Maternity wear not provided or allowed

[She Says]

My SIL works in a library for a council in England. She is pregnant and getting to the stage of wanting to wear maternity clothing. They usually have to wear black trousers or skirt and a blouse provided by the library. She asked her employer if they have a maternity uniform and she was told no, she would be given a larger size blouse.

This will not work for my SIL as there is no stretch or give in the blouses and she is required to move freely to put books away on all different level of shelves. So SIL asked if she could wear maternity wear in keeping with the library uniform colours, along with her ID badge. At first she was told this would be ok by one of the other staff (I am not sure of the details here) but when she did wear her own maternity clothing she was told at the end of her shift that the next day she should return in her uniform.

The problem with the uniform and wearing larger sizes is that they will be too big in the wrong places, and too small in others with no stretch or give. She's been told the blouses go up to size 22 but even then, at the later stages the larger sizes might not cover her belly and I should imagine she would be very uncomfortable in a size 22 when she is normally size 12!

She has been told that it is their 'policy' to not allow maternity wear and not provide specific maternity clothing/uniform. She asked to see the policy and was told it was an unwritten thing! A new boss has taken over recently and it would seem this is the first challenge to his new 'no maternity wear' unwritten policy.

My SIL is very upset and her dr has given her time off for work related stress. She feels discriminated against for being pregnant.

Does anyone know where she stands legally and how she can take this further??

 

[ORDERED WEB]

I would say (if I was the boss) wear a suitable match of trousers and top of your choice

Black trousers are black trousers. I assume the top will be fairly easy to match with a maternity top. There are lots of areas where there needs to be flexibility

Maternity
Religion
Disabilities

 

[ORDERED WEB]

Best bet is to put the issue in writing, and send it to the HR Dept by recorded delivery, and copy the letter to the manager

1. outline the issue
2. demonstrate how you propose to resolve the issue

That negates the idiocy of the local penpusher on the ground

 

[MikeD08]

Best bet is to put the issue in writing, and send it to the HR Dept by recorded delivery, and copy the letter to the manager

1. outline the issue
2. demonstrate how you propose to resolve the issue

That negates the idiocy of the local penpusher on the ground

Spot on advise there!

I hate to be critical (but I'm going to be anyway) but I fail to understand how a simple thing like this can cause enough stress that she then has to go to the docs and be signed of sick??? I understand that she's pregnant and that's hard enough but I can't help but think that she hasn't taken the logical steps of calmy discussing this and instead has taken the easy option of sick leave with 'stress'. I can see she took the advise of wearing her own clothes on the word of a colleague, not someone in a management position which was the 1st thing she did wrong.

I hope I'm wrong and I apoligise if I am.

 

[deniser]

Spot on advise there!

I hate to be critical (but I'm going to be anyway) but I fail to understand how a simple thing like this can cause enough stress that she then has to go to the docs and be signed of sick??? I understand that she's pregnant and that's hard enough but I can't help but think that she hasn't taken the logical steps of calmy discussing this and instead has taken the easy option of sick leave with 'stress'. I can see she took the advise of wearing her own clothes on the word of a colleague, not someone in a management position which was the 1st thing she did wrong.

I hope I'm wrong and I apoligise if I am.

I have to say I thought the same. We are only talking about the top aren't we?

I can't imagine that someone who is a size 12 (like me) can possibly have a problem with wearing a bigger size of blouse - there is no way your SIL will have to go anywhere near a size 22 blouse. Presumably they are not fitted anyway but a loose shape. I can't see what is wrong with wearing a larger size. Thinking back to when I was 9.5 months pregnant I am sure I would have fitted into a size 16 blouse. If not, why not wear a T-shirt underneath and leave the bottom few buttons undone?

It sounds to me as though there is more to it than just the uniform. Maybe your SIL is suffering general stress about the impending birth?

 

[fisicx]

I also think it is a little odd to ask the library to provide maternity wear. Uniforms are expensive enough anyway and to expect them to pay for a range of clothing on the off chance that someone may get pregnant is unreasonable.

Why can't she just wear a bigger blouse and a wolly pully over the top as suggested.

And as to the stress, that's just a waek and lame excuse to ignore the problem. Does this mean the manager can go sick with stress because the staff are getting on their nerves?

