Working with public while pregnant?

[TOWGA]

What's the current state of the rules for working with the public while above 28 weeks? I'm 29 weeks, and am due back to work on 1st April, I work in retail! I have tried looking but I confused as to whether I am allowed to work or not! Many thanks

All shielding ends on March 31. I don't think being pregnant would put you in a Shielding group, the list is here www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19

As far as I know, the advice for pregnant women is that your employer should allow you to work from home or put you on paid leave past 28 weeks as you are deemed ‘high risk’ from then on, IF they can’t keep your working conditions within the social distancing guidelines. My employer furloughed me in the November lockdown as I had just entered the third trimester and they couldn’t completely isolate me from other employees at work.

I don’t know if they absolutely have to do this though, or how this guidance might be changing/have changed recently as we move out of lockdown. It’s nothing to do with shielding though, that’s only for pregnant women who have a heart condition or were already CEV. There’s a section on this on the gov.uk website called ‘advice for pregnant employees’ and it specifically mentions being put on paid leave in certain circumstances which is helpful. I would definitely talk to your employer about this.

Thank @drinkplease @sachaf08 I have been shielding due to a heart condition while pregnant! It's a hard call, as I was told I was being made redundant, then HR stepped in, and I have been transferred to a new store, which is where I am starting on Thursday! I want to make a good impression but at the same time, need to look after myself and baby! Many thanks!

@TOWGA definitely look after you and baby first! Although I do understand it’s difficult as you want to make a good impression at work. They might be a lot more understanding than you expect particularly as you were shielding before 🤞I was scared to ask my employer for time off but they were really nice and actually suggested furlough rather than early maternity leave because it would be financially better for me

I'm a student nurse and the hospital won't let me continue my placement past 28 weeks. Uni have gave me work to do online during this time.

Any staff at the hospital who would normally be working with patients have been given administrative jobs, working from home depending on their role or they've took their remaining annual leave and started their maternity leave early. There's also something online about being "suspended" however, it's not due to doing anything wrong, it's just until you start maternity and you have full pay