Wwyd? Pregnant employee. Don’t want to be sued but, ah!

[HavanaOhna]

I’m manager for a small company, there are about 8 employees so very small. We had a lovely young woman started in the new year who found out she was pregnant shortly after. Absolutely fine.

we’ve been very supportive as her pregnancy has been complicated, loads of additional scans, scares, admissions. We’ve always told her to take the time she needs for these, paid and to take extra time after them as they can be taxing. Sometimes she takes the whole day for one scan and that’s ok.

The issue is she’s now 7 months, seems incredibly poorly but won’t go on sick due to finances (has exhausted sick pay, this would be unpaid now). She’s WFH, at her request and our blessing, and is doing I’d say the bare minimum. Just scraping by work wise. Every time I see her on teams she looks gaunt, and exhausted, and has admitted that she’s tearful, not sleeping, and has had further pregnancy issues. These are all supported by documentation.

Then a few days ago she came into the office. First time in months. She could barely sit at her desk, she wasn’t doing much all day, up and down to the loo, extended lunch break. I really feel for her. We had a wellbeing meeting and she’s insisting she’s fine. I organised an occupational health session and she reiterated to them she’s fine, but you can see she’s on her knees.

I don’t really know what to do. She’s vital at work and although things are being done she’s working at I’d say 50% capacity. If this is mentioned, she promises she will sort it out so ends up working into the evening (which again we don’t want). A colleague became so frustrated the other day she pointedly asked her why she doesn’t go on maternity early and this wasn’t met well. Others are having to pick up the slack heavily, and some colleagues have started to avoid her completely work wise.

HR (no in house, outsourced) said not much we can do as she cannot be forced to take maternity leave early and if she says she’s not sick she’s not sick but I don’t know how we can do another 8 weeks going forward. I feel team morale is low, she is obviously unwell.

It’s not mad. It’s the sign of a good employer supporting their employees wellbeing.

and yes. We need more of it. Knocking it when it does happen won’t achieve that.

advocate for it instead.

I think that's likely the best outcome all round, OP, but the situation is unfair on everyone really.

It just seems incredible to get paid for work you're not doing. I don't think they should get rid of her, but surely she should be off work/not getting paid as not doing the work due to illness? That's what I mean by it seems mad.

And no, OCDmama, I'm not saying because I had a shit time everyone else should. I think it's reasonable that I didn't get paid for work I wasn't doing. (I think I should have been allowed time to get better and return to work, rather than got rid of, but that's not the same as getting paid). My employer would not have been able to afford to pay me in any case, which is why I'm amazed people think it's fair to ask for.

What's also amazed me is that posters are so supportive of the idea that she should get paid for not working, yet MN seems quite down on benefit claimants including those claiming for disability/illness reasons. Perhaps I don't need to feel guilty any more for claiming whilst vulnerable.

What's also amazed me is that posters are so supportive of the idea that she should get paid for not working, yet MN seems quite down on benefit claimants including those claiming for disability/illness reasons. Perhaps I don't need to feel guilty any more for claiming whilst vulnerable.

I know, I can't quite make sense of that either.

All employer’s have a duty of care for their staff. Really Good employers go the extra mile using their discretion.

I have also chosen to pay people sick leave for many months so as not to add financial pressure also. Because who would that help? For those with long term conditions we offer income protection too as standard for up to 3 yrs. I currently have a terminally ill employee on this, after I paid him full pay for a year. I could exit him, but then he’d loose his death in service pay out. Who would that help? Noting two of these benefits are insurance based and not coming from company pocket.

I have no issues with people claiming benefits when they are unable to work. Or who require additional financial support to achieve a more equitable life with opportunity and fairness. I’m not convinced this should always be the burden of the state and sometimes the government should be pushing employers who can afford extra to provision extra. A bit like means testing. Then legislate it.

We should be looking to reduce the number of people on benefits because the maths means they are better off thank working. That’s not a good economic system for anybody. But is entirely separate to employers supporting their existing pregnant or sick employees.

The goal should always be to keep working people in work and being paid and off state benefit. Employers can and should be made to step up to achieve this within reasonable controls.

Our provision of state benefits to working people who need extra help is shockingly poor.

You’re a good manager and you have good critical thinking skills. You’ve looked fairly and logically at the whole situation.

You’ve definitely done the right thing for her, her baby and your company.

What a learning curve 💐