 

[She Says]

Thanks place of design, I will pass on the message to her.

I would say (if I was the boss) wear a suitable match of trousers and top of your choice

Black trousers are black trousers. I assume the top will be fairly easy to match with a maternity top. There are lots of areas where there needs to be flexibility

Maternity
Religion
Disabilities

That is all my SIL wanted to do, wear a black maternity top that matched the uniform anyway! She was very surprised at their response!

I also think it is a little odd to ask the library to provide maternity wear. Uniforms are expensive enough anyway and to expect them to pay for a range of clothing on the off chance that someone may get pregnant is unreasonable.

SIL saw a maternity uniform top in the council's uniform catalogue and asked if she could order it. She wasn't expecting them to pay. I don't think it is unreasonable at all to expext that at some stage in an organisation as large as a council that there will be someone pregnant?? She can't be the first prgnant council staff, surely!

Presumably they are not fitted anyway but a loose shape

Unfortunately they ARE FITTED which is why there is a problem. They are made from a very heavy structured cotton with fitted darts in the front and back. As I mentioned in the original post, the blouse is NOT suitable for a pregnant woman's shape.

SIL is stressed because she is not allowed to wear maternity clothes and she is expected to wear clothing that will be uncomfortable and impractical for working in a library where she is required to bend and stretch to put books away on different levels of shelves. So what is she meant to wear?

I've been in banks where pregnant staff are wearing maternity versions of the bank uniform, and there are places where pregnant staff are allowed to wear maternity wear instead of the uniform.

 

[SillyJokes]

This seems a ridiculous thing to have to have brought up on a forum. Clearly there's a lack of communication and/or she is being a bit unreasonable herself.

Being ill because your clothes don't fit? Seriously? Only council staff would even think of this option.

I was pregnant while I worked at the Council and they were extremely good to me so I think, reading betwixt the lines, she doesn't like her new boss and visa versa.

 

[deniser]

In that case how about wearing the blouse open, like a jacket, and wearing a matching coloured top underneath? Then she would be comfortable and they might get the hint.

But not to go to work when the taxpayer is paying her wages because of a blouse ? - doesn't seem right to me.

 

[Christine Hough]

She has been told that it is their 'policy' to not allow maternity wear and not provide specific maternity clothing/uniform. She asked to see the policy and was told it was an unwritten thing!
??

How can they determine that their policy does not allow maternity wear. Do they also bar long or short variations? One shape does not fit all and cannot just be increased uniformly ( sorry about pun!)

The way I read this the SIL has shown flexibility and offered to buy the uniform herself which is in the catalogue (so where in the council does this ruling apply and where does it not?)

I would be thinking of sex discrimination on the basis that men do not get pregnant as it seems unreasonable and impracticable to me.

Why she was off for stress I do not know but note it was a Dr who signed her off and presumable the Dr was satified that her stress levels indicated that she needed time off.
The level of stress could be due to how uncomfortable she is, the atmosphere the new manager had engendered and how long it has been going on. For all we know it could well have been associated with high blood pressure.

Although I would try to do a good job, when pregnant I would also be aware I had a duty towards the baby to not endanger it. Stress is associated with high blood pressure which is a danger in pregnancy, and if a Dr advised being off work I would go with it.

 

[ORDERED WEB]

wear the size 12 stuff and let it ride, bulge and split.. they will soon change their minds

 

[SillyJokes]

wear the size 12 stuff and let it ride, bulge and split.. they will soon change their minds

Yep, you ever been pregnant? Clothing is quite an issue and any pressure on your bump can be unbearable.

 

[thebigIAM]

This whole thing sounds utterly bizarre. A diktat against maternity clothing? Whatever for? When is the baby due?

 

[Deleted member 3454]

I'm apalled to read about this attitude - isn't it discrimination? I had a quick google and found this information and I think this sentence applies: "All in all, whatever your company provides for other workers it must provide for you even though you are pregnant."

I think that in you SIL's position I would do as suggested by Place of Design:

Best bet is to put the issue in writing, and send it to the HR Dept by recorded delivery, and copy the letter to the manager

1. outline the issue
2. demonstrate how you propose to resolve the issue

My personal experience: I thought I would be able to get away with wearing larger clothes instead of paying out for maternity clothes but as my pregancy progressed I had to change my mind as plus sizes just didn't do the job.

