiges happen. I wouldn't worry about it."

That's it. So I told him I'd been advised to look for work in retail or something similar, on "doctors orders" and he agreed that he would give me shifts until I found something new. That, at least, was the first fair thing they've done yet.

I'd go to Citizen's Advice Bureau and report them tbh, there's no way they should be treating you like that :(