Work expecting me in office when pregnant

[littlefawn]

I am currently 20 weeks pregnant and I requested to work from home a week before lockdown, they said it wasn't possible, I was then told it was "not recommended" that I come into work by a manager and told me to take sick (even though I'm not sick) I told them I could not get a sick line but that was fine.
About a month later I found out about 4 or 5 people had been allocated laptops and were working from home.
Manager rang about a week after this and said HR said they've done a risk assessment and I can come back to work. They said social distancing is in place, only one person per row of desks and people working one week on and one week off.

AIBU to expect a laptop to work from home when others who are not vulnerable have been allocated laptops?

Surely I still have to pass communal areas and touch door handles to get to my desk, there is a narrow corridor to my office and the building is shared by other departments (it's public sector)

From what I've read online employers must do what they can to help
Pregnant women work from home, my manager suggested I take leave as I have a lot but I've also sad they can't make you take leave and this is discrimination.

UMN, that is incorrect, though I know all pregnant teachers in my area have been sent home too. I think that is reasonable given that schools cannot guarantee social distancing.

OP is working in an office so it really isn't the same thing.

OP your work need to get their act together, anyone who can work from home should be, especially in the third trimester of pregnancy, which you are close to! Speak to HR.

Could you suggest driving to work and picking up an office PC and using it at home?

I know several of my friends offices have done that where most people work locally or have access to a car, if they don't normally use laptops.

That’s what would happen in the private sector.

I'm private sector as are the majority of my clients. We are 100% WFH, as are our clients (for office based workers) including those normally in secure locations.

Ittakes2 - that's why I said 'appear' in quotes as I don't know and don't want to assume what their health is like.

I'm in health and safety. There's no way in hell I'd be advising an employer that it's acceptable to be bringing an expectant mother back into the office at this stage. Have you got an H&S team you can reach out to?

I would email them and ask why you cannot work from home with a laptop given you are pregnant and the Govt has said people should still work from home where possible. Say you note other people have been given laptops. Ask for them to put their decision in writing.
Contact your union as well.
And absolutely do not take sick leave or annual leave for this, that’s an unreasonable request.
Hopefully email pressure will do it

Yes I think YABU. where I work (midwife) pregnant colleagues have been moved to community clinics and home visits where we are absolutely not able to social distance. The distancing your employer has set up sounds absolutely fine and I know there are a lot of people (myself included) who would be very happy to work under those circumstances

I feel in general they're quite slow and almost "wing it" rather than checking the legislation.

I've drafted a letter and will send it to HR and request a reply via email to keep myself right.

If I am wrong I am lucky I'm in a position to take leave but it just doesn't feel right to me

If you weren’t provided with a laptop until now then I assume you have not been working from home but are receiving full pay.

A few people were given laptops and expected to work from home for the past 6 weeks.

The employer is now asking staff to come to work under new working conditions. They have assessed each of you and decided they can meet government guidance on social distancing.

At this stage you don’t know if the people who were allocated laptops will continue to have them. Just that they had them. It is possible they have been reallocated to other staff in the vulnerable category.

I think you need to ask for their policy. If you don’t fit the risk criteria and it is in line with government guidance then you will need to return to work or take leave.

I think you join your union now and then immediately ask for the help from them. Makes sense if you were going to join anyway.

I understand they've put social distancing in place and am so lucky to not be in a customer facing role or healthcare but that's not what it's about.

It's about other people (management) being prioritised over other staff and HR not following guidelines when they are in a position to do so

Again, why don't you just request your PC be transported to your home?

I will add about the PC to my letter and see what their argument against that would be thanks

Join your union now. They make take your case under the circumstances.

Sorry littlefawn I was responding to your comment ‘AIBU to expect a laptop to work from home when others who are not vulnerable have been allocated laptops?’.
I get that you are concerned - I would be too - but I think when you are talking to your management/HR you need to be careful you are not referring to feeling other’s with laptops aren’t vulnerable in your opinion. It puts people on the defence as they will immediately tell you you don’t know the personal cases of others. Just stick to your own issues in relation to official guidelines. Good luck.

Can you join the union? Is that possible?

For those saying op is being unreasonable. This is a job she can do very easily from home. Why as an employer, would you insist a pregnant woman (or anyone for that matter?), Goes back to the office? She's not a keyworker, isn't customer facing. I just don't understand the issue. Especially as that's what the government dictates. The risk is still there, even if we have passed the peak of this virus.
Everyone rushing back to work in May, is going to cause us more harm in the long run.
I'm at work, because physically can't do at home. I know that if we could work from home, my employer would have all do that. Because she's not a cunt.

I haven't read the full thread but based on your original post I would give them the option of letting you work from home with a laptop, or putting you on furlough leave. You are vulnerable due to being pregnant and it really isn't worth the risk. If they insist that you go in, refuse. I'm no expert but I would seriously doubt an employment tribunal would look favourably upon an employer making their pregnant employee physically work in the office when she can work from home. They are supposed to be supporting home working as far as possible. Don't give in.

Ittakes2 - yes I think referring to others health they will get defensive so maybe shouldn't include that thanks

This is what I don't understand, they are meant to support me to work from home which is pretty clear. Hopefully a carefully worded letter and a request for a response in writing with be enough. I'm normally quite laid back and happy to take on extra tasks and definitely never cause any issues in my work but just don't want to let this go

I'd use holidays and take maternity leave early. Just tell them your not putting your unborn baby at risk so if they won't support you to work from home then that's what will have to happen.
Your job is protected, they can't sack you because your in the vulnerable category. 💐

So they are socially distancing on terms of desks. If people walk by how far away will they be? Are you expected to share toilets and kitchens with others?
All pregnant women should legally have a risk assessment done. Ask for one for your return and make it clear you are concerned about the above. If you are in a union talk to them.

I never joined my union confused one of those things I meant to do then didn't bother

Well, you should have done, but it's not too late to do it now. Join your union.

They said they've done a risk assessment and I can come into work yet I do have to share toilets, kitchen facilities, narrow corridors

@FridayFlowers Your colleagues can not work from home, OP can. It is not comparable.