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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

...to ask to work for home due to SPD?

34 replies

pleasechange · 22/04/2008 10:03

I have SPD and was issued crutches yesterday by the physio. I can walk but extremely slowly and painfully (am currently 31 weeks). I have 4.5 weeks left at work - do you think it's reasonable for me to ask if I can work from home 2/3 days per week? I have a desk job and sitting at a desk all day seems to make me seize up more. The nature of work I do is writing documents and so it wouldn't impinge on anyone else me not physically being here.

OP posts:

jellybeans · 22/04/2008 10:05

I think it is very reasonable, good luck x

TenaciousG · 22/04/2008 11:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Onlyaphase · 22/04/2008 11:24

I wouldn't be asking my work if I could work from home, I'd be telling them what was going to happen

And, more likely, I'd get signed off work completely instead of trying to soldier on. SPD is horrible, might as well put your feet up if you can

LaVieEnRose · 22/04/2008 11:31

I had spd from about 32 weeks and just got signed off straight away. I didn't even need to have crutches so obviously wasn't as bad as you!

If you get signed off it won't affect your mat leave and you can rest Although I must admit I got a bit bored!

TenaciousG · 22/04/2008 11:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

flowerybeanbag · 22/04/2008 11:32

allnew that's absolutely reasonable and your work should agree it with no problem - they have to make adjustments on a health and safety basis for pregnant women.

Don't 'tell them what's going to happen' as onlyaphase would do, all that will happen is you'll get people's backs up for no reason whatsoever.

Explain the situation and ask. If it's refused, then you can obviously go in a bit stronger, get a doctor's note stating that it's necessary, or ask them to speak to whoever's responsible for health and safety there, but they should agree it no problem. If you go about it in a cooperative, pleasant way, they won't mind bending over backwards to accommodate you during your last few weeks at work.

You don't want to be signed off sick if you don't need to be, as once you are 36 weeks, they can then force you to start your maternity leave. If working at home a few days is enough for you for the time being, go with that.

needahand · 22/04/2008 11:34

I have had SPD for about 2/3 months and have been working from home since. It was that or the doctor was signing me off completely.

If you get signed off now it could be deemed that it is the start of your maternity leave though as you are move than 29 weeks so do be careful with that

duchesse · 22/04/2008 11:35

My friend has just been signed off completely for a month at 32 weeks (running into her agreed maternity leave) for the same reason. They should be lucky you want to carry on working at all, and make all reasonable accommodations they can just as they would for a disabled person.

flowerybeanbag · 22/04/2008 11:38

needahand it's 36 weeks, not 29, it changed recently.

Just to add, just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you get any preferential treatment when it comes to sick pay, so if you get signed off sick, you will get whatever sick pay you would normally get.

needahand · 22/04/2008 11:41

Really flowery? When did that change. I didn't realise. Thanks for letting me know.

flowerybeanbag · 22/04/2008 11:46

Ooh, can't remember needahand, there were several things that changed at the same time - was it Oct 2006 possibly? I did a set of policies for a client early last year and the new things applied then anyway.

here it is anyway

flowerybeanbag · 22/04/2008 11:52

I've just checked, it was Oct 2006.

Original poster

pleasechange · 22/04/2008 12:29

Thanks all!
flowerybeanbag - you seem very knowledgeable to just on a finer detail do you know:

my EDD is 24 June and that is the date I've chosen to start mat leave, although I'm taking 4 weeks hol before that (from 23 May). If I'm signed off sick (hopefully won't go down this route) for example for 4 weeks from now (takes me up to 23 May), do you think this would trigger my mat leave, or am I 'cushioned' because I'm taking holiday first?

Sorry if this makes no sense whatsoever!

OP posts:

needahand · 22/04/2008 12:33

Thanks for the link Flowery

flowerybeanbag · 22/04/2008 14:00

allnew the deal is if you are signed off sick with a pg related illness at any point during the last 4 weeks of your pregnancy, your employer can automatically start your mat leave.
So as long as any sick note didn't go into that period, you'd be fine, so you could get signed off until then, and go on holiday as arranged.

Original poster

pleasechange · 22/04/2008 14:03

Thanks very much - it's good to know where I stand!

OP posts:

BoffinMum · 27/01/2009 14:52

flowery, I am 30 weeks pg and have SPD and just got signed off sick yesterday. HR phoned me this morning and told me I could not have sick leave but had to start straight onto maternity leave immediately. Is that true then? If so this SPD bout will have suddenly cost me £3000!

Alibear1 · 27/01/2009 14:58

I worked from home from about 25 weeks until I went on mat leave at 33 weeks because of SPD. Mine was mainly an office job, the problem was that I couldn't drive without it aggravating my SPD hugely.

BoffinMum check the direct.gov website, I'm pretty sure that the rules changed fairly recently and actually they can't force you onto mat leave until 36 weeks. This is from the site
"You can start your leave any time from 11 weeks before the beginning of the week when your baby's due. If you're off work because of your pregnancy in the four weeks before the expected birth date, your employer can make you start your maternity leave."

Seems to suggest that they can't force you onto mat leave before then so you are clear for another 6 weeks anyway.

Hopefully · 27/01/2009 15:00

Boffin if flowery doesn't see this you might have more joy getting her or one of the other HR gurus if you post on the employment issues board. Hope you get it sorted!

FatController · 27/01/2009 15:35

Boffin, Flowery has posted recently that she is having a break from Mumsnet. I work in HR so hopefully can help.

Your employer can only start your MAT leave early if you are signed off in the 4 weeks before your due date.

I think that your employer is getting confused with either the fact that you can CHOOSE to take your MAT leave from 11 weeks before your due date or the fact that they used to be able to start your MAT leave much earlier if you were signed off sick.

So your employer is not acting correctly in this case as you are not in the 4 weeks before your due date.

Print this off to show them!

www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG _10039631

herbietea · 27/01/2009 15:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Twirl · 27/01/2009 16:15

I was signed off work at 23 weeks for SPD. I was on crutches way before that. When I first got crutches (about 17 weeks) My midwife first wrote a letter for me to give to my employer explaining my condition and that I couldn't sit at my desk for long periods, needed to hobble around, take extra breaks etc. I was ok for a while and did work at home some days too. At 23 weeks my doctor said 'enough' and was amazed that I was continuing to try and work and then signed me off for the duration of my pregnancy. I was on sick pay until 36 weeks when my employer triggered my mat leave (I was going to finish then anyway so no problem for me). I also had a holiday booked while I was on sick pay and that time was counted as sick not holiday as I had a doctors note covering the time. Hope this helps you. I really sympathise as it it so debilitating. I found the pain decreased as soon as I could rest properly at home.

BoffinMum · 27/01/2009 16:44

FatController, thanks for that link, I have just emailed HR and sent it to them, so hopefully I will be back on track to be signed off sick until Maternity leave now. Glad I asked!!

Hawkmoth · 28/01/2009 11:23

So really... being evil... if you have SPD you should tell your employer that you'll be starting Mat leave at 36 weeks at the earliest...

Ineedmorechocolatenow · 28/01/2009 11:33

I was signed off at 32 weeks, but the doc sneakily put 'sciatica' on the note (I was suffering from this as a result of the SPD, so not a lie). They couldn't prove this was pregnancy related so was given sick pay until baby was born (early, at 37 weeks when mat leave kicked in).

I was on crutches and due to pick up wheelchair at appointment on the Monday but went into labour on the Thursday before.

I've currently got it again with this second pregnancy, but no where near as bad.

I would state that you are going to work from home, failing that, go see GP....

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