Advice on rights at work..

[MasterOfTheTriforce]

There was an incident at work last week where I asked to leave an hour early due to (embarrassingly) leaking through my trousers during my monthly. Without all the tmi, I had been wearing as much sanitation protection as I could and had only changed it 4 hours previously. My boss is aware that I suffer problems due to a bicornuate uterus and sympathised greatly when I had told her.

The problem I have is that she got very angry, asked me a multitude of personal questions, which although my boss is female I found a bit humiliating to answer,such as what absorbancy was I wearing, when I had changed it and why wasn't I better prepared (in quite a rude manner). Then after this she told me I had to tell the male leader on shift why I was leaving (which was a bit unnecessary imo as surely the manager would be higher up and the last hour of the shift is to tie up loose ends so to speak) I found this quite humiliating and was not sure whether a manager has the right to do this? And also with regards to sickness, is it mandatory to have to explain in great details to why you are off? Is there any advice or places people could guide me to to work out what rights I have?

My manager seems to have gone extremely petty over this :S

[olgaga]

It sounds as though she was either having a bad day, or perhaps she just did not realise how severe the symptoms are following your earlier discussion.

I think you should write to her and say you found the recent events disturbing and remind her you explained your condition to her previously. Point out that it cause excessive bleeding more like a haemorrhage than a heavy bleed, which no amount of sanitary protection or changing can deal with, and you were particularly embarrassed to be sent to explain the situation to your (male) shift manager having already explained it to her. You might want to include some literature from the internet so that she can get a better understanding of the problem it causes you.

Have you seen your GP lately? It might be wise to discuss how the symptoms are affecting you.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Did you miss out something in your post - am a bit confused about the '4 hours' - even I have to change my sanitary protection more often than that and I have moderate bleeding and none of the problems you have

[olgaga]

I have a friend with this and I the problem is you can have sudden very dramatic bleeding which saturates and goes through everything - even a completely clean pad.

[lisaro]

Why did you leave it 4 hours if you know you have a heavy period. I go every hour whether I need to or not, just to avoid anything like this. That isn't being ill, it's compassionate.

[lisaro]

Sorry, posted too soon - I also think you have a responsibility to yourself as well as to your employer to manage your periods properly. Surely if your flow is heavy then leaving it over 4 hours is a bit unhygienic. I know on very rare occasions it's possible for accidents to happen, but this could have been avoided.

[Justw0nder1ng]

Op came on here to ask a question about her rights at work, I think if she had wanted criticism on her personal hygiene she would have posted on a different topic. I think Olgaga has explained the condition anyway.
My impression is that op already feels upset and humiliated enough by this situation and she has my sympathy. Have some compassion ladies