Hiya Girls...

I am just wondering does anyone know what the law states about being allowed to use the toilet in public places (even if they are not for the genral use of the public)..

I'll just explain quickly.. we moving as you's know & i've been quite sore as you's also know :cry: So I have been trying to take things easy.. while my OH had a couple days off we decided that we would pop to get a few bits for our house as I can pick what I want and he can lug all the stuff around!!

Any ways we poped to this industrial estate not that far from us.. and went into Argos.. I was writting numbers down.. but was all of a sudden absolutely desprate to use the loo.. I was almost tearful.. I managed to waddle over to a sercuirty guard to ask him if I could use there toilet he looked a bit worried and said he would let me but he didn't think his manager would and he would have to ask.. Not only could you see I was pregnant I told him I'm 8 months pregnant...

He asked his manager whom said 'No were not allowed you'll have to use sainsbury's toilets' however these were easily a good 5 - 10 mins walk more at the rate i've been taveling due to the pains.. I explained this to him and said I don't think I could make it.. I was tearful that I was going to wet myself in a public place.. He point blank refused! I told him there are laws set in place to let pregnant women go and that staff could escort me.. No!

A few of the other costumers were quite vocal about how discussed they were about the whole thing.. but I couldn't stand and argue as tbh I was about to wet my knickers and REALLY just needed a loo! :roll:

I managed to find somewhere closer than the sainsbury's one after being allowed to que jump (things were desprate at this point!!) but after I had been I was fuming! & Still needed the bits that I went for in the first place!

He was a fat greasy over weight spotty.. (you get the idea) and he hide in the back for a while! He did have to come out to bring a telly to the door for somebody! at which point I decided to pull him a side and have a word about what had just happened! My OH said to him.. I know your toilets are not for genral public use HOWEVER there are laws set in place to protect the dignity of pregnant women so that the can use the toilet.. because there is so much pressure.. you can see quite clearly she is prengnant.. I said to him also what ever about the 'law' I am a human being the same as him and he should have a bit of decentcy to relsease that he is not a robot and although they may have been adviced not to let anyone use the toilet that he as the stock manager should be able to excerice some discreation in certain circumstances..

do you know what he told me.. 'that he wouldn't let me go to the toilet because he has been told he is not allowed to ley ANYONE and that I should of just wee'd on the floor and he would of mopped it up!!'



Discusting! to which I replied and what about my dignity, were you going to clean me up to or let me walk around covered in urine and months pregnant? where do you go to the toilet.. to which he replied out the back!

I was so angry!

I asked him what his name was.. to which he replied 'Gary' I said well Gary have you got a surname? because I am going to write a formal letter of complaint about YOU.. he said oh good it might get argos to change what they say.. To which I replied it's not argos I am going to write the complaint about it is YOUR conduct & I just want to to know to expect it and I want you to know that the complaint is coming from ME! He wouldn't give me a surname (which I felt was highly unprofessional - if he felt he was in the right so much he should be willing to be answerable to his choices)

Loads of people reacted to him and were tutting.. quite a few said you have to it's the law! but I am not sure what the law actaully states? does anyone know? I will be writting as for nothing else I have used the loo plenty of times before that I am not really meant to as they are meant for staff and there has never been a problem!

has anyone else come aross anything like this? the bit i'm angry about most is him expecting me to wet myself and he'd mop it up rather than letting me use a staff toilet even with a shaparone?

Mwah.. Thank you my little stars! xxx

Good grief! I'm really shocked at this - what a foul and dirty attitude to have you peeing the floor - slimeball.
xx

what an idiot! Dont know anything about the laws I'm afraid but what he did was completley out of order. Like your going to wee on the floor! The way he treated you was disgusting. I would definitely write and complain, even if he didnt give you a surname give them the time, store and his first name and I'm sure they'll be able to work out who he is.
xxx

I'm not sure what he law is exactly but i do know it says that if a pg woman needs to go to the loo desperatly and they ask a police officer they have to give her their HAT so she can pee in it!!!! LOL!!! I almost wet my pants on hearing this!!!! So if in doubt look for PC plod and pee away!!
xxx

I hope you write to Argos and write to the store manager too. If you specify where it was time and date they'll know who he is even without a surname, I should think he will get a gross misconduct for that. I would have started crying at that point and shouting - i was v emotional when pregnant - oh wouldn't let me drive as I was such and angry driver!

Let us know the outcome of the letter - hope he gets the sack for that.

xxx

Hi,

I am not sure what the law is, but I worked as a store manager for several years for a different company and we had a the same policy about letting people use the loo - no member of the public was supposed to use the loo. If the shop is under a certain size there is no legal requirement to let anybody use the loo.

