So just recently I have had a confrontation with my boss, no resolution has been made and I’m having trouble processing what happened.
This is a new job which I started in early November last year, at the time I wasn’t really looking for work as I run a farm with my partner but the request was at a shop that I really enjoy going to and a lot of what they sell interests me. So I thought sure why not I could use the extra cash.
I said from the start before starting work that I could only work 2-3 days a week as a casual, that I would need to take time off for a holiday early next year before March and that my partner and I have a baby due in April so I’ll need to take more time off for that (obviously). I was told this wouldn’t be a problem as long as I was a team player and we would always work together to help each other out. Okay sounds good!
So March gets closer and so does my partners due date so I really wanted to go on my trip before it would be irresponsible for me to do so. Up until this time I worked whenever they wanted me to and only took 1 or 2 days off. Just before I bring up trip dates my boss announced that she is going on a holiday pretty much over the period I was originally thinking about going. This annoyed me but I didn’t make a big deal about it and asked if it was okay that I go away when she gets back from her trip. She seamed happy about that and said yep that won’t be a problem.
When I get back from my trip that day my partner and I attend a follow up appointment to talk about the results of some tests she took a couple weeks prior. Ultrasound, blood pressure, blood test ect.. the dr is very concerned and believes my partner is showing early signs of Pre-eclampsia and the baby had stopped growing. We were told we had to go in for an emergency c section that Friday just when I was supposed to return to work.
After a week my partner and I are feeling very overwhelmed for a number of reasons. My partner was showing signs of post partum depression and things were difficult with the baby having a very low birth weight and all the other challenges of having a newborn following a c section. It was hard for us to manage the farm and other home duties at the same time. I told my boss this and she said in a very kind and compassionate way that I should do what is best for my family
after a couple more days my partner and I agree that I would ask for another 2 weeks off so we can get everything sorted with our family before I take on more commitments. I text my boss explaining what’s going on and ask if it was okay that I took more time off. She doesn’t respond to the question and just tells me to come into the shop to talk. I was initially put off by this wondering why I had to go in to have this conversation, but I palmed off my worries and just assumed she wanted to check in on me and possibly negotiate the date that I would come back. I would have been happy to come back earlier but work less days ect..
So I visit the shop and out of nowhere she puts me on the spot and starts accusing me of not being a team player and that me taking the time off when I did, especially the holiday I took following her holiday was a red flag on my reliability. She goes on about how I get a good deal with discounts and that my colleague also needs to go on a holiday because he works 6 days a week and she is worried that he is going to crack it and that I am taking advantage of her generosity. She accuses me of being aggressive when I got nervous. Only my hands were shaking and my voice was cracking, I get anxiety sometimes and I definitely wasn’t being aggressive. Anyway after more attacks on my character she starts to go on about how lots of people have a baby and she’s only asking me to work 3 days a week. She obviously doesn’t care that we run a farm as well. I can’t believe this is how she reacted and all while customers were watching us and my colleague was standing right next to me.
This isn’t my first bad experience with a family owned business. Fuck work