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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To raise a grievance?

30 replies

chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:01

I'm currently 27 weeks pregnant and have been off since Tuesday with SPD. I was diagnosed with this last Friday and am awaiting referral for physio and taking codeine in the meantime.

Some days I have good days in terms of the pain and other days the pain is awful, like it has been this week. On top of this, it seems my sickness has also returned Sad

Anyway, in my work contract it does say that I should get paid normal pay before SSP starts, at their discretion, if I comply with their reporting requirements etc (which I have done).

Early in my pregnancy I was off with a couple hospital stays and then suffered with "morning" sickness (that actually lasted all day)

OP posts:
Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:07

Pressed post before I could finish so continuing..

Anyway, when I returned to work after that, I was told for any future absences I wouldn't be paid until I qualified for SSP.

I just feel this is really unfair as I can't help being pregnant and suffering from pregnancy related illnesses/conditions.

It's now making me wonder if I should just not bother to return until after 4 days has passed, then at least I would get some pay instead of absolutely nothing at all.

I feel that I am being punished and feel terribly guilty for having time off and that shouldn't be the case.

Does anyone have any advice or know if I have any leg to stand on if I do raise a grievance with them?

OP posts:
Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:12

Bump

OP posts:
ShirleyPhallus · 07/02/2019 09:14

We have a standard 10 day sick pay in a year then after that nothing

I just feel this is really unfair as I can't help being pregnant and suffering from pregnancy related illnesses/conditions.

So anyone else with any other illness at all is at fault for being ill?

HappyMama01 · 07/02/2019 09:16

Usually you have to meet certain criteria to get your SSP, if you don't meet that (pregnancy related or not) you won't be paid

Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:16

@ShirleyPhallus no, that isn't what I meant so I apologise if it came across that way.

In fact, anybody who is unwell regardless of whether or not they are pregnant, shouldn't be made to feel guilty or feel as though they are being punished.

OP posts:
Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:17

@HappyMama01 which criteria?

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userschmoozer · 07/02/2019 09:17

Give ACAS a ring and ask their advice.

ShirleyPhallus · 07/02/2019 09:18

So do you think there should be no limit to sick pay?

NerrSnerr · 07/02/2019 09:19

How many sick days do your organisation offer on full pay? I know the NHS offers 6 months full and 6 months half.

Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:20

@NerrSnerr it doesn't say anything about the amount of days in my contract so honestly I'm not sure at all

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JasperKarat · 07/02/2019 09:22

So they've already paid you for two lots of pregnancy related illness and have said any more you'll have to wait for SSP, they're not obliged to pay you at all and could've gone down the SSP route last time you were off. The pregnancy is a red herring, no one can help being ill. That's their sickness policy for everyone.

Doyoumind · 07/02/2019 09:22

I suffered with very bad SPD but didn't take any time off work related to it. Is the kind of work you do something that is not possible with the condition?

MadMadMad · 07/02/2019 09:23

There should be a sickness policy which states how many days pay an employee can get before SSP, as long as they are following this policy fairly then it is up to them - there is no legal right to sick pay other than SSP.

flowery · 07/02/2019 09:25

So your policy states a discretionary amount of full pay for sickness, then SSP?

How many days have you had on full pay? Do you think people with non-pregnancy-related conditions usually get more days on full pay than you have had?

SaturdaySauv · 07/02/2019 09:26

Can you work from home or ask the gp to give you a fit note for reduced hours/duties? Some employers will give you full pay if the gp suggests lighter duties or hours (I realise some won’t but worth investigating).

JustThePerson · 07/02/2019 09:28

I’m no expert in employment law or contracts but reading your post, the ‘at their discretion’ to me seems like they can get out of paying you.

How many sick days have you had? Would they argue it’s excessive?

I am pregnant at the moment and have had some time off. It’s not triggered any of the sickness and absence pathways because of being being pregnant. There are certain ‘rights’ for women who are pregnant to stop unfair treatment.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/sick-pay/getting-sick-pay-when-youre-pregnant/ Have a look at this.

If you have a union you could contact them for advice too.

Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:28

I haven't had many days paid full because we only get that after 12 months of service anyway so anything before that were days unpaid

OP posts:
NerrSnerr · 07/02/2019 09:29

You need to request a copy of the sickness policy and that should state how many days sick you get. It varies drastically between organisations.

MumW · 07/02/2019 09:30

Even if you stay off for 4+ days, you don't get SSP for the first 3 days.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 07/02/2019 09:30

How many sick days do your organisation offer on full pay? I know the NHS offers 6 months full and 6 months half.

Not at the start they don't , my Trust offers:

less than 12 months = 1 month paid
12-24 months = 2 months paid
less than 4 years = 3 months paid
5 years = 6 months paid

Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:31

Just going to accept a reduced wage this month it seems.

It'll be tight but I guess there is literally nothing else I can do.

Thanks everyone for your responses

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oliviatrivia · 07/02/2019 09:35

Doyoumind The ‘I managed so why can’t you’ attitude towards pregnancy is unhelpful.

You version of ‘really bad’ might be different.

I had ‘really bad’ SPD - to the extent that I literally couldn’t walk more than two steps and needed a wheelchair. So I can completely understand not being able to go to work.

punishmepunisher · 07/02/2019 09:36

How long have you been working there? Are you on a FTC?

Can you look up the company sickness policy?

Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:36

@oliviatrivia thank you Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
chxm19 · 07/02/2019 09:37

@punishmepunisher almost 2 years and yes

OP posts:
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