changing job during pregnancy

[BabyHMummy]

i need some advice ladies!

i have an anxiety disorder which due to some pretty major changes in my life over the last 15 months has gone into overdrive lately. i left an emotionally abusive marriage, met someone new who i adore and fell pregnant after 17 years of being told i was infertile and on top of that i have had a very stressful year at work due to a work related injury and a couple of complaints made against me for telling people off for breaching health and safety and not doing their jobs correctly.

as a result my gp has signed me off and i am due to run out of full sick pay soon and will get dropped to either SSP or nothing - i cannot afford to not be earning anything. i am tempted to leave and get something relatively stress free for the next 16-18 weeks til i can start mat leave. i know that i will only get mat allowance rather than SMP but it doesn't have that big an impact on what i would get a week. Any advice??

How many weeks pregnant are you, and how long have you been off sick for? I personally wouldn't leave before finding another job but only because its hard to find a job while pregnant (though not impossible).

i am 18 + 4, i have been off for 3 weeks and signed off for another 4 but due to my shoulder injury and severe hyperemeisis i have had about 12 weeks off during the last 12 months

i am looking for another job and won't quit before i get one, just wondering how likely it is i would get something

it is making the anxiety etc so much worse cos i am worrying about money (courtesy of my ex hubby i have a lot of debt) and my new partner has an ex wife and 2 other kids he is supporting so feel guilty that an awful lot is falling on him now

It might be difficult to find someone to employ you when pregnant. Never disclose it at an interview, but if you have a bump then it's going to be pretty obvious. I had an interview at 16 weeks and got the job but they didn't know I was pregnant and of they did I doubt they would have employed me.

If you've work for 24 weeks out of the last 66 you will be entitles to maternity allowance whether you get a new job or not. Could you not just tough this one out until closer your due date then go off on mat leave?

Also I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be job hunting if you are off sick. Surely if you are too sick to work your current job you'll be too sick for a new job? Grass isn't always greener and all that.

i know my rights on maternity allowance etc its how the hell i cope between now and then that worries me

i cannot go back to work, the mere thought of going near the place makes me shake with fear and dread, i can't even walk past the shop in our town centre without feeling sick and anxious to the point i start crying

If you are still off ill now, would you be able to start a new job? Or are you back at work now?

I would have thought if you are so ill you can't go to work it would be near impossible to start a new one? I wouldn't want to start a new job and call in sick for my first day.

my gp will sign me back if i change jobs

You will be eligible for SSP at a rate of around £85 a week, this is paid for 26 weeks max but if you have been getting company sick pay then that doesn't count towards the SSP.

You can start maternity leave from 29 weeks but obviously this will impact on when you have to return to work or leave entirely.

You can stay off work sick with dr's notes until 36 weeks pregnant however they can force you to start maternity leave from this point (but not prior to this).

Realistically with looking for another job, you could probably get temp work but may struggle to get anything permanent.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but you probably wouldn't be fit for starting another job anyway if your anxiety is as bad as you say. I suffered antenatal depression when having my DS mainly brought about by a work situation and bullying manager. I projected everything onto this and it was only when it was resolved (signed off until start of mat leave rather than 1 week at a time) that I realised I was blaming work for all my stresses and anxiety, not just the bullying I was enduring there. Once the work aspect was sorted I then had to deal with the other problems, and wouldn't have been up to doing that while in a new job!

OK I guess I am failing to see why you are not fit to work in your current job but you feel you will be fit to start a new job.

There is no guarantee that changing job will resolve the issues you are facing. Have you considered some counselling for your anxiety? Can you get support from your trade union?

The issues are work related. A lot from fact i am being pressured into stopping down from my role due to being pregnant but other stuff too.

You are prob right about not being for foe anything else but i need to do something to focus my mind