Pregnant and need advice

Mrsd · Post by **Mrsd** » 08 Jun 2020, 07:15

I am 9 weeks pregnant and have told management. I am basically expected to carry on doing a full walk until further notice although they have said it will be looked at on a week to week basis. Im already struggling as it is and ive seen people in my work on indoor duties with less wrong with them. What can i do?

Post by **rogersh** » 08 Jun 2020, 09:08

Coronavirus Guidance Q&As version 39: Friday 29 May 2020
e) Vulnerable employees

I have a pregnant employee in my team and they want to socially distance themselves following the latest Public Health England (PHE) advice. How should I respond?
The current PHE advice is that individuals who are pregnant should limit their social contact where possible, including using less public transport, working at home where possible. They are also being strongly advised to significantly limit face-to-face interaction with friends and family (social distancing) if possible.
The approach below will be in place until mid-June 2020, when it will be reviewed and may be extended or changed.
The employee should provide you with evidence of their pregnancy. This could be a MAT B1 form or a medical letter/certificate from their GP or Midwife. If they are not able to provide this immediately please give them time to provide this at a later date.
If they can, the employee can work from home following the advice and guidance on working from home.
If an employee is not able to work from home the absence will be treated as a pregnancy related sickness absence and you should choose ‘Sick coronavirus’ from the drop-down box of absence type then select ‘Coronavirus self-isolation’ as the absence reason. Please see the manager guide on managing coronavirus related absence for further information.
If an employee is absent from work due to her pregnancy (including as a result of social distancing due to her being pregnant) after the beginning of the fourth week before her Expected Week of Childbirth then her maternity leave will begin automatically on the first day of the absence.

Also info;
https://www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-r ... pregnancy/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Four female staff at our RDC who were at various stages of pregnancy have not returned to the workplace.

I advise you contact your GP.

Edit; MATERNITY RIGHTS FACT SHEET for members who work in Royal Mail
https://www.cwu.org/media/6690/cwu__129 ... acts_r.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You should supply your employer with a copy of your MAT B1 Form. this is your maternity
certificate which states your expected week of childbirth which your GP or midwife will
have given you when you are about 20 weeks pregnant.

picture123 · Post by **picture123** » 08 Jun 2020, 11:33

Has your manager done your risk assessment with you?

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 08 Jun 2020, 14:46

The manager doesn't need to do a risk assessment. He just needs to tell her to go home and stay safe.

Post by **rogersh** » 08 Jun 2020, 15:01

Agree with both previous posts.

(Notwithstanding Coronavirus guidance)

Copy & pasted from a previous post
Health & Safety
for pregnant women

All workers have a right to be protected from hazards at work and employers have a duty to care for the health and safety of their employees. However, pregnant women have specific rights to protection at work, for themselves and their unborn child.

Employers have three speciﬁc duties:

1.To carry out a risk assessment. As soon as it is known that an employee is pregnant, a risk assessment should be carried out on their job.

Risk assessment should:
Identify all significant hazards to health and safety
Assess the risks they pose
Implement necessary effective control systems
Inform, instruct and train employees
Check the system works
Review the system controls and plans

2.To make temporary changes to working conditions and/or working hours to avoid exposure to health risks. If, having assessed a duty, the employer identifies a risk to a pregnant woman or an unborn child, they must provide alternative work which does not present any risk. Where a risk is identified as being the result of shift-working, the employer must provide alternative working patterns which do not
present a risk to the mother or unborn child.

3.To send an employee home on full pay if suitable alternative work cannot be provided. If suitable alternative work is offered, it is expected that an employee will undertake such work. Should a woman refuse to do so unreasonably, she would forfeit her rights to be sent home on full pay.