The other thought that crossed my mind is if the Council only provides blouses up to size 22, do they discriminate by not employing anyone who is larger than size 22 or do they allow them to provide their own suitable blouses?

 

It may have been in the OP but been reading all the replies and may have missed it. How far pregnant is your SIL? It's to be hoped she isn't too far gone as i am sure if you are off work ill after 29 wks (?) then you are forced to start your maternity leave

This to me has gone too far and there has to be more to it than this. If it was me in that case then i would be certainly airing my views and coming to some compromise over it......it's the council for gods sake, they have to be so PC and would be frightened to death of any bad publicity because of discrimination.

The thing is there is always two sides to every story and you are telling us your SIL.

 

[Zeno]

I have to agree with Lucy. In fact, I think whoever suggested that the two of them simply just don't like each other has probably come the closest so far.

For someone to actually say "We don't allow maternity wear" or words to that effect is simply unbelievable in the context of a council.

Without wishing this thread to turn into one of the "OP's a liar, get your pitchfork" witchhunts that seem to come up these days, it would seem that there must be more to this than we or the OP are being told.

 

[Christine Hough]

I would still go higher.
I had a friend who worked in the PO and when he reached retirement age he didn't want to stop so proposed a job share to his boss.

It was hugely in the PO's benefit.. each would work alternate weeks, cover each other's hol and sickness themselves and both work the weeks coming up to Christmas, for something like 30/52 of a ful time salary.. as it worked out at 30 week work each.

Also they were available to do extra if someone else was off.

The manager was v angry with them and thought they were pulling a fast one. Told them no chance.
But my friend took it higher and of course got what he wanted and it appeared the local manager had misunderstood entirely and thought they were wanting 100% for 60% work!!

Seems the local manger did not understand or like job shares although it was company policy to be flexible.

 

[Jenni384]

I hate to be critical (but I'm going to be anyway) but I fail to understand how a simple thing like this can cause enough stress that she then has to go to the docs and be signed of sick???

I hope I'm wrong and I apoligise if I am.

Apology accepted

Stress is not logical. Some people deal better with it than others, and this is not always something under someone's control. Stress is a form of mental illness and any illness can strike any person at any time.

Anyone who says "that's nothing, she shouldn't get stressed about it, let alone take time off work" should give thanks they have never suffered mental illness because they clearly don't understand it properly. It's not often I'll speak out like this but it's something I feel very strongly about.

I appreciate that stress is something that people can fake with relative ease but unless it's clear someone is faking it, then it's an illness and should be treated with respect.

With regards the original question, asking the employer to provide specific maternity wear is a bit odd. Making her wear clothes that are too big and don't fit right is bang out of order. Letting her wear her own clothes that conforms with uniform makes sense and writing a letter to HR, manager etc seems a sensible approach. I also agree that this is only one side of the story and there may be more than meets the eye but a rational approach to the problem seems to be the way to go.

 

[She Says]

I have told the 'story' as I know it and tried to keep to facts, although obviously second and third hand.

The reason I posted here was because I thought it seemed ridiculous sort of position to put a pregnant woman in ie that they must wear the normal uniform; no maternity clothing and no maternity uniform (as is often provided by many large companies).

I don't know if there is more to it than what I've said. SIL's doctor was concerned enough to sign her off for two weeks, presumably due to the risk of high blood pressure which can in extreme cases prove fatal during pregnancy. Doctors tend to take that sort of risk seriously

As I've said, SIL saw a maternity top in the council uniform catalogue which is why she asked for it to be ordered, I don't see why that is so odd but then I've never worked for a business that has a HR dept or uniform catalogue!

I have suggested via MIL that SIl should write to the HR dept and her manager to try and resolve the situation. The best option as many have said is to let SIl wear her own sensible maternity clothes in line with the uniform style.

btw she isn 't 29 weeks yet.

 

[She Says]

Yep, you ever been pregnant? Clothing is quite an issue and any pressure on your bump can be unbearable.

which is exactly why she doesn't feel she can wear the uniform which is fitted and non-stretchy!