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AIBU?

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Original poster

Weekend working when heavily pregnant

40 replies

Kitkat901 · 26/10/2025 19:36

Not sure if IABU about this.

Without being too outing I work in head office for a large retailer and the weekends running up to Christmas are obviously the busiest. There has always been a rota for staff in my department to work a few weekend hours sending reports and checking in on sales etc. This is on top of working longer hours during the week, mostly unofficially, but the role is salaried so I kind of see it as part of my job.

This year I will be 36 - 38 pregnant on the key weekend working periods, I don’t plan to start mat leave until 38 weeks which my management are pleased about as they don’t have cover. I’m already finding full time work a struggle especially as I have young DCs already. I’ve been rota’d in for weekend cover as usual on these weeks.

WIBU to say I’m not doing it? I’m so exhausted currently from working all week that I use the weekends to rest where I can. My contract says that extra work may be required sometimes but should they make an exception for this late stage of pregnancy?

OP posts:
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BoyMummummum · 07/11/2025 18:24

I don't work in retail but my employer squeezed every single minute out of me when I was heavily pregnant. They actually increased my workload when i was 38 weeks as they were panicking and were just giving me more and more and more.

I was going to work until the end and I just couldn't. I had to start my mat leave abruptly which fucked over my colleagues but I genuinely had no choice. My bosses were trying to get me to work 12-14 hour days every single day.

I ended up using my first day of mat leave to do handovers as I had no time to do handovers while still working.

So be prepared for zero sympathy. I would just go on mat leave. For the next baby, I'm starting it at 36 weeks.

Original poster
Kitkat901 · 07/11/2025 18:14

Thanks for the advice on this thread - I asked for a risk assessment to be completed - on it I added the weekend working and extra hours and HR were not happy about it on top of my normal working week. They’ve put in some discussion with my line management in the next few days so I will see what the outcome is. As far as they’re concerned they want me working as long as possible not forced onto early mat leave.

OP posts:
PinkFrogss · 27/10/2025 10:17

Tell them you’ve found out they should have done a risk assessment with you, ask for one to be completed and include the weekend working. That’s probably the best way of trying to not work weekends but not guaranteed.

Or as pp said if it would mean you have to start your maternity leave early, which they don’t want you to, they may be more willing to compromise.

Original poster
Kitkat901 · 27/10/2025 10:04

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

Yes I will be at home but still find it exhausting! I work remotely currently and am finding it tiring.

OP posts:
user2848502016 · 26/10/2025 22:34

Sorry l do sympathise but voted YABU, if you can’t manage it you’ll have to start your mat leave at 36 weeks instead

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 22:25

Sorry for multiple posts. Weird glitch I think.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

rainbowsandraspberrygin · 26/10/2025 20:54

You should have a pregnancy risk assessment which is regularly reviewed during pregnancy. As part of this RA they should look at your working hours and ensure you are safe. I’d ask to book this in and then mention you are tired, and although you can manage your hours, your midwife has advised against extra overtime. They could still suggest early Mat leave. But as they have no cover, I doubt it.

could you do any of it from home? You could request hybrid working.

Original poster
Kitkat901 · 26/10/2025 20:49

EsmeSusanOgg · 26/10/2025 20:46

I work a role where we need on call cover, as part of a rota. From 30 weeks onwards, I stopped being on weekends for the rota. And completely off the our of ours cover from 33 weeks (I went on mat leave at 36 weeks and baby born at 37 weeks). This was suggested as part of the regularly reviewed maternity risk assessment - as additional hours close to due date - can exacerbate complications/ lead to pre-term labour. You get precious little rest in the third trimester, OP is likely to need the weekend to recover/ make up rest.

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Thank you for this advice as far as I know there has not been a risk assessment done. My previous two babies were FGR and I know stress/lack of rest can be a factor in this which is making me more worried!

