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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Taking time off with 5 weeks to go before mat leave

38 replies

Heartburn888 · 09/10/2019 20:30

I’m due in 7 weeks and due for maternity leave in 5. I’ve had a relatively problem free pregnancy but this last bit is taking its toll on my back. It’s in bits. Rang midwife nothing she can do apart from suggest a pregnancy bump holder thing, no physio offered as I’m too far along.

I work in an office so I’m sat down all day and the chairs are ducking horrible. I have a back support but it’s a load of crap and makes me more uncomfortable.

Anyway my AIBU is aibu to call in sick due to my aches this close to maternity leave? Should I just power on through and take it on the Chin? I feel like I could manage with frequent breaks from the chair of death but have a feeling I’ll be signed off on maternity leave early if i suggest this to my team leader.

Will calling in sick affect my maternity pay amount?

OP posts:

smartcarnotsosmartdriver · 09/10/2019 20:33

I must be due very near you. Sick leave would only affect mat leave if you're off past 36 weeks as they can start your mat leave early.

Onceuponacheesecake · 09/10/2019 20:33

From 36 weeks, sick leave will likely trigger the start of your maternity leave. Personally I'd take it. You could tag on annual leave at the end of your maternity leave

OverthinkingThis · 09/10/2019 20:33

Check your maternity policy - where I work if you go off sick within 4 weeks of your planned maternity leave start date, they will make you start your mat leave early. But I imagine it varies a bit by employer.

dementedpixie · 09/10/2019 20:34

They cant start your leave early unless you are off with a pregnancy related illness in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy so you'd be ok on sick leave for a couple of weeks. Your maternity pay was based on your pay in weeks 17-25 of pregnancy so being off sick just now wouldn't affect it

piercedmyfootonaspike · 09/10/2019 20:35

If you're off work in the 4 weeks before you start maternity leave then I think they can start it early. Have you had a pregnancy risk assessment done? I got mine to include something about needing to take additional breaks if needed due to back pain

user1493413286 · 09/10/2019 20:35

They can’t sign you off on maternity leave before 36 weeks unless you agree. In most work places they can make you go on maternity leave from 36 weeks if you call in sick for anything pregnancy related but before then they can’t do anything.
I was off sick for pregnancy related things at a similar time to you and they did an occupational health assessment and had to make ‘reasonable’ adjustments to my working environment so I could continue until I chose to go off.
Read your policy and don’t let them do anything that’s not in it.

Taswama · 09/10/2019 20:36

Any chance of working from home for a day or two per week? Then you can wander around lots. I think they can make you start maternity leave early if your sickness is maternity related.

nogooddeedgoesunpunished · 09/10/2019 20:36

I think so. I was told that it could bring your mat leave forward if you go off sick close to when you are claiming statutory maternity pay but you might need to check your work contract.

nogooddeedgoesunpunished · 09/10/2019 20:37

Sorry. Posted by mistake too early. Sorry to hear you're suffering , hope you can feel better soon

Snowflake9 · 09/10/2019 20:39

I had terrible back ache near the end of my pregnancy , also an office worker. Work did provide me with a sit stand desk (they won it in a raffle!) Which was great in second trimester but not the third.

Take a couple of days off sick, but I personally wouldn't take maternity leave this soon, once baby is here you will wish you had saved the time to spend with them at the end of leave.

A few suggestions that may help your back

Food support so your knees are higher and less strain on your back

Get up every hour and walk for at least 5 mins

Heat packs on your lower back

Soak in bath when you get home

Original poster

Heartburn888 · 09/10/2019 20:41

Thank you for your comments everyone.

I did take some time off probably within that relevant period of 17-25 weeks. Does anyone know of any calculators online I can use to work out how much pay I’ll get? I wasn’t even aware there was a relevant period I thought your pay was £148 p/w and that was that

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 09/10/2019 20:42

The first 6 weeks are at 90% of the pay you got in the qualifying weeks before dropping to £148ish for the rest

SugarNyx · 09/10/2019 20:43

I used my holiday to work half days for the last 2 months before mat leave for the same reason. It depends how nice your boss is. But no, YNBU, it’s so painful and hard in those last few weeks, do what works for you

GettingABitDesperateNow · 09/10/2019 20:52

Hi OP

I was in a similar position. Being at work was awful, one day I had to call a taxi and get someone to help me walk to it as I couldn't manage the 100 metre walk to the station.

