bit of help regarding supervisory role and pregnant staff

[jr@]

Asking this for my girlfrend who really has hit a brick wall with her management, and not knowing the sector/rules need some advice

She is a supervisor of 1 of 3 rooms of a busy childrens nursery

because her age group has less pupils this term, they have decide to remove 2 of her 4 staff to help support other rooms

the 2 remaining staff are 5 and 7 months pregnant, and refuse to do any kneeling/carrying etc and are tiring very quickly, because of there ensuing pregenecy, this has left the girlfriend as the only member of staff able to carry out these duties

in my mind this is greatley unfair, and the management have said there is no way this will change, in my mind though there has to be a safety issue etc with staff unable to cater/carry out there duties correctley considering there condition, but a realise there are various employment laws that muddy the water with pregnant staff etc

any help would be excelent

jr

[MacW]

Buy a bandage, have your other half wear it on her wrist into work next week claiming a minor but temporarily debilitating injury (make up a humorous story if you wish).

See how quickly it all changes.

[c8bof]

Can she suggest that the pregnant staff are split one into each room and the 2 other non-pregnant staff are split up likewise?

Their needs will take precedence just now (whether you/we think it's fair or not) because that's the way the law works. Is your girlfriend struggling to cope with the physical work or just miffed at having to pick up extra duties?

Has she asked them what would happen when she has to take time off for annual leave etc? Who covers then? Doesn't sound like a well thought out arrangement really.

[shirt]

they should [by law?] have risk assessments for new and expecting mothers. if so, i can't see how that would allow them to work in such a hectic environment that far into pregnancy.

[davepoth]

They are going to need some kind of plan, as in a maximum of 8 weeks one of those people is going to be leaving for 6 months, with the other one following 8 weeks later.

[c8bof]

shirt said:

they should [by law?] have risk assessments for new and expecting mothers. if so, i can't see how that would allow them to work in such a hectic environment that far into pregnancy.

The risk assessments will simply eliminate the duties that they find difficult or risky as the pregnancy progresses. It won't say 'now you're pregnant, you can't work in a 'hectic' environment'. So it will take out the manual handling duties, these get passed on to someone else (the OP's girlfriend) and the job gets padded out with extra cuddling, feeding, nappy changing, etc (sorry, don't know what else happens in this job role..)

It's only if the bulk of the job becomes too risky for the pregnant woman's health, that she can be suspended from work.

ETA If she's the supervisor, why has she got no input into where/how her staff are working?

Edited by c8bof on Wednesday 5th January 18:45

[spikeyhead]

Shag your bird until she's preggers, leave the managers with a real issue

Alternatively, in a few weeks the one that is currently 7 months pregnant will have left (on maternity leave) so it's not a permenant situation. Work through it as best she can and shout if it really does get to much.

[s-w-p]

Yes management have a duty of care towards the 2 pregnant members of staff, but they also have one towards your other half too. Sometimes management need reminding of this.

I'd be asking whether the 4 staff could be redistributed more evenly, i.e. 1 pregnant + 1 non in each of the 2 classes. I'd also be asking what their plans are once the 2 ladies go off on mat leave..?

[jr@]

cheers for all the replies, most of you seem to be thinking with common sense, same as me and her, unfortuately this seems to have been complety ignored !

seems that she is a supervisor, untill the management deem its time to get involved and overule everything, worked in a few similar places myself !

just seems very short sighted IMO, and i would worry if my children were in that room

[jr@]

[quote=spikeyhead]Shag your bird until she's preggers, leave the managers with a real issue

[quote]

i will put this idea forwards with the notion the man on the internet said so

Edited by jr@ on Thursday 6th January 11:19