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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To finish work early due to not being allowed to work from home?

64 replies

Cookies47 · 06/01/2021 16:05

I am heavily pregnant and only have 2 weeks left in work - my employer has said I can't work from home (even though I have a job that can be done remotely) as they want everyone in the office. Very covid safe!

I am due to go on annual leave in 2 weeks for 2 weeks, then start my maternity leave.

What is the best way to go about this?

OP posts:
comingintomyown · 06/01/2021 16:07

Work in the office for the next two weeks ? Am I missing something?

Original poster
Cookies47 · 06/01/2021 16:08

Yes, I don't want to work closely to hundreds of other people in a national lockdown :)

OP posts:
1FootInTheRave · 06/01/2021 16:09

Is there somewhere to report shit employers liÄ·e this?

Directly going against government advice and putting people at risk.

comingintomyown · 06/01/2021 16:11

Ok, well if your environment is COVID safe and your employer wants you in the office there’s not much to say really. No idea what you do but I wouldn’t want to rock the boat when you are about to be off for a while.
Good luck with your baby 👶

Lougle · 06/01/2021 16:11

Ask to bring your holiday and maternity leave forward by two weeks? They can say no, though.

MrsMoastyToasty · 06/01/2021 16:11

I wouldn't normally recommend it but I'd go sick with stress or maternity problems.

Tenyearsgone · 06/01/2021 16:12

Take sick leave.

Crunchymum · 06/01/2021 16:12

If you go off sick your ML will start automatically @36w

E1ffelTower · 06/01/2021 16:13

If you go off on sick at this point it would automatically trigger the start of your maternity leave. Not sure where that would leave your annual leave though.

Crunchymum · 06/01/2021 16:13

I suspect the OP was being sarcastic about her office being Covid safe.

HappyAsASandboy · 06/01/2021 16:17

You have a few options;

  1. Ask your GP/Midwife to write a fit note stipulating that you're only fit to work from home not the office. It is then up to your employer whether they accommodate the adjustment, and if they don't then you will be off sick based on the judgement of the GP that you shouldn't work in the office. If you do go off sick, your employer is allowed by law to start your maternity leave if you're within 4 weeks of your Expected Week Commencing, because the sick absence is pregnancy related.

  2. you could request 2 weeks extra leave, either paid or unpaid depending on what entitlement you have left.

  3. you could request parental leave if you have another child already and haven't already used it all. You aren't able to give the required 21 days notice if this request, so they could decline it. But they might approve it.

  4. you could request to bring forward your maternity leave start date. You aren't able to give the required notice of this change in date, so they may decline the request. But they might agree it.

Good luck. I would feel the same as you about being in the office at your stage and would explore the above options to get myself out of the office environment now.

AliceinBunniland · 06/01/2021 16:18

I think it's unreasonable for your employer to insist you work in the office of you can do your job from home. Would a midwife or GP give you a note to say you should work fr home?

When you say finish work early my first thought was how do you get to work? If public transport then you could ask to start late and finish early to avoid busy times but if you drive to work then I'm not sure what difference that makes.

Or do you mean you're thinking of going on mat leave early?

Original poster
Cookies47 · 06/01/2021 16:18

My office is both members of the public and staff members. I'm very worried about getting sick at this late stage.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cookies47 · 06/01/2021 16:19

I meant finishing work early as in leaving on my annual/mat leave, sorry

OP posts:
Original poster
Cookies47 · 06/01/2021 16:20

@HappyAsASandboy

You have a few options;

  1. Ask your GP/Midwife to write a fit note stipulating that you're only fit to work from home not the office. It is then up to your employer whether they accommodate the adjustment, and if they don't then you will be off sick based on the judgement of the GP that you shouldn't work in the office. If you do go off sick, your employer is allowed by law to start your maternity leave if you're within 4 weeks of your Expected Week Commencing, because the sick absence is pregnancy related.

  2. you could request 2 weeks extra leave, either paid or unpaid depending on what entitlement you have left.

  3. you could request parental leave if you have another child already and haven't already used it all. You aren't able to give the required 21 days notice if this request, so they could decline it. But they might approve it.

  4. you could request to bring forward your maternity leave start date. You aren't able to give the required notice of this change in date, so they may decline the request. But they might agree it.

Good luck. I would feel the same as you about being in the office at your stage and would explore the above options to get myself out of the office environment now.

Thank you @HappyAsASandboy I appreciate these options and will have a think about them tonight!
OP posts:
handmademitlove · 06/01/2021 16:21

Ask work for an updated risk assessment - statutory for pregnancy. Include reference to the rcog guidance on pregnancy past 28 weeks.

HappyAsASandboy · 06/01/2021 16:24

Risk assessment! Yes, definitely ask to update this with your manager before you do my options! They should have done one and discussed it with you, and at the point of reviewing it and the RCOG guidelines they should want to avoid writing down that you have to work against the RCOG guidelines. That should make them agree a work from home if it is technically possible. Then move to my options!

maddening · 06/01/2021 16:26

I thought that the rules around forcing maternity leave in the last 4 weeks before your due date was only for maternity related sickness? So if it were stress or anxiety around an unsafe environment then that would not be maternity related?

FusionChefGeoff · 06/01/2021 16:30

This makes me so angry for you.

The guidance is work from home unless you can't.

Not work from home unless your dickhead boss needs an ego trip of making everyone come in.

lockeddownandcrazy · 06/01/2021 16:35

A relative of mine is in a similar situation - job can be done remotely but their boss likes them in and the employer says its departmental heads that make the final decision as to whether you can or cant work from home.

Applecrumble24 · 06/01/2021 16:36

28 weeks and over is classed as clinically extremely vulnerable and you should therefore be working from home. Go to HR or your union. They are breaking the law

Wantabub · 06/01/2021 16:39

Please follow Pregnant then Screwed on Instagram. They have a template letter you can use to give to your line manager.
Don't worry about causing a fuss. The risks are quite high over 28 weeks for pregnant women and covid.

Blackhawk12 · 06/01/2021 16:46

@applecrumble24 no we are classed as clinically vulnerable not Extremely (only with heart conditions as well). However saying that their are people I know from my mum's group on Facebook (due in group) that have basically sent their employers the government guidelines that state of they cannot make your job covid safe and you cannot work from home they have to suspend you on full pay. I would look into this. Good luck Flowers

LindaEllen · 06/01/2021 16:47

The advice was that you should only go to work if you 'absolutely cannot' work from home.

Your employer should be allowing you to do this, if you can.

Vari757 · 06/01/2021 16:51

I'm in the same situation except not pregnant so I can only imagine how you feel. My job can absolutely be done from home but my boss thinks home working=skiving. I'm in Scotland which is a full national lockdown