The directive also covers new mothers, which means for a period after the baby is born women are still covered by the act.If a woman feels that her health is being in any way put at risk, by any work she is being asked to undertake, or if she feels that anything she is being asked to do may pose a danger to her new child, she should consult her branch

Mrsd · Post by **Mrsd** » 08 Jun 2020, 15:57

Im getting my risk assessment this week

clashcityrocker · Post by **clashcityrocker** » 08 Jun 2020, 16:11

You are pregnant. You should be self isolating.
The instructions to your manager are quite clear.

If an employee is not able to work from home the absence will be treated as a pregnancy related sickness absence and you should choose ‘Sick coronavirus’ from the drop-down box of absence type then select ‘Coronavirus self-isolation’ as the absence reason. Please see the manager guide on managing coronavirus related absence for further information.

If your manager isn't capable of following these basic instructions they should maybe consider alternative employment. (Burger flipper springs to mind)

The absence will be treated as a pregnancy related sickness.
Choose "sick coronavirus" from the drop-down box.
Then select "Coronavirus self isolation" as the absence reason.

You shouldn't be at work. Stay at home,

Post by **rogersh** » 08 Jun 2020, 18:35

You are right clash, the guidance is clear until mid-June 2020, when it will be reviewed and MAY be extended or changed.

That guidance would take precedent over the need for a risk assessment. As stated the pregnant colleagues where I work have & are following the advice since March.

Woody Guthrie · Post by **Woody Guthrie** » 08 Jun 2020, 18:57

Just to point out that it's not your manager that makes the decision it's you.

I know that seems like a cop out but it's to protect a woman's individual right to decide.

If that's your decision you will need to inform your manager that you intend to follow PHE guidance and self isolate.

Post by **POSTMAN** » 13 Jun 2020, 18:56

Coronavirus and pregnancy : Royal Mail guidance

Link to the latest Royal Mail info mentioned by others.

Although nothing has been changed by Royal Mail 'yet' I am under the impression as my daughter has to go back to work as the pregnancy thing seems to have slightly changed.

EDIT: Spoke to my daughter and it seems they told here that they were awaiting guidance from the government due on the 15th June, and that there was a possibility that she would have to go back to work a week later.

She's taking holiday then maternity leave so she won't be going back anyway but there could be a possibility that the pregnancy criteria 'could' change soon.

''Pregnant women have been placed in the 'vulnerable group' by the Chief Medical Officer.'' Will he take them off it soon?

Stella102 · Post by **Stella102** » 14 Jun 2020, 18:50

Can they send you on maternity early if you are self isolating up until the birth?

Post by **rogersh** » 14 Jun 2020, 22:26

This link latest 12th June 2020
https://www.royalmailchat.co.uk/communi ... 71&t=96370" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

EDIT;
Members will be in different categories.

Clinically vulnerable* – Over 70s, pregnant employees, or those with an underlying health condition

Members who are in all other Categories*
It is understandable members may be fearful about returning to work and ensuring they keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Members should always follow Government / NHS advice. Whilst there is indication the Governments in England and Northern Ireland may extend the period of shielding, at the time of writing there has been no announcement.

The process is a 4 step process to ensure all members’ concerns are taken into account and any adjustments required for you as an individual can be put in place for your safe return to the workplace.
Step 1
Members will be contacted by their line manager to discuss their current circumstances and have a discussion about a return to work.

BoBo90 · Post by **BoBo90** » 28 Jun 2020, 07:09

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

As long as you don’t have any other health conditions I don’t think you need to shield until the last trimester.

If it’s just work in general your struggling with then you probably just need to power through. The first trimester is exhausting but once your into the second and symptoms disappear you will probably find your able to do more again. I delivered a full round until I was 8 months with both pregnancies (I had quite a small bump which helped) but I did ask for some of the more hazardous parts to be taken off and could have with very heavy parcels but I never bothered as it wasn’t practical.
At 6 months I also swapped from my 8hr round to a 6 hr round which was a great help and I’d suggest to your manager.

It can be a hard job while pregnant but the maternity package is excellent so it’s all worth it! Good luck