To want to wfh in third trimester

[toadstool32]

So at one point it was a thing, now it's just "guidance". I'm a teacher in a school rife with it so no option to work from home. Despite occupational health reviews we're (several pregnant staff) still expected in as normal. Really really hoping Boris reinstates it.

But surely if you can't work from home to do your job, then you can't work from home in your third trimester either? Not sure what you would be asking for? To be signed off sick for three months?

Same at my work: NHS, up until a couple of weeks ago, over 28 weeks and you work from home. As of last week no changes unless in a very high risk area ie nurse on the covid ward, you just get moved to another ward.

Might be being ignorant but if the kids are in school, how would you work from home?

You want your students to go back online? For you?
I'm a teacher and thankful as anything that it looks pretty much as though there'll be no online lessons this year for us.
My 4 pregnant colleagues agree.

I guess it's harder now we have the jab. But yes 3rd trimester should be work from home if you can. Can you?

I work in retail and have left work on medical suspension at 28 weeks. Can't work from home but work don't feel it is safe to have women in 3rd trimester in work🤷‍♀️ I think if you can work from home you should be able to!

I dont know why people get pregnant in a pandemic if they are nervous about going to work. I dont think there is a solution to this. Maybe you could try getting your union involved.

@Viviennemary

I dont know why people get pregnant in a pandemic if they are nervous about going to work. I dont think there is a solution to this. Maybe you could try getting your union involved.

Because the situation has changed since the early days when they instructed pregnant women to stay at home? Situations change.

People only worked from home if their place of work was told to close. Schools haven’t closed so all pupils and teachers are expected in. My work place never closed through the whole pandemic so I was in work every day.

How would you do your job from home?

People only worked from home if their place of work was told to close.

That’s not necessarily true. When the advice was “work from home if you can” plenty of people wfh even though their workplace was open. My office stayed open for people who couldn’t wfh (due to living situation, bad WiFi etc), but most people did. Now that’s no longer the advice, people are back in. DH’s company had him wfh but other staff who were required to physically be in (warehouse staff) had to come in.

I can’t believe the comments on here.

The policy on this seems to differ depending on what county you’re working in but it’s ridiculous that some schools are expecting women in their third trimester to effectively be working in a hot bed of COVID. At my school pregnant teachers are being allowed to work from home during their third trimester. Anyone who teaches knows that there is plenty that can be done whilst working from home. We’ve had teachers writing curriculum, making lesson plans, marking and writing reports all from home.

What does your risk assessment say? As a woman in your third trimester you’re at greater risk of illness or death from covid and they absolutely can’t protect you from it. It’s their responsibility to minimise or remove the risk (which they can’t do) or find alternative risk-free work (work from home). If there’s a few of you in this position at your school I would contact the union.

@Viviennemary

I dont know why people get pregnant in a pandemic if they are nervous about going to work. I dont think there is a solution to this. Maybe you could try getting your union involved.

least constructive comment ever. Pregnancy isn’t always that straightforward.

My son's pregnant teacher is working from home. Her maternity cover has started a few weeks early, he's in the classroom, she's online. I realise that it's lucky their school has the money to be able to do this (state school).

If several members of staff are pregnant then it would be very difficult for the school to allow then all to wfh without it having a significant impact on children’s learning, even if there is plenty you could be doing at home.

If the school could accommodate it without putting excessive pressure on support staff who aren’t paid to cover more than the odd lesson, and without it impacting the education provided then overall it would seem more sensible for you to be at home. But if they can’t, which would be the case in my school, then it would be fairer for you to go on maternity leave early.

@LethargicActress the school would need to hire maternity cover - so qualified teachers 3 months earlier. They don’t use support staff for maternity cover. It’s the schools responsibility to look after the health and safety of their employees, no matter how many members of staff are pregnant. Just as it would be the schools responsibility to cover maternity leave, no matter how many members of staff are pregnant. Worst case scenario is a baby or mother ends up in ICU and/or dies- this trumps children’s learning.

Start maternity leave early? You are not vulnerable and assume you are vaccinated
So protected.

Get signed off, sick leave when pregnant doesn't count towards your record. Unpopular I know but fuck that, look after yourself and your baby.

You can't "work from home" and do your job though, can you?

Check your county councils risk assessment and your schools risk assessment. I’ve just checked mine again and it states; ‘Where the risk cannot be adequately reduced, staff who are 28 weeks pregnant or more, should be supported to work from home, unless robust control measures or reasonable adjustment to their role can be implement’
And
‘The individualised Risk Assessments previously put in place for those staff who are ‘clinically vulnerable’ (CV), pregnant or from a BAME background are reviewed and adjustments made to reduce the risk of transmission as appropriate. Where the risk cannot be adequately reduced, CV/pregnant (in particular those more than 28 weeks pregnant) staff should be supported to work from home’
Hence why all of our staff are working from home 28 weeks onwards. I find it quite shocking that they can say they can adequately reduce risk in a school- that would be impossible.

You’d be better off being signed off if they refuse.

The problem is that while you can do some things at home such as planning and assessment, you can’t really teach from home.

Pregnant women are more vulnerable in their third trimester @Remmy123

@Catfog

Get signed off, sick leave when pregnant doesn't count towards your record. Unpopular I know but fuck that, look after yourself and your baby.

This.

@toadstool32

You made a big mistake by mentioning you’re a teacher…. Never will end well.

We have two teachers prefab at at our school both are finishing at 28 weeks due to high covid cases.
I think this is fair. They are going to make resources attend online EHCPs and complete paperwork so will still be working.

Prefab?? Pregnant