OP posts:
EsmeSusanOgg · 26/10/2025 20:47

Zempy · 26/10/2025 20:08

I would explain to them that if they want me to continue working to 38 weeks, I won’t be doing any weekend work (unless my usual working week is adjusted accordingly)

If they won’t agree to exclude you from the weekend working rota, you may find you have to start ML sooner than planned.

Agree with this approach.

EsmeSusanOgg · 26/10/2025 20:46

khaa2091 · 26/10/2025 19:38

If you are over 36 weeks and announce that you do not feel able to fulfil your contractual requirement, you will be told to start mat leave.

I work a role where we need on call cover, as part of a rota. From 30 weeks onwards, I stopped being on weekends for the rota. And completely off the our of ours cover from 33 weeks (I went on mat leave at 36 weeks and baby born at 37 weeks). This was suggested as part of the regularly reviewed maternity risk assessment - as additional hours close to due date - can exacerbate complications/ lead to pre-term labour. You get precious little rest in the third trimester, OP is likely to need the weekend to recover/ make up rest.

Original poster
Kitkat901 · 26/10/2025 20:44

NotEnoughKnittingTime · 26/10/2025 19:44

I had to work in that sort of area pregnant as do many others. You might be better off going on maternity leave then.

It’s not me backing out of weekend shifts because I’m pregnant, it’s asking not to be included for unpaid overtime when I’ve already worked more than a full working week.

OP posts:
Jellybunny56 · 26/10/2025 20:40

Unless you’d be prepared to start your maternity leave early I would be careful trying this. It sounds as though this is part of your job and either you’re capable of continuing to work or you’re not- you can’t just pick the bits you fancy doing. Sympathy though as I’m 38 weeks and shattered, but not prepared to start my leave yet!

Nearly50omg · 26/10/2025 20:36

Those hours are illegal for a start!!!

you need to tell them now you won’t be putting your babies health and life at risk and yours too and won’t be working any more unpaid weekends!! They are taking the piss expecting you to work unpaid and literally into the ground and being so exhausted and THEN have a baby and still have other children to look after!

please put yourself and your family first and make it clear to them that this is what you are doing

FunnyOrca · 26/10/2025 20:29

my work also has unofficial weekend time based on staff “willingness” and I was expected to take my turn at 36 weeks pregnant. I only got through it knowing I was about to have a year away 😂

ToKittyornottoKitty · 26/10/2025 20:28

FuzzyWolf · 26/10/2025 20:25

My contract says that extra work may be required

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Yes I can read. It doesn’t mean they can force someone onto maternity leave for not doing it, thankfully women are more protected than that whilst pregnant in this country.

FuzzyWolf · 26/10/2025 20:25

ToKittyornottoKitty · 26/10/2025 20:23

They can’t force her to start maternity leave for saying no to unpaid overtime.

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My contract says that extra work may be required

Acafan · 26/10/2025 20:24

If you're willing to follow through on it if they say no, you could try saying that it's either that you're exempted from weekend working or you'll need to start mat leave at 35/6 weeks pregnant. You're taking the risk that they don't want to replace you before Xmas and think that some work from you is better than none.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 26/10/2025 20:23

FuzzyWolf · 26/10/2025 20:21

I think it would be considered as you saying you are not fit for work and at that gestation, it would force your maternity leave to start immediately.

They can’t force her to start maternity leave for saying no to unpaid overtime.

ToKittyornottoKitty · 26/10/2025 20:22

Kitkat901 · 26/10/2025 20:19

They don’t have a maternity cover due to recruitment freeze until 2026 so my colleagues would have to cover my weekends, there are a few of us.

It might work to ask to take the time back during the week but I just can’t see it happening. Last year I was regularly logging on at 7am, off at 7pm and sporadically checking in on bits in the evenings.

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But they aren’t paying you for it, and you are tired, so stop doing it. They will survive perfectly fine without you in January so they can survive perfectly well without you doing unpaid evening overtime now. Remember OP everybody is replaceable at work.

FuzzyWolf · 26/10/2025 20:21

I think it would be considered as you saying you are not fit for work and at that gestation, it would force your maternity leave to start immediately.