i need advice
hi FT OBGYN sonographer here
(sorry if this is kinda all over the place)
i work at an outpatient clinic. im currently 27 weeks pregnant FTM. we have had four different managers in the last year. our current manager is the absolute worst. she is in her 70s and came out of retirement for this position. she is very rude and unprofessional when talking to staff. she gets extremely defensive when you try to come and talk to her about problems.
at the beginning of the year we had three PRNs. two of the three are pregnant as well. one is due any minute and other due in july. the only PRN that was not pregnant also did MA work at our office. she quit in Feb and our manager knew she wouldnt have coverage for my leave. the PRN who is due so soon isnt sure if she will come back to work after baby gets here. other pregnant PRN is also FT at our hospital and works 7 on 7 off third shift. she will be out for a large portion of my leave and even when she comes back position at hospital trumps PRN. manager still hasnt found any coverage for my leave (she acts like its my responsibility but like wtf can i even do?) so anyways like i stated above im 27 weeks pregnant. i have been saving what little PTO i get since i found out i was pregnant. (not even 4 hours a pay period) a few weeks ago i emailed her and told her when my last day would be july 27th and my induction date is 8/11. **yes i know many sonographers work until they give birth but i genuinley DO NOT want to do that. i want to prioritize my health. ive had heart rate issues and it makes it hard on me to keep up with our busy schedule. i got a lot of shit on FB when posting on the sonographer page about not wanting to work myself into delivery. my schedule has 13 available slots. its just a lot on me. ** so originally my manager just said "okay thats fine" and then the next week she asked me if i had coverage for my maternity leave and i just straight up said no bc thats the truth? so then she comes to my room later and talks to me about how if i use my PTO i wont get paid befoee short term disability sets in and i said i know im choosing this. it just felt like she was trying to talk me out of it. well next day i have already clocked out and was about to leave and she told me to come to her office. she had her manager in there with her. this woman introduced herself to me. 🙃 i told her "ive worked here for three years. i know who you are" well anyways so they proceed to tell me that im not allowed to take 8 days off before my induction (little less than two weeks. our office is mon-thurs) and i got upset and started crying. they told me they knew HR said i could but i had to have manager approval but i didnt. they are willing to let me take three days off the week before. they said MAYBE i can work half days the week before. i expressed how upset i was and the manager above manager said "yes i get upset when i dont get my way too" i also expressed i dont want to work myself into labor and i dont want to be stressed out at the end and that my job is HARD bc it is!! well they said again no one can take that much time off and if they let me they would have to let anyone take that time off (not in company handbook- clinic owned by hopsital) so then they said anything else you want to talk about? i said no bc i clearly have no say or choice. then my manager brought up the fact she thinks im difficult to have conversations with- im not. ive never had complaints even from providers. ive brought up issues over housekeepimg and she didnt like it. (housekeeping even stole spray deoderant out of my room and she said well they clearly needed it) shes just making it out like im a problem in her managers eyes. im not stupid. they brought up if i get note from OB (which i use one in office) i would have to start FMLA early and not get full 12 weeks after birth and cannot use pto on back half. they suggested i take time off around christmas since itll be my babies first christmas.
well anyways now they are trying to overbook me constantly. make me have more 13 pts and said i dont get a say if i can have more or not.
i genuinely dont know what to do. i feel like im being bullied. my husband keeps pushing me to look for jobs and tell them i cant start until november. i cannot quit before the baby. i need the insurance, FMLA, and i get a discount at hospital. i am so unhappy and stressed out. im so worried i will out myself into early labor the further along i get.
any advice? again i know many sonographers work themselves into labor (literally bc many commented and said that on FB post) but its OKAY for me to not want that for myself.
would anyone even hire me if i apply and say i cant work until my leave is up?