However the companies policy also stated that this excluded pregnant women and children, so if they asked to use the loo we were meant to accompany them and let them use the loo. Further to that we also let some old people use the loo, if we thought they were desperate.

I would like to add that it is very awkward for a store manager to act against company policies as you can be sacked for that in most cases. And I also understand that he didn't give his surname as there will only be one Gary working as a manager in that store and he most probably they are not meant to give their surname either (we weren't where I worked). If you complain to Argos now they will most probably send you a letter of apology and say that the manager was wrong and tell you that he has been retrained, but by the end of the day it is most probably their policy or at least what they trained their members of staff to do.

Despite all this I think he behaviour was disgusting, too, especially the things he said. He should have just let you use the loo and take the risk (because I don't think they would actually sack him, because that would put them in a very bad place).

Lana xxx

[Modified by: lana27 on June 27, 2008 09:13 PM]

Hi there,

That's an absolutely disgusting attitude from what sounds like a disgusting individual!

I have 'googled' the 'law on pregnant women being allowed to use toilets' - the only result I found was on a site called 'Workplace Law Network' on which a chap says that there is no actual law to say pregnant women can use staff toilets if they are not for use by the general public, however it is down to the discretion of the staff if they will allow it... :roll:

So this bloke was clearly an obnoxious, power hungry, d*ckh**d and I would still write to Argos to complain about the way he spoke to you (you probably won't be the first). :evil:

He sounds like he only has enough brain cells to support his basic functions... :lol:

Not sure what the laws are but that is terrible, i would have probably had to smack him one and blame it on my hormones!Lol! x

Is it worth contacting the local paper if you want some proper action and for Argos to take notice? They'd probably love a story like this!

Not sure of the law but contact Citizens Advice Bereau and they should be able to help you.

Disgusting,vile man..........he needs castrating so he never has kids himself!

Thats awful. How dare he. I don't know the law but letting you use the loo would have been easier than what he went through. If you really want to know his surname I would ring the Argos store anon and ask them the name of the manager. Tell them you know it is Gary someone. Tell them you are addressing a letter to him. Im sure they will give it to you. You won't have to explain yourself.

As ccbmommy stated I would contact citizens advice.

Definitely make sure you complain about that awfully disgusting man. How dare he treat anyone like that.

i heard you can pee anywhere policemans hat some one said tesco milk aisle to me lol but i didnt take that one up he he i would complain about that nasty man xx

That's awful! What a w**ker!!! I used to work in Primark and we only had the staff toilets but were allowed to let someone use them if it was a pregnant woman or a young child who was desperate. Thats despicable the way he behaved. As someone said, I'm sure if you write a letter of complaint they will know who he is.

i really feel for you hon, but i think he was probably just doing his job.
i used to work in a store and we werent allowed to let customers use the loo as they werent insured off the shop floor.... i know its a crazy ruling, and he could have been a lot more sympathetic, but im guessing he was probably more worried about losing his job than you weeing on his floor!
take a water balloon into the store next time and leave him a little present to mop up!! x

To be honest though I really doubt he would lose his job over that as he would have a good reason. He was the manager so it was up to him and no one would've found out anyway, all he had to do was get a female employee to be a chaperone. x

i worked in a large retail store, shouldn't really name it but it had a ladieswear, menswear, childrenswear and homewear departments..... and at any point during my shift a child needed the loo we would take them up to the staff toilets and i'm sure if anyone else, especially if your pregnant, need the loo we would be able to take them up to the toilet.

By the sounds of it he was just being a w**ker!

lol I did also mention to him that your allowed wee in a police mans hat to reinforce my point! I will write a letter about it.. just wanted to know where I stood legally.. my mum said I should have called the police to make my point.. lol but I think if I had of hung around I would of wet myself! I haven't much length left in my pregnancy now I don't think at the most a couple of weeks but I do hope to be pregnant again in the furture at some point.. and think it's just good for us to know!
When I write the letter to Argos ... i'll mention that i am also sending a copy to the local papers! lol might get a better responce from them! x

The same thing happened to me in Dunelm a few months ago. I was desperate and they point blank refused, so i said 'fine, i'm gonna go in your car park'.... and did!!!
I was so desperate, there were no other loos nearby and it was a case of gotta go or do it in my pants, so I just dropped my jeans and pants and peed by a car! Nobody said a thing!
Rachel.
37+2. xx

That has made me so angry reading that I think I would have peed on him!! x x

god what an awful situation!!! i hope you write your meanist hardest letter about that b*****d!!!!! i had a real terrible expereince with land of leather (not toilet related) wont go into details but it left me so fuming..... how can these so called managers be allowed to treat people so badlly!!!put everything thinkg you possibly can in the letter blah blah etc including you will never shop in that store again due to that man (even if you will!) he should hopefully get a b****king... best of luck!!! x x x x