Nightshift & Maternity

CornishWildFlower

Hi all,

Hoping for a bit of advice. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant and work 4 nights weekly in a well known supermarket, each shift consists of 10 hours. I informed them (in writing) of my pregnancy about 6 weeks ago now however, no risk assessment has yet materialised.

My problem is that I'm finding it all a bit of a struggle, standing for hours, dragging out roll cages which weigh 3/4 times more than me, lifting etc. I also have two children aged 6 & 7, so trying to sleep, work, have a life with my children is becoming increasingly hard, especially with end of term approaching. My husband also works and we rotate around each other so that one of us is always here for the children.

I'm not sick, so haven't really mentioned anything to my midwife, just feeling rather worn down and teetering on being a bit depressed, which just makes everything worse.

I'm hoping to finish work in my 26th week by taking all of my annual leave (6 weeks) and then starting maternity on week 32, although no one has spoken to me about it yet. I'm not sure how to proceed with my employer, I would like to drop down to 3 nights instead of 4 until then but I don't think I'd be able to make up the hours on days.

I'd be really grateful if someone could give me a heads up on how best to go forward, am so tired I just confuse myself these days! This pregnancy came as a surprise to us both, hence the complete lack of organisation.

Thanks in advance.

supermaiden

I went through similar. I was pulling out cages in the freezers until 12 weeks. I was taken straight off these jobs by my department manager and didnt have a risk assessment for months, they tend to be slow unless you demand.
You really need to chase them for that risk assessment as you really shouldnt be doing these kinds of things now, tell them you are struggling. They should move you to a different department so you are not doing anything strenuous. I advise you to go as far as you can to get someone to listen, and you need to think of yourself and that baby you are carrying as no one else will. If you dont want to do it in person, how about sending another letter dating when you sent the last and there has been no risk assessment and you are doing things that could potentially be dangerous to your unborn child.

Also if it helps, I took my 6 weeks before I took my maternity leave. They seem to be ok with that.

CornishWildFlower

Hi Supermaiden,

Thanks very much for your reply. I guess I've been holding off making a fuss because, as you probably know from working in similar, there isn't much in terms of 'light duties' on nights. If they were to move me onto days I'm not sure that I could manage to fulfill my contracted hours whilst also taking care of the children I've got.

I really don't want to make a pain in the proverbial of myself and be giving pregnant women everywhere a bad name! I just don't know how I'm going to manage for the next 9 weeks though, my sleep is pretty erratic, for instance, other half goes to work at lunchtime on Saturday (same employer) so I get in from working Friday night at about 08.30 and go to bed at 09.00. Have to be up at lunchtime to take over with the children, go back into work Saturday night and don't see bed again until 08.30 on Sunday morning..... it's totally breaking me.

It's good to know that you were allowed to use your annual leave, as I was wondering if they'd block it somehow.

mazza111

Please make an absolute .... of yourself if it gets your hours and work load changed. I did a similar role when I had DD, and worked right up until week 38. Midwife reckoned this was why she was breach. All the heavy lifting etc. Whether it contributed I don't know.I don't imagine it done me or her any good. Speak to your direct manager and HR if possible.

CornishWildFlower

mazza111 wrote: »

Please make an absolute .... of yourself if it gets your hours and work load changed. I did a similar role when I had DD, and worked right up until week 38. Midwife reckoned this was why she was breach. All the heavy lifting etc. Whether it contributed I don't know.I don't imagine it done me or her any good. Speak to your direct manager and HR if possible.

Hi Mazza,

Direct Manager is a nice enough lad but, he's all of about 21 and gets rather embarrassed if I go to discuss anything. Midwife did say to just be sensible about things and not over do it but, as you'll know, there isn't much middle ground in this kind of job, it's either heavy stuff or walking about with your hands in your pockets getting your colleagues to do it for you.

theoretica

If your OH works for the same employer would you have scope to swap shifts in some way?

Googlewhacker

CornishWildFlower wrote: »

Hi Mazza,

Direct Manager is a nice enough lad but, he's all of about 21 and gets rather embarrassed if I go to discuss anything. Midwife did say to just be sensible about things and not over do it but, as you'll know, there isn't much middle ground in this kind of job, it's either heavy stuff or walking about with your hands in your pockets getting your colleagues to do it for you.

Stop !!!!!footing around the lad, he needs to learn what to do at some point in his life over this situation, you seem a nice enough person so goto him and get him to help you and he can learn along the way as well.

CornishWildFlower

theoretica wrote: »

If your OH works for the same employer would you have scope to swap shifts in some way?

Afraid not, he's a delivery driver. While I do rate my own driving skills, I'm not sure that I'd be up to negotiating around the tighter lanes of Cornwall, adding in loo breaks every 10 minutes

CornishWildFlower

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Stop !!!!!footing around the lad, he needs to learn what to do at some point in his life over this situation, you seem a nice enough person so goto him and get him to help you and he can learn along the way as well.

Hi GW,

He's fairly atypical of the kind of Managers you get in this kind of environment, nice but not much of a clue! I speak to him about something, he says he'll get back to me and never does.

I've checked the date that I informed HR of my pregnancy and that was 16th Feb, so they're really dragging their heels over my risk assessment. My ideal would be to drop the Saturday night but, I'm not sure how I can achieve this without dropping my wages which, frankly, we can't take a drop in. I know they'd be loath to let me drop it anyway, as we're permanently short on Saturday.

Googlewhacker

CornishWildFlower wrote: »

Hi GW,

He's fairly atypical of the kind of Managers you get in this kind of environment, nice but not much of a clue! I speak to him about something, he says he'll get back to me and never does.

I've checked the date that I informed HR of my pregnancy and that was 16th Feb, so they're really dragging their heels over my risk assessment. My ideal would be to drop the Saturday night but, I'm not sure how I can achieve this without dropping my wages which, frankly, we can't take a drop in. I know they'd be loath to let me drop it anyway, as we're permanently short on Saturday.

Then chase chase and chase some more....

LondonDiva

You need to take ownership of the matter yourself rather than moaning that your boss is not doingf anything about your pregnancy.

If you work for a major supermarketm they will have well established maternity processes and an HR dept - I suggest you call the HR dept and ask for the info you need or go on the HSE website and complete their assessment - http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/resources.htm

I also have two children aged 6 & 7, so trying to sleep, work, have a life with my children is becoming increasingly hard, especially with end of term approaching. My husband also works and we rotate around each other so that one of us is always here for the children.

Your homelife issues are not the employer's and you need to look at what you wnat them to do - you don't want to change to a day shift which may work from them, but want to drop a day instead - would this work for the team and the service needs? If thye can't find something that works for both you and the company the alternative would be to suspend you on pay or get you to go on early leave.