employer causing stress

[countrybumpkin]

hi
my partner has just found out she is pregnant (4 weeks) she is high risk as she has severe endrometriosis and 2 miscarriages in past, she told her employer yesterday she was pregnant as she expected her to lug a heavy hoover up 3 flights of stairs and hoover which she asked for help (before she told her she was pregnant) and boss just said if you cant do the job you should of said and then told her go home after the cleaning job next whilst shouting! she has now informed her she is pregnant and still no better, she said their risk assessment says carrying a hoover is fine and a few comments like if she cant do her job then not alot she can do implying to leave, oh and when my partner informed her she needs to give her a letter (writing notice she was pregnant) her boss said i take it thats its your notice?
her employer now ays she isnt entitled to maternity pay, which she is as she has been employed since february.
she has just returned to work after a week off with stress and depression and her boss is causing so much stress she calls me crying and really worked up i feel this is unacceptable and dont know what to do as she wont let me call her boss and speak to her i am not intending on lowering to her level and losing my temper.
any help would be much appreciated.

[B00]

Whilst i can't address the other issues, im almost positive that lfting a hoover up 3 flights of stairs and then hoovering wont affect the pregnancy! My goodness she's only 4 weeks gone.
And to be blunt, if she prone to miscarriages, this will happen anyway, lifting a hoover won't make a scrap of difference to that.

I do however hope she continues with the pregnancy, and that her work issues can be sorted..
Good luck :-)

[bednobs]

i have to agree with boo, sorry, If lifting a hoover is out of the question, then she should get a medical note to that effect. TBH the employer is right - if she can't do the job she is paid to do because she is pregnant, and there is nothing else she can do then what is going to happen? She can't just be sick for nine months. I'm not sure what the cut of is for maternity pay - she worked there 3 months before she got pregnant (perhaps the direct gov site will tell you?)

i am pregnant at the moment and i understand how stressful it is and how you want to do anything to minimise harm and risk, especially given her previous sad occurrences

[lotsafun]

hi countrybumpkin. I was a cleaner and a barmaid right up till i was 8 months and although her employer is being a bit spitefull in the way she is saying things she is also right that if she is unable to do the work then she should be seeking alternative employment, afterall its only cleaning and she is only 4 weeks. Sadly miscarrages happen wether your lifting, pushing, cleaning etc. shes pregnant, not ill. As far as mat pay goes it is unlikely that she will be entitled to this as she hasnt been in this employment long but she may be eligible for SMP from the social. Your partner has 2 options
1) get on with the work that she is payed to do
2) quit
iether way this will be her desision as under no circumstances will her boss be able to sack her, not unless your partner is a fault anyway.

[Sqad]

I agree with the above 3 posters

[B00]

But in fairness shortplank, if the woman's job entails her to lift a hoover around, and already at 4 weeks gone she's reluctant to do this, she isn't fit for the job. I'm not condoning her employers attitude, but I can sort of see where she's coming from!

The fact that the ladt in question has suffered previous miscarriages isn't a concern to her boss, all she's rightly concerned about is whether she can do her job.

[countrybumpkin]

she isnt reluctant to lift a hoover or do her job! she wants to work, all she asked was for another cleaner to assist in this perticular instance as its a 3 storey house and lifting up 3 flights of stairs is abit strenuous the best of times.
in their job description whether pregnant or not they aren't meant to do jobs alone, may i stress again she is a high risk pregnancy and the employer has to acknowledge this.

[bednobs]

i hope you don't feel got at. However, does the employer HAVE to acknowledge the pregnancy is high risk? Has she been told this by a consultant? If the job's risk assessment says that she shouldn't lift a hoover alone, then she should just refuse to do it.

[countrybumpkin]

yes i feel got at, i know normal pregnancies are usually fine but this one is high risk as severe endometriosis, epilepsy and previous miscarriages.
she is at the doctors today and have a chat see what he says. she is fine carrying a hoover normally but she was sent alone to a job, i want my partner to quit as the company treat all employees apaulingly. i have read all the info that i can get and as far as im aware i dont know how she has got away with previous issues like refusing to pay all staff til a week later as she was on holiday even though there is a written contract to when staff are paid.
depending on the bosses mood she can be very accommadating or extremly uncooperative rude and very aggressive.
many have walked out and dont know how my partner has put up with it in past and co worker cant believe the way she was when told she was pregnant.
my partner doesnt create problems or wants to make a fuss im worried about her health and our future babies health.
my partner cant afford to be off sick and doesnt want to be off sick.

[redcrx]

if she cant afford to be off sick then she should be trying to find a compromise, fair enough.
But the employer cannot be expected to employ extra staff just to be able to do the carrying and lifting that your partner cannot do.

seems like a bit of a stalemate really doesnt it?

[countrybumpkin]

she doesnt have to emply extra staff, its a cleaning agency with about 15 members of staff which are never meant to be sent to jobs alone in thr first place but is always in breach of this.
there is only one house that she feels she needs a hand with once a week i dont feel this is too much to ask?

[bednobs]

unfortunately, your partner is in a very difficult position. As she has been working there so little time the employer could just get rid of her for no reason by (for example) making out she's not happy with the standard of work or attitude and your partner would have no recourse

[redcrx]

so this is the only house where your partner has to lift a vacuum up a flight of stairs?
I can sympathise with you and your partner, all pregnancies cause worry for the parents. But i can also see that the employer would require her to be able to lift a vacuum.

im also not sure if your partner was off with stress before finding out shes pregnant. You say shes 4 weeks pregnant but has only just gone back to work after a week off.

[countrybumpkin]

thank you.
she has just come back from the doctor she has low blood pressure which will explain the dizzyness.
he has also instructed her employer that she cant lift heavy objects including a hoover and stated high risk miscarriage "here is a note for your silly boss" said by the doctor who feels that she isnt being very co operative.
we have got to see the widwife next week as she is high risk od miscarriage.
so thankyou to the few that actually know what you are on about!

[redcrx]

can she not ask if another member of staff can swap that one house with her, you say thats the only one she feels she needs help with.

[countrybumpkin]

she usually has help thats the point, everyone is the company is meant to work in at lest teams of 2, she works so hard everyday they wanted to make her supervisor but she turned it down, she ends up organised ppls days as the boss is useless.
anyway i went off track a little there.
well now her boss has an obligation to adhere to the doctors sick note.
thank you again to those who didnt just say she was a wimp and get on with it.
x

[k8bailey]

Re. Maternity pay - you partner should be entitled to maternity pay from the employer. I can't remember how its worded but basically one week before the start of the pregnancy, so one week before her last period. If not though, she can apply for maternity allowance from the government. which should be the same amount, so at least you've both got one less thing to worry about!

Hope all goes well

[lotsafun]

your getting very *** towards people on here countryb, you asked our opinions and we told you. Many of us on here are parents ourselves so we do know how stressful and worrying pregnacies are, i myself have 2 children and have also suffered with miscarriages but i still had to get on with things. I used to go to work cleaning a pub in the mornings and then do a 6-8 hour shift behind the bar in the evenings to get by. If i had said to my employers i cant do this cause im pregnant i wouldve been laughed out of there.
The question is ''is your girlfriend fit to work or not?'' if not then she needs to be signed off on sick. simples!