taperjeangirl

Hiya

I was just wondering how your work places have dealt with you being allowed to sit down, it says in the law now (in UK) that employers must provide a suportive seat so pregnant mothers can sit when they need to.....

Well my work have provided me with a seat, not a supportive one but a seat none the less, I can work up to 12 hours a day and most of that can be standing so I was very grateful for this at first, but now my boss (cruella deville) shouts at me everytime she sees me sitting, to get up, and that the seat is there for "wee 2 minute breaks and not 5 minute ones" So she has been watching me on the CCTV and if I go over the 2 minutes she is there like a shot to tell me to get up.

Sometimes I really need to sit for longer as my back is killing me at the moment, but she is quite a scary boss and when I think about confronting her about this it just makes me want to cry I'm not usually a big baby and I do usually speak my mind but my hormones are getting in the way at the moment.

One of the under managers at my work has been given the job of doing my risk assessment, maternity leave etc and he has said that she can't dictate to me how long I should be sitting for, but i think he is scared of her too as he wont say anything to her either!!
So nearly every shift I end up bubbling in the toilets with hormones/temper.

Sorry this has turned into a bit of a rant!

I was going to say something to my MW about it but i don't want to seem like a lazy arse that wants to sit down all the time!!!!

wendino

I asked for a chair at work too, and I am also scared to sit on it. I think we just need to sit our bums down and ignore these bitchy bosses. Luckily I am the boss at my work, and my boss just visits once in awhile.

I know what you mean about your back getting so sore. I notice my hips hurt a lot more at night if I have been at work.

I say confront her and tell her its the law and you will not be taking advantage of it, you will just be sitting when you need to.

CK Too

The law is on your side, so your boss can go and take a running jump! You´re not being a lazy arse needing to sit down all the time, you´ve got another human being growing inside of you, which is at times bloody hard work 24/7 with no breaks and he/she needs to take priority!

Confront her, once and for all, cos you´ll be wanting to sit down more and more as the pregnancy progresses.

moomin_troll

If your boss isnt happy with this you should say well i want a risk assessment done and you can actualy take out a court order to have this done and then alot more than just a chair will be changed!!

Im a administrator so my whole day is spent on a chair which isnt supportive at all but because my boss doesnt have a clue about anything ive decided to let it go because i start my leave soon YAY only 1 week to go!!!

clb1982

Hi there

I really feel for you as i have had a simular problem but the other way round. My job requires me to sit for long periods of time and i am giving targets of forms i have to input on the pc, which requires more sitting. Plus i am forgetful which means i cant work at the same pace as i used to as i often had to double check things to make sure i have inputted correctly and have to get up and walk around lots as my back gets stiff and achy and my feet swell.

I have had a pregnancy risk assessement done and have raised these issues many times. My manager ignores most of what i say and then tells me off when i dont hit my targets. I have been in tears many a time

I would seek union or legal advice as it could be discrimination. But dont let her treat you like that as its not fair.

I am just counting down the days till i go on maternity leave

Keep your chin up

Lauz_1601

I think that its terrible....has your boss ever had kids herself, does she know what its like to be on your feet for so long when pregnant? and when working a 12 hour shift!!! I could just about hack 6 hours on my feet and iv jsut left I couldn't have taken it any longer!

Is there anyone higher than her who you can go to ?

xxx

taperjeangirl

She had a son herself he is about 30 now so it was a while ago, i don't know much about it but she made it perfectly clear that se didn't believe in morning sickness because she never had it So I never really got much sympathy for that part of my pregnancy!

There are higher bosses I could go to but it's seen as bad form if you don't approach your own boss with your problems first, so I suppose I need to do that, and try my hardest not to let her get to me

alyxzandra

You may wish to get some advice from ACAS: http://www.acas.org.uk

charlie07

Don't feel guilty about taking longer breaks if it's needed. Can you sit and work at the same time or does your work need you to be stood all the time??

At least you're in work!!!!! Your boss can't really complain at that!

Stick to your guns and get what you are entitled too!!

taperjeangirl

I can sometimes sit down and do paperwork etc, but she counts that as being one of the 2 minute breaks and times me, even though I am still working

I don't really think I do need to be standing all the time but she insists that I am constantly on the go, otherwise it must seem like I am not working.

I did speak to one of the under managers today (cruella deville had a day off) and told him that I had emailed a few work unions for their opinions on this and if i need to I will have to go to higher up the manager chain if she doesn't back off!