Pregnancy Illness

[UpsetWorrier]

Firstly I've name changed as this is very outing!

I am 10+3 weeks pregnant.

I have been off sick from work since 6+3 with morning sickness & dizziness.

I drive for a living and I can't drive right now as it obviously isn't safe.
I am however able to work doing something else.

When I was pregnant last time, I was put in the office to help the admin assistant so the precedence has been set.

This time they are saying there is no office work for me to do (which is nonsense) so I'm stuck on 'sick leave'

Does anyone know if I should be getting full pay or sick pay?

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Surely they can't force you to take sick leave?

When I was off work due to pregnancy related illness, I got the same amount of sick pay as I did wages. I can't remember exactly how it was worked out but it consisted of a few different payments, statutory sick pay and something else

You can't be discriminated against for pregnancy and pregnancy related sickness and you can't be penalised for you - this sick leave won't go down on your record if it's pregnancy related. Do you have a union rep you could speak to?

Depends on the company you work for, have you checked their sickness/absence policy? When I was off sick with pregnancy related illness I had 1 month full pay, 1 month half pay then statutory sick pay. I think they are supposed to offer you an alternative role if you're unable to drive.

Surely they can't force you to take sick leave

She is too sick to do her job so she is on sick leave. Nobody forcing anything and its not discrimination. Your employer has no obligation to create a new job for you if you are too sick to do your own job.

Yes I know I'm technically sick as I can't do my regular job but it's not classed as sick leave is it because pregnancy is protected by law.

No, pregnancy is not protected in that way. You can't be discriminated against because you are pregnant, but you can be treated exactly the same as anyone else who is too sick to do their job.
Thats the whole point of discrimination laws, you can't be treated worse than anyone else, but neither are you treated any better.
You're too sick to do your job, so you are on sick leave. That's how its supposed to go.

Ring maternity action for advice.

If you're suspended/prevented from doing your usual job due to health and safety reasons, such as it not being safe for you to drive, then your employer should pay you full pay otherwise you'd have a case for maternity discrimination. If there is a risk at work that the employer cannot remove and they cannot offer you alternative work (which must be paid at the same rate as your usual role) then they're to give you leave at full pay.

There's lots of information on the Citizens Advice website and if you phone ACAS they can give you advice on broaching this with your employer.

Your employer has no obligation to create a new job for you if you are too sick to do your own job.

They do when you're pregnant and it's the pregnancy that's preventing you from doing your normal job. Sickness and dizziness caused directly by the pregnancy mean the OP is unfit to do her usual role, however she is fit to do office work ergo employer should either provide her with office work (or other, suitable, non-driving work) or give her paid leave. That's the law.