(no subject)
I know it has been *forever* since I posted here...having a laptop that actually connects to the internet will hopefully get me back in the habit, as writing anything longer than 3 sentences on my phone kinda makes me want to throw things (like my phone :))
Yesterday, I went over to my work's HR department to get the paperwork for STD and FMLA, because Declan is due in a little less than 6 weeks (where exactly have the last 8 months gone??) and i wanted to have all my ducks in a row. So, while i was there, I asked about somewhere to pump (I nursed Aidan for 19 months, pumping for about 13 of those months, so as you can guess, this was something pretty important to me). The girl who handles STD/FMLA wasn't sure, so she asked another girl in the office, whose immediate response was "oh, you can use a bathroom" umm...no. i turned to her, and said, as calmly as possible, "you know that's against state law, right?" then, the part that (as i described it to my boss later) had pregnancy hormones shooting out of my eyeballs was that she looked back at me and shrugged. shrugged! (now, don't get me wrong, i'm a shrugger sometimes, but not over important things, and especially not when faced with a hormonal woman who looks like they could kick my ass if i give them the wrong answer over something that could get my billion dollar company in a shit ton of trouble. and honestly, i will think twice from here on out as to how that shrug might be perceived)
i went back to my desk, fuming, and spent my lunch break looking up the law. I discovered I was wrong, CT Law only covers "not in a toilet stall" but FEDERAL law states "not in a bathroom" (holy cow, Obama did something right! *ahem* anyway). I had the links all set to send to the HR person in question, but decided to wait a little while (I'd be willing to give her up to a week, seeing as how this is obviously the first time they've had to deal with this...which also makes me sad in a company my size, but, that's a story for another day) to see if she got back to me with some kind of suggestion first. I did, however, mention to my boss at the end of the day that I thought I had thrown HR for a loop. Her response shocked me. "Yeah, i've heard all about it. we're working on a solution for you, and we think we have a couple of options" (and the heavens opened up, and there was much rejoicing) she once again mentioned the "locker room" which is a bathroom with a few lockers and a shower in it. I told her that wasn't ok, as it was still a bathroom. she then mentioned that she thought she had read that the room needed to have a sink in it. I told her I didn't believe that was true, but I was more than willing to forgo that, all I need is a room with no windows/good blinds, a chair, a table and an outlet...i'm not that picky, clear out a closet for me if need be...but that I was *wicked* uncomfortable with preparing my child's food with all the bathroom germs flying around. I could tell as I said that to her that that was a light-bulb moment for her, and she apparently sent HR an email stating that "[she] wouldn't prepare her food with all those germs flying around, so how could they expect me to do it for an infant?"
I love my boss. she may not "get it" (she's late 30s, and has a few step-children, but has *never* had the desire to carry her own child, so some of my craziness probably seems extra super special crazy to her) but, she at least gets how important this is to me, and is willing to fight on my side to make sure I get what i need (although i'm sure the "keeping large company out of shit tons of trouble"-she's seen me when i'm pissy and ready to rumble-probably helps too :))
Yesterday, I went over to my work's HR department to get the paperwork for STD and FMLA, because Declan is due in a little less than 6 weeks (where exactly have the last 8 months gone??) and i wanted to have all my ducks in a row. So, while i was there, I asked about somewhere to pump (I nursed Aidan for 19 months, pumping for about 13 of those months, so as you can guess, this was something pretty important to me). The girl who handles STD/FMLA wasn't sure, so she asked another girl in the office, whose immediate response was "oh, you can use a bathroom" umm...no. i turned to her, and said, as calmly as possible, "you know that's against state law, right?" then, the part that (as i described it to my boss later) had pregnancy hormones shooting out of my eyeballs was that she looked back at me and shrugged. shrugged! (now, don't get me wrong, i'm a shrugger sometimes, but not over important things, and especially not when faced with a hormonal woman who looks like they could kick my ass if i give them the wrong answer over something that could get my billion dollar company in a shit ton of trouble. and honestly, i will think twice from here on out as to how that shrug might be perceived)
i went back to my desk, fuming, and spent my lunch break looking up the law. I discovered I was wrong, CT Law only covers "not in a toilet stall" but FEDERAL law states "not in a bathroom" (holy cow, Obama did something right! *ahem* anyway). I had the links all set to send to the HR person in question, but decided to wait a little while (I'd be willing to give her up to a week, seeing as how this is obviously the first time they've had to deal with this...which also makes me sad in a company my size, but, that's a story for another day) to see if she got back to me with some kind of suggestion first. I did, however, mention to my boss at the end of the day that I thought I had thrown HR for a loop. Her response shocked me. "Yeah, i've heard all about it. we're working on a solution for you, and we think we have a couple of options" (and the heavens opened up, and there was much rejoicing) she once again mentioned the "locker room" which is a bathroom with a few lockers and a shower in it. I told her that wasn't ok, as it was still a bathroom. she then mentioned that she thought she had read that the room needed to have a sink in it. I told her I didn't believe that was true, but I was more than willing to forgo that, all I need is a room with no windows/good blinds, a chair, a table and an outlet...i'm not that picky, clear out a closet for me if need be...but that I was *wicked* uncomfortable with preparing my child's food with all the bathroom germs flying around. I could tell as I said that to her that that was a light-bulb moment for her, and she apparently sent HR an email stating that "[she] wouldn't prepare her food with all those germs flying around, so how could they expect me to do it for an infant?"
I love my boss. she may not "get it" (she's late 30s, and has a few step-children, but has *never* had the desire to carry her own child, so some of my craziness probably seems extra super special crazy to her) but, she at least gets how important this is to me, and is willing to fight on my side to make sure I get what i need (although i'm sure the "keeping large company out of shit tons of trouble"-she's seen me when i'm pissy and ready to rumble-probably helps too :))