I work night stock which I had done a couple years prior, moved up in days, then came back to nights. I was always commended as being a highly efficient worker. The first couple months I came back to nights I started having severe back issues and after several different doctors later was told I couldn't lift over 40lbs. I had a note from the chiro, rheumatologist, and family doctor. I always worked my laughably"aisle friendly pallets" with minor pain and had been told by my boss when I came back to nights that I wouldn't be breaking down trucks anyway as we have 4 others who do. Since I brought in my Dr excuse suddenly I was being scheduled multiple days straight without rest for my back and bring required to work more pallets than usual in heavy aisles. I fought back and forth with management and union but basically no result other than suck it up, ignore your dr notes, or face being crapped on by management till you break. So this went on about 6 months. Then now I am pregnant, 4 mth, and have fmla high risk(as I lost 30lb in one month and was anemic and dealing with severe abdominal pain as well as being taken off my back medication). I have been given a slew of dr notes again saying that my lifting be minimal and not to work too many days in a row without rest. The week after I revealed this, my boss and store mgr schedule me 6 days straight. It was I inventory so I felt obligated to do it as everyone on my crew had 6 days that week and from experience speaking up makes things worse for me. Since then, though, they keep scheduling me and only one other person to stock the entire store with 800-1000 pc trucks. The first time I did I and we got truck completed but I had to break down 5 pallets on my side of the store and work 10 pallets total, and build 3 pallets of survey. The boy on the other side had the same amount so we couldn't really switch it sucked either way. I got so sick after that day I called off the next day with my fmla but when I came back to work a couple days after now things have gotten much worse. I have to work another night with just two of us and large truck, and they have me working 10 days straight and all the dr appointments like obgyn, rheumatologist, etc... I request off in esked months in advance and I am not getting any of them off. So I sent an email to my boss, store mgr, and co managers saying that I can't be breaking down 10 pallets etc, but that the job I was originally doing was fine still. The one comanager sounded concerned but did nothing, the union rep did nothing, and then my boss send me an email saying not to waste my breath and that my negative attitude is bringing morale down on our crew and that I get paid to do a job I don't do and need to leave. Which is crap and our coworkers all tell me they feel badly and can see I am bring treated unfairly by the boss and store manager. Even as sick as I am, I still throw 300-600 a night, do ddp and displays, orders and low shots, backstock and condition 3-4 aisles a night (one being gatorade/juice)and rarely ever ask for help unless it is to stack an empty pallet if it is above my waist. I don't know what to do anymore. I want to continue this job position till I am 6-7 mth along because I need the pay and there are no other positions currently to shift to. I went to mgt. I went to union . I have recorded the interactions and schedules. But it all falls on deaf ears and I am scared to lose my job by refusing to do the things they keep forcing me in to but I am even more scared to lose my miricale baby.
Honestly couldn't read all of that, but I will tell you that Kroger definitely discriminates. If they are not getting exactly what they want when they want the way they want it because you're not fully functional then I'll just get someone else to do it. They don't care about your problems they don't care about your health and they don't care about your life all they care about is their bottom line. So yes you're likely getting screwed over
i would demand to be put in a different area while i was pregnant. i myself am 6 weeks away from giving birth and i can tell you that the managers are giant dicks to pregnant women. and when you have to get the maternity leave paperwork be prepared for a huge battle with hr. also make it clear that your health and the health of your unborn child will come first. also congrats on the pregnancy.
Thank you to those of you who gave legitimate advice, whether or not you could take the time to read something less than 2 minutes. I have saved all communication. I wanted to know what is the suggested next step. One of you suggests the president of the local? Do I just contact the union to get their information? And yes, getting fmla was a bitch bc the store manager didn't tell me she got a notice from them requesting more info from me and i almost got denied...thankfully I follow up on my own.
