Stay signed off or job hunt whilst pregnant?

[PippyPipPop]

I'm being threatened with a Performance Improvement Plan whilst pregnant (unfairly, I might add).

I have told my work I am pregnant, but only shortly AFTER the PIP was threatened, so I don't know if this makes any difference.

I am currently signed off sick, as pregnancy has been tough so far and I'm very stressed.

My options are:

• Stay off sick with stress for as long as possible and try to take maternity leave as soon as possible, with no intention of going back. I'm aware I would have to forfeit my right to enhanced maternity pay (as have been there over the qualifying time period). However, this would lessen any gap on my CV and I can then job hunt when baby is a few months old.

• Apply for other jobs now whilst pregnant with the risk that I would majorly piss off a new employer, by going off on maternity leave shortly after starting. I know legally I can do this, but it wouldn't get me off to the best start with a new employer. I am however scared of being unemployed for months with a new baby and with the job market being so bad.

Can anybody advise?

Hard to advise, what is the PIP for and why is it unfair/ caused you stress?

Stay off sick - that pushes the problem back on to them. It won't end well for them if they sack a pregnant woman - how long have you worked there.

A number of colleagues have been put on or threatened with PIPs or disciplinaries after speaking up about unmanageable workload (hence unfair). This is what has now happened to me also. The place is toxic.

I am stressed about the workload, especially as this pregnancy is very draining and I physically cannot do the unpaid overtime expected to keep up with it all. Being threatened with a PIP whilst pregnant is stressful in itself.

I’d probably do the first option.

Thank you. I just don't know how long I can be signed off for and if I'll be straight onto a PIP when I eventually go back. I've been there a few years (over the two year mark where I know you get legal protection).

I'm usually a bit of a trooper who carries on working through illness, but this is different. I am so stressed, can't sleep and feel very vulnerable.

I’d have a look at company policy, hold off taking sick leave until it suits you. So if you can have 4 months full pay go off sick at the point that will coincide with maternity leave starting after 4 months etc and then quit when you’re due to go back.

You said you’ve got no intention of going back so you wouldn’t have your PIP then would you? Can you speak to your GP about the workplace stress and see how long they can sign you off for?

Sounds doable.

Thank you for all your replies, oh wise Mumsnetters. It's really helping me.

The earliest I can take maternity leave is mid-July, which seems like a long time to be fighting this and being off sick, as I'm already off sick now.

I know I could go back for a while and then go off sick again. It feels awful having to be so strategic about this, but I feel like I have no choice up against such a toxic workplace.

The question is do I go back for a while at the end of my current sick leave and go off again if they put me on a PIP, or just stay off now for as long as possible?

I don't feel in the right head space to go back right now and I'm struggling with this pregnancy, but don't know if I should try going back for a while and then get signed off again.

You can be on SSP for up to 28 weeks so you wouldn't need to go back before mat leave kicks in.

If you will still get full pay, I’d go back and then get signed off again, state stress in the sick note that’s all they need to know, or if you’re crafty ask the gp to state it’s pregnancy related if possible so perhaps causing undue stress to the baby etc. they can’t penalise you for pregnancy related illness, play the system! Bugger the PIP, if you know you have to go back for x amount of weeks then sign off sick again do it, play the game, don’t let the PIP Stress you out if you know it won’t do anything to you given your plan for sick leave and maternity

Second this. I agree with play the game.

If you're not in a Union, then join one. If you are in one, contact them for advice and support.
Possibly contact ACAS or pregnant then screwed for advice. A lot of companies, sadly, do not treat pregnant women well or legally. So you need some back up.
Whilst I would to some extent advise staying off sick, it maybe that your GP can complete a fitness note, ie working your set hours, WFH etc as a reasonable adjustment to enable you to work.
Keep notes of any interactions, particularly regarding the PIP, so you have back up if the company are shown to have discriminated against you.

Stay off sick

Then go straight to mat leave

Fidn another job whilst on mat leave

Check your workplace sickness policy. You can technically be signed off for as long as you need and as long as your GP deems necessary. However, there will be implications on pay. I get 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. At this point, if I am not ready to return there will be a meeting and my employer will probably initiate a process to establish my capacity. So I wouldn't expect to be sick for more than a year without eventually loosing my job. But that's quite a long time.

Regarding your gap in the CV. You don't have one. You are employed even while sick and then you are on maternity leave. So there won't be any gap at all.

As a small business owner who had a woman do this to us I’d say stay, if you do choose to job hunt go for big corporations who can absorb the cost, it crippled us and it was a deliberate move on her part. As a women I understood and supported her but it was difficult.

How did it cripple you? I thought it was the government that paid SSP and maternity pay?

It’s a cash flow impact firstly as we have to pay and reclaim SMP, we then have to interview again, and employ and cover the role which is a costly process for a small team. We had to pay recruitment fees twice, train the replacement, and in the gap has to cover overtime.

it’s also a loss of productivity and knowledge, we than keep benefits pension and holidays accrual, manage return to work etc so the admin and HR bills.

For what was a small 5 person business it’s significant and not impossible but still has costs.

I employ women, I am a woman and I am a mum, so not moaning etc it’s just a giant ball ache when someone comes on board and has lied to you, it also erodes trust.

Option 1. Fit note every two weeks. Then go on mat leave. Then go back to work for as long as you have to to get mat pay. Then leave. Or raise a grievance and try and get a severance or ND payment out of them. Make sure you get a reference too.

Don’t feel bad. Just get signed off until mat leave. They don’t deserve you to go in . Baby needs you unstressed.

This.
If you go back then that might be taken as you saying you are now well enough to work and then they can hold your performance against you. If you stick to the fact that pregnancy is making it too hard to work, how can they possibly fire you? That would be a huge risk for them.

Let the put you on a PIP, you are leaving, why would you give a toot? Work out how to get the most out of them financially, work only your contracted hours, safe in the knowledge you are planning your exit. Emotionally detach from it all.

Smart.

Pregnant women are always getting a bad deal. Do not feel bad, do what is needed for your and your baby’s best interests.

I would stay off sick as long as possible and then start maternity leave, as others have said.

One thing to be aware of is I know that at my company if you are off sick for a prolonged period after a certain point in pregnancy (not sure how many weeks) then they can choose to put you onto maternity leave early, which obviously means you lose out after the baby is born as you might already used, say, 2 months of your leave before it even arrived because of this.

Not sure if that's just my company or whether it's a universal thing, but worth checking your company policy for that just in case as I'm guessing you'd want the max time off possible once the baby arrives.

Also, you likely won't qualify for SMP if you move jobs now as you need to have worked somewhere for 26 weeks by your 'qualifying week' - you my be able to get maternity allowance instead but that will be all.

I'd definitely try and stay at your current employer for as long as possible and look to leave after you've had your maternity leave.