Work Safety Rant
I will try to condense this as much as possible.
To start I am 22+2, I work in a factory, most jobs in said factory are very fast paced and physical - they require heavy lifting/pulling/pushing, the job I have had for over a year is light physical work BUT I walk up and down step ladders and stand on top of step ladders all day, plus I use a spray bottle of soapy water so the floor is sometimes a bit slick, I am excellent at my job and have been at all other jobs I have held here, have never complained or asked for special treatment even though I am short and don't have a ton of upper body strength- both of which have made a couple of my jobs very very challenging (worst run-on ever, I know - I am sorry, but I really don't care atm)
I had a great, very supportive Supervisor who had been taking extra time to ask how I was and see if I needed anything since he learned of my pregnancy. He told me if at any time I felt unsafe or uncomfortable in my position to let him know and he'd have me moved. About 3 weeks ago I went to him and told him I was ok for the time being, but really didn't feel I should be doing my job much longer because I am starting to get bigger and said I'd like to move within a few weeks. He said that was fine and he'd get on it. (I gave extra notice because I know they'll need me to train a replacement.) A couple days later he told me he had a place for me - where I'd stay of the ground, not have any heavy lifting, and not be around chemicals. Yes, this kind of job exists and there are about 10 people that work in that part of the factory. I was given a trainee about a week and a half ago.
Well, 2 days ago I got a new supervisor - he knows I'm pregnant and that I'm supposed to be moving, we actually talked about it a few days ago. This morning he comes to me and asks "Do you have any restrictions?" I said "not currently." So he tells me he refuses to move me until I get a note from my doctor and he can't "move me around 'just because' because other people will start asking to move" and he just can't have that. Then proceeds to tell me about how his cousin fell off a step ladder which caused premature labor and had her baby at 7 months. So he basically told me 'I know this job is potentially very dangerous for you and your unborn baby, but no one is forcing me to move so, sooooooo......screw you. Mind you this is a factory with over 300 employees. The majority of the employees are men, and most of the women that do work here are done having children. I'm the first woman (minus one woman in the office) to be pregnant in the 8 years this factory has been here. And Every. Single. Person. I talk to asks 1 of 4 questions 1-when are they moving you out of that job? 2 - where are they moving you to? 3- why haven't they moved you yet?!?! 4 - should you really be working on a step ladder?!
The more I think about it, the angrier I get. I called the Dr's office to have them write a restrictions note and have plans to go to upper management/HR/our safety lady tomorrow. But the gall.....
Let's Glow!
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