I would try the following in the next few days and see if it helped - all worked really well for me -
Osteopath. I had to try a few before I found one I liked (I really needed one that did deep tissue massage as well as just moving limbs. I actually found women better than men as the men I saw were afraid of hurting me when I was pregnant)

Stretching and yoga. The osteo gave me some simple stretching exercises and they really really helped. And these were similar to yoga stretches I did at a class. Really stopped me seizing up.

Also keeping moving, frequent breaks etc. The last few weeks I worked from home once or twice a week and sat on my exercise ball, kept me moving.

They have to take into account your pregnancy and if you need frequent breaks this is what they have to give you, they cant tell you to go off early if you dont want to.

Its up to you but if you can stick it out you might be grateful when you have an extra few weeks with your baby when you've got to go back to work

GinNotGym19 · 09/10/2019 21:41

I took sick leave during my pregnancy and at the end because I had a low lying placenta and problems. I had some time off at 35 weeks but was back by 36 weeks. As long as you’re not sick in the 36th week mat leave doesn’t start. Pregnancy sick leave isn’t counted in the same way as normal sick leave so earlier time off shouldn’t affect it.

Spintops · 09/10/2019 22:27

Your work has a duty of care to you whilst pregnant and are meant to make necessary adjustments so that you CAN continue to work. If frequent breaks is the answer to avoid starting mat leave early then they have to accommodate that.

OlderthenYoungerNow · 09/10/2019 22:30

Did your earnings reduce when you took sick leave in your qualifying weeks, or did you receive full pay? If so, it won't affect your mat pay.

cockcrowfarm · 10/10/2019 04:36

Could you use an exercise ball instead of a chair? Mine really helped.

adviceplease321 · 10/10/2019 05:14

Could you work reduced hours in the run up to leaving?

I did this for the last month or so (9-3) and it made a real difference. Don't think I would have been able to work up until 2 weeks before due date on full hours, was definitely getting too much for me

Original poster

Heartburn888 · 10/10/2019 07:04

I already work reduced hours I have every Friday off now and it’s been taken as part of my remaining annual leave but I said to my partner this morning it might be an idea to go off on maternity early if I’m going to struggle.

Yeah I did get reduced pay for my sick days so I’m happy to hear that it won’t affect the maternity pay

Thanks for your advice everyone. I’m taking the day off today and the housework can wait. Feet up a nice coffee and something nice to eat is just what the doctor ordered

OP posts:

Original poster

Heartburn888 · 10/10/2019 07:14

@GinNotGym19

You’ve said that pregnancy related absence is not counted the same as normal ones, they have counted it the same where I work and have given me a verbal warning, well two in fact as I took a sick day just as my previous warning ran out. Are they able To do this?

OP posts:

Intheupsidedown · 10/10/2019 07:21

As far as I am aware maternity sick should be treated separately to normal sick. There are different reasons in our system.

I have just decided to finish 4 weeks before I am due instead of 3 (currently 34 weeks) but also thinking I may take a week as sick cause I am just uncomfortable and tired.

My midwife thinks all women should stop work at 28 weeks but appreciates that pay is a big factor in when we can stop work.

Hope you feel better after a rest op

Namechangetoaskthis · 10/10/2019 07:28

If you feel you need to rest get a sick line. I did, I went off at 31 weeks for 2 weeks sick and went back a week and ended up having to start my maternity at 35 weeks due to the pain I was in. I remember at the time feeling really anxious at what work would think but I needed the rest, you sound like you do too.

Boobiliboobiliboo · 10/10/2019 07:29

Depends what you were off with. If you were off with a cold that wouldn’t be pregnancy related. SPD would.

loveskaka · 10/10/2019 07:30

I took mat leave at 32 weeks due to feeling like this, gave birth at 33.3 weeks. Listen to ur body. X

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