Groundhog Day

[Casey_03]

It really is beginning to feel like Groundhog Day, like I'm on a loop of repeated problems at work. Every time I think I'm approaching stability, I get knocked down again. At the end of Feb, I had to hire a lawyer after my job tried to refuse me both maternity leave and a work permanent on the basis that I was a "single pregnant woman." They then strung me along for a few more weeks and purposefully delayed the processing of documents so I had to leave the country at the very last moment. Now, when I am back and thought that storm had passed, I am informed of a pay cut. At first I was upset but had been warned that all employees might face pay cuts because we had not received a certain grant we needed. Then I found out my pay cut was double that of everyone else's. I confronted my boss and he was very careful not to communicate with me in writing, telling me instead to call him. So I did and was told mine was a bigger cut because I'm doing less work. Why am I doing less work? Because i'm heavily pregnant. By law, i'm supposed to already be on maternity leave, but the company screwed that all up and denied me that right. So now I get this pay cut. For being pregnant. Which makes me wonder if once I actually give birth, will they just stop paying me period? And say "oh, well you're not working so we're not paying you." I was told I'd get two months' leave but now I'm questioning whether they will keep their word. The contract I just recently signed is very vague and they refuse to actually put my salary in writing, so there's no way to prove anything. They also refused to put my maternity leave in writing. With this pay cut, I now cannot afford a nanny and may have to go without medical care for the last few weeks of pregnancy. I will barely be able to pay for the birth. Without a nanny, I cannot return to work at all. What the hell is wrong with the world?

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

Is there anyway to make them get these things written down because I think you have reason to be worried and you don't need to be dealing with the mess (if there is one) when you have a newborn.

 

[Casey_03]

No, I've repeatedly asked for this all in writing and they just say there is no need and refuse to give me anything on paper. Short of hiring a lawyer, which I not can't afford, I don't see any way to force them to put it in writing.

 

[scout86]

You get that they want you gone, right? And they are going to keep doing what ever they can to get you to quit? And you don't have much leverage, the way it sounds. I can't answer your actual question ("What's wrong with the world?") I have no idea. But I do know that most businesses are way more interested in looking out for their own interests than anything else. If the welfare of their employees coincides with theirs, all is well. If not? Life is going to get complicated. As an alternative to continuing to work there, is there any chance of negotiating some sort of severance package that would give you the time and space to have the baby and transition to a new job?

You need to get what ever benefits you can out of your current job so you can get yourself and your baby on the way to better things. But I don't know that planning to keep working for this outfit, for the long haul, makes any sense.

I'm not sure what options you have. Does anyone working there have a written contract? If not, ALL of you are kind of vulnerable to the whims of management. You might be able to band together to do something about that.

Sorry all of this is happening! The timing really sucks. :(

 

[Casey_03]

@scout86 That's the thing - I don't think they actually do want me gone, I think they're just hoping I'm too stupid to figure out that they're manipulating me. I actually tried to quit weeks ago and the boss talked me out of it and begged me to stay, and they did pay money to get me the work permit, which I don't think they'd have done if they wanted me gone (cause i'd have been forced to leave the country anyway - easy way for them to get rid of me). And this time around, when I was informed of the pay cut, the boss gave me cash to compensate for the visa I just paid for -- which he didn't have to do. But I now realize that was actually hush money - he realized that he was once again discriminating against a pregnant woman, and was hoping the compensation for the visa would appease me so I wouldn't make a fuss.

 

[scout86]

So, whose labor laws are you working under? Obviously not ours. Your employer isn't local either, are they, or are they? You're right, it doesn't make sense that they'd have paid for the work permit if they were trying to get rid of you. They MIGHT be thinking you're in enough of a jam that you'll put up with nearly anything to keep the job. What's the bookkeeping like? Is it possible your boss is skimming from the payroll? Who writes the checks? Are there checks? Who does he answer to and how much oversight does he get?

Lots of questions! But, I think you need to find some sort of leverage or this is going to keep going on.

 

[Casey_03]

It all falls under Ukrainian law. What he's doing is still illegal, but in Ukraine, it's more common/easier for companies to do things "unofficially." There are no checks, there's no record of anyone's salaries, or even employment. I had to hire a lawyer just to force them to give me a contract, and even then, the contract is very vague and useless. When I talked to the lawyer before, she said it'd be difficult to pursue anything against the company because they're being so careful about not leaving a paper trail. It's always going to be my word against theirs. And I think you're right - I think they realize I'm too vulnerable to be able to do anything.

 

[Casey_03]

Now I really have to consider adoption

 

[hodge]

Oh, Casey, I am so very sorry you are in this situation.Those bosses are evil. I know saying that doesn't help in in any practical way. I wish I knew enough to suggest something useful. :hug:s

 

[scout86]

Now I really have to consider adoption

What are the other options? Like getting a job working for a better outfit? Returning to the States? I had a feeling your employer was doing what the lawyer suggested they were doing. And it sounds like they're good at it. And the system there isn't exactly real concerned with ethics. When you're on your own, you can kind of roll with that stuff. When you're responsible for a child, it makes it way more complicated. You might be able to work a deal with them, if it seems to them like it's worth their while. But I'd guess they're going to be hard to deal with forever. What about the US Embassy? Any help available there?

There's always a solution, it's just a matter of finding it.

 

[Casey_03]

@scout86 There are solutions, but they all require money. Which I don't have. I've been applying for other jobs in this region but haven't heard back about the good paying ones, and the other ones pay even less than what I make now and require a bit of a move. I've applied to a few places in the States, just on the off chance that I'd find a way to move back, but haven't heard back from them either. The relocation to the States is problematic for one huge reason - the cost of living where I am is MUCH cheaper than it is in the States, so my income is set to match that - which means it's way below the poverty level in the States. And I wouldn't have enough money saved to pay rent anywhere in the States if i did come back, let alone pay for stuff for the baby. I'd need at least a few thousand saved up to do that, since I wouldn't be getting maternity leave, and if I did find a job, I'd need a nanny. I've thought about asking them to give me maternity leave as a sort of severance package but then let me quit so I can find a better job, but I already know that won't work -- the boss's whole reasoning for treating me this way is because he is convinced I am planning on just quitting right after maternity leave anyway. (Because the abusive father of the baby emailed him saying that). So if I ask him to let me do that AND to pay me for it, no way. The US Embassy has nothing to offer - they have no legal jurisdiction here so can only offer numbers for adoption agencies and things like that. I fought tooth and nail to have some stability so that I could keep the baby but I now see that is not going to happen, I have become expendable and worthless because I'm pregnant. This job will rip the floor out from under me at the very last moment, right when I give birth. I assume they will inform me "Yeah listen, I know we promised you maternity leave, but there are pay cuts, and since you're not able to work anyway, well, we're not going to pay you." Imagine getting that message straight from the maternity ward, when you've got no savings and were counting on your paycheck the next day.