Can't enjoy pregnancy; work concerns.

[Skeppers]

I'm trying my best to feel positive about my pregnancy. It's our first child and my husband and I were TTC from last October. In late November my employer, completely out of the blue, announced a major, organisation-wide restructure. We decided it would be a good idea for me to perhaps go back on the Pill for a while until we found out a bit more about what was happening, however BOOM. I was already pregnant.

The restructure at work is being done for strategic rather than financial reasons; it's public sector and they do tend to look after their staff. They've said that they're not anticipating redundancies, but I know that a couple of senior managers have been put 'at risk' already. People keep assuring me that I'll be OK as I'm good at my job, but no one in a position of authority or with decision-making gravitas...it's all being done by higher powers within the organisation who don't know me or really understand what I do.

There's a good chance I'll be ok. There's a significant chance I may lose my job and be completely f*cked. I'm the main breadwinner and- whilst DH earns a reasonable salary (only about £2k less than me)- there's NO WAY we could live on just the one salary, especially with a baby. I'd also lose all my maternity benefits.

No-one seems to know what's happening and all I can do is stress and worry about it. I've never been in this position before and it's absolutely f*cking typical it happens one we've finally decided we're 'stable' enough to start a family.

Can't enjoy being pregnant, just worried what on earth the next few months will bring.

Anyone got any tips on how I can chill the f*ck out a bit!?

If you haven't already, tell them you're pregnant. They won't want to be accused of making a pregnant woman redundant.

Yep, they know. Joined the Union, then told HR! But that won't make me bulletproof.

I know it's probably an irrational fear, but it's just the uncertainty, you know?

I can very much relate to the uncertainty Skeppers. A restructure at work means that a vacancy that I should have been able to apply for is being changed and I may no longer meet the criteria. The restructure is taking ages and my department won't give me any reassurances that the vacancy will be advertised before my due date (July) I wish I could just relax and focus on the positive. I've also just joined the union and am trying to keep HR in the loop so I can't be ignored.

Hope you get some news and certainty soon

Will you definitely lose your benefits even if you (worst case scenario) ended up working for another nhs trust? I only adjust because at the other end you only have to repay your mat leave if you leave the nhs within three months of returning to work but that doesn't have to be the same trust.
For now, I'd just focus on your pregnancy maybe saving a little bit extra each month if you can afford to do so. It sounds like there's nothing more you can do at work to change things so give yourself a different focus and try stress relieving activities.
Good luck

Thanks 2015, but I don't work for the NHS! I'll may have a chat with HR though about what would happen to my maternity benefits.

Hi skeppers, worst come to worst, you should be entitled to maternity allowance - you don't get the higher rate for the first 6 weeks but it's the same rate for the rest of your leave and would give you time to look for something else if need be. Financial difference would obviously be worse if you're entitled to additional benefits but, as OP said, try putting aside what you can now for worst case scenario. Hopefully it won't come to that, but no harm having some extra savings set aside just incase.

Hi Skeppers,

You sound like you're in a very, very similar position to me. Public sector (University), major restructure, and I'm pregnant after 3 years ttc! DH has an okay salary but I'm the main breadwinner too, we'd be screwed without my job! Like you, my employer tend to look after their staff and would try to reshuffle jobs rather than make people redundant, there is however, always that niggling uncertainty. Although no one can make me any promises as to the future of my job, I have been told that being pregnant will protect my employment in ways other people would not be. Also, have a close read of your maternity policy. In mine it states that: there may be exceptional occasions where an employee is made redundant prior to or during maternity leave. In these circumstances, if the redundancy takes effect at a date where the employee could be on maternity leave, (i.e. where the employment end date is between 11 weeks before the EWC and what would otherwise have been the end of the maternity leave period), the employee will be entitled to receive her Enhanced Employer Maternity Pay in full, and no repayment of monies received for this will be required'.

So, if I was to be let go in the next couple of months, I would still be entitled to my maternity package. If you are public sector, it may be the same?

Thanks everyone. Have just had a meeting with my current manager and she reiterated again that they weren't planning any compulsory redundancies and that my job is being moved to another team in central services rather than my current department. I said that I don't care what happens, as long as I still have a job! I'll clean toilets if I have to!

I still won't be 100% happy until I've got guaranteed security; even moving to this new team there may be too many people doing the same job as me and there will be a bit more shifting or reapplying for jobs, etc. But I'm just taking solace in the fact that they aren't looking to make redundancies for financial purposes.

I think that, if I wasn't pregnant, I'd take this all in my stride and it wouldn't bother me. It's just additional pressure of knowing I'll have this responsibility and I want to give the baby the best start I can! The meeting this morning did help a little bit though; I have a meeting with my (potential) new line manager tomorrow so hopefully I'll feel more reassured following that.

I've also seen a job being advertised internally for something I used to do a few years back; it's a better job, still full-time and 2 grades higher than I'm on now so about a £8k p/a pay rise...might put in a speculative application anyway. HR have to keep my pregnancy hush-hush so it's not a deciding influence in any future employment within the organisation, so it can't hurt to try!

Cheers Otters

I work for a University too; we're not at the same place, are we!?

No worries Skeppers, it's a stress isn't it. I'm unlikely to return to the same post when I get back from mat leave so understand the fear of the unknown. I pity the poor person who will be employed to cover my year off, they will have to negotiate some pretty stormy waters in my absence!

(I'm at an old, RG Scottish uni)

In one sense I'll be glad to be out of it...the new structure kicks in as of August and I start mat leave late July! I'll be returning (hopefully) after 10 months as very much the 'new kid' in a new team. Hopefully all the new systems and processes will be nicely bedded in after a full academic year and I'll have time to pick everything up in June/July/August before the chaos of the academic year kicks off again.

Ah, no. Not same place. South Coast 'newb' here!

I was similarly concerned so I took out redundancy insurance! It's £22 a month and I will give it up after maternity leave.

You can get made redundant on mat leave - it happened to a colleague of mine....

MissTwister I'm well aware that you can, hence my concern! People keep telling me I'm 'protected', but I'm really not.

I'm just taking solace in the fact that there are no 'expected' redundancies...

Sorry! I just find people assume pregnant women are protected by some strange law. As long as the redundancy is generally lawful then it's no different.

I don't think you should worry too much - they sound very positive about it all. Could you look into the insurance for peace of mind