Last year I was working in a corporate, well knows restaurant. I worked for the restaurant for 4 years, and the corporation for 8 years. Longer then even our general manager. Anyway, I had a baby in Feb. 2010 and went back to work 6 weeks later. I was breastfeeding, and at first, thought I could just work through and pump after work. It hurt so bad, and I was aware that breast feeding mothers have the legal right to pump at work. I asked my manager if I’d be allowed to go to my car and pump. For a while I did that, but they soon offered me the opportunity to pump in the managers office. At first it seemed better, but then the harassing began. My general manager does not have children, and did not understand why I couldn’t just give my son formula. Not his business really, but my son has reflux. It was severe, I didn’t want to mess with what was working. He swore it was fun for me to sacrifice time with my tables, to go pump. It was inconvenient for me as well. I always had other employees watch my tables, but my manager did not want to assist me in regards to this issue at all. He would just roll his eyes, and say, “I don’t want to know about it,” “don’t get milk on my desk,” “really? You have to do this now during my dinner rush?” The list goes on and on. I eventually stopped pumping at work when my son was 10 months old because the abuse was too much. I then lost my supply and dried up quickly. This was really hard for me emotionally. I wasn’t doing what was best for my son, because my employers thought breasts should not be for feeding babies. I eventually was fired from the company because of a disagreement with another employee. I know it’s not hard to believe that a manager like this would allow his male employees to curse at the female ones because he didn’t feel the need to do what was required of him as a server. He thought he could boss us around and intimidate us and we would just do it for him. I stood up for myself and called corporate about the situation. My managers somehow decided it was best to let us both go. I then was rewarded unemployment because they determined that the corporation could not prove that I should have been fired. Anyway, looking back I feel as if I was harassed. I let it go, because it’s a difficult topic to deal with. I know other employees who were aware of his comments and abuse, but would they stand up for me? Unsure. I am considering suing the company because I do not want these managers to continue treating woman in such a way. Just thought I’d put this out there for public opinions.
↧