ok work dont seem to be aknowledging that I am pregnant.

I work in a restaurant which gets really busy at the weekends and I work friday and saturday nigths. Friday night I found very hard, it was over 6 hours on my feet non-stop, no break, no rest, nothing. Im fine for the first few hours, but atfer that I got very achey, my back was killing and I had the pain in my bum cheek and groin (possibly sciatica not sure) which gets worse the more I walk. I asked to finish early but had to stay til close.

So I go in on saturday night and I have a smaller section which is better, but I had the section at the very front of the restaurant, that means further to walk with heavy plates, further to carry everythnig, so overall alot more walking about.

At shift brief I asked if I could swap with julia who was right ast the back with less tables than me so she had less to wlak and carry the plates I said I find it too hard , she said 'No These are the sections and they are not being changed' I said 'right fine then I'll be gonig home early'

I was furious she made me look like an idiot and now I feel like Im just asking for easier sections so I dont have to work as hard but its not, last night was 7 hours straight its a joke the end of the night Im aching, my feet were swollen I could go on!

Shes not got kids so doent know what its liek to be pregnant, Carrying extra weight around , I get achey sort of pains in my bump when Im at work as LO seems to go into a funny position when Im wlking aorund all night.

I jsut dont know what to do becuase now I feel like I cant approach her about it without 'seeking special attention' but she is a manager for gods sake she should know about how to treat a pregnan twoman surely!

sorry im gonig no now, thankyou for reading xxxx

Your employers have an obligation to give you rest breaks when you are pregnant. 7 hours straight isnt really acceptable when you're not pregnant - I know many of us have worked lots of days/shifts without proper breaks but it shouldnt be expected. In my job I need to be around over lunch time so get staff organised for exams starting straight after the students have had lunch. This often means no lunch break but its not expected. My boss knows if I wanted to I could say I'm having an hour or what ever. I agreed with him recently that if I work through my break that I can go home early with no questions asked. He wanted me to know that he'd prefer me to have a break (to cover his arse) but that if I did then I should go home when I felt was appropriate.
I suppose it depends on your contract but as far as I'm aware they are obliged to look after Mum's to be and new mums returning to work in the same manner.

x

ha to cover his back, thats what my manager said about the risk assesment (which she still hasnt done) its just to cover their back! WHAT is it balls, its to make sure were working in a safe environment aswell it should be done anyway never mind a pregnany risk assesment!

Its good that you get to go home earlier if you work through your break though. Do you get to eat anyhting id never last! xxx

I'm still waiting for mine doing. I said if it wasnt done by the end of last week I'd be kicking off. They'd better watch out this week the mood I'm in.....
I take food with me. I'm lucky to have a fridge in my office and I brought and old microwave and a little toaster and kettle. People joke I'll have a bed in there soon.....

I just have to eat it while I'm doing other stuff.

When you're in a school, you tend to get interupted during lunch - if the kids need to talk to you thats when they come and also colleagues have to speak to you then as they might not be free at the same time you are. It's mental!!! But I do love it....

I dont know what it is like working in restaurants. I work in a hospital and we work 8h, 12h and 16h shifts. And most of the women I know stay working like this right until the last month or their due dates... Sure, we all get sore muscles and aches etc too, but we also have to work.

However, having lots of sit down time (which isnt always realistic, because lets face it, if someone is codeing on us, we cant sit there and do nothing we MOVE as fast as possible) is encouraged for all health care staff, pregnant or not.

Your boss should at least be willing to let you sit down for a few minutes now and then, and breaks. I believe here breaks and lunches are mandatory after 8hs. I dont know what the laws are there.

I used to be a waitress in a hotel where we had to carry heavy flats of food to silver serve to huge functions that often could get up to about 280 people (obviously i didn't have to do them all myself though) but it was a terrible strain, bending and lifting etc. At 6 months I had a risk assessment with a representative at my work who went through a list of risks from high to low e.g she asked do you do a lot of lifting? would you say it's a high or low risk to yourself etc. Apparently it's supposed to be done at 3 months, but even so you should really have had one done by now and if not, request one. They couldn't let me go because it's against the law and is discrimination, instead they had to find me a less strenuous job to do. Don't let people make you look stupid, you're pregnant and at the end of the day they should respect that and give you an easier job or at least cut down the amount of work you do do.

Girls, You have a right to be treated better than this. You should go and get advice from your local citizen's advice bureau and force them to treat you properly. If she still refuses to treat you properly, there is a set complaints proceedure you can follow, followed by taking legal action. Dont be too scared to stand up for yourself, because if you do everything correctly and they still don't look after you, you will be able to claim far more than your salary back from them.

You are only 20 weeks pregnant and things get a lot harder, very quickly. If you are finding it hard now, what about in a few weeks? You employer is probably hoping you will burn yourself out and quit saving her the maternity obligations. Don't let her do it to yoU!

You need to start thinking about what is best for your baby and a 7 hour shift certainly isnt! You need to take it easy!

My mum thinks the same thing, that Im being forced to want to leave so save maternitty pay, im not sure its that more just her being ignorant.

Becky off topic but omg my scan pic is so similar to yours that its scary, baby lay in the same position with leg us and little handby her face! ill uplaod a pic x

lol wow, I genuinly wish that working less than 7h shifts was possible here!

I do agree that your employer should be letting you have breaks etc. And make some leeway. The problem that your going to have here though is that other then serving tables and washing dishes, there likely arnt any other jobs you could do here.

See what im saying? Im not trying to sound mean or say this sounds hopeless. I totally agree, you should go to your labour board and see what they can tell you and what your rights are. Your boss sounds like a jerk, but there is still only so much that they have to do by law. My work certainly doesnt have to do as much as they do, but they look after their employees.

Maybe you will just have to go on mat leave early? I know we can go 8weeks early. Its a tought world out there... sometimes harder then other times.

hehe, oh yeah! how odd! people always say, whats that thing floating above her head, i'm like, it's a hand you fools! lol

I don't think employers are allowed to make you leave on those grounds. Maybe have a read at this... http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2008/uksi_20080656_en_1