Rights at work when pregnant

[BumpLoading]

Am 19 weeks with my first pregnancy and am so tired alllll the time!
I work part time in a very small family run business which doesn’t make much money at all, so I didn’t want to make a fuss anout the little things and had a very easy first 12 weeks (no sickness yay).

However now I’m really tired and work is a massive chore so I wanted to know what’s my rights are?

The company’s not made any changes for me (I’m the first pregnant person they’ve ever had) eg nowhere to lay down or rest so should I be requesting this or AIBU?

I've never heard of employers having to get somewhere for pregnant employees to lay down. If I need to rest I will take my lunch break to lay down in my car for half hour. I suppose it depends on what kind of work you do?

I've never heard of this either (although I'd like a room for a nap but that's probably the same whether I'm pregnant or not). I have an office-based job and haven't needed any adjustments so far (21 weeks) although anticipate needing to WFH a bit towards the end if I can't cope with the commute.

They should make reasonable adjustments for you. For example if you stand behind a til all day, they should give you a chair. You won't be able to go and have a lie down.

If your job involves physical work they need to carry out a risk assessment (eg if you have to carry heavy loads, are on your feet all day, work with anything that could be harmful to the baby). If you're office based then they don;t as far as I know have to do this.

You're legally entitled to time off for antenatal appointments and if you are sick due to the pregnancy, they can't count this as part of your usual sick leave. That's about it! I had horrible tiredness for the first 12 weeks so I feel your pain, but that isn't part of the pregnancy/work legal stuff unfortunately. Can you work from home to get a little bit of extra sleep in the mornings?

Sorry I should have put I work in an office so am sitting all day, and only work part time hours so don’t get a lunch break but I can make tea / eat at my desk or go on my phone when I like.

I may ask to work from home a little bit so I can be a bit more comfortable maybe once a week.

It really depends on the kind of job you have as to what you will need, but I don't think many places would provide a place for you to lay down and rest and I think it is an unreasonable request (although there is one at my work but it is global company).
If you are office based then they would need to make sure you are still comfortable sitting and could provide a foot rest if that helps.

I've never heard of a nap zone being provided for pregnant people at work.
Wouldn't they also have to provide them then, for people with CFS or ME, etc

Rights for pregnant or breastfeeding women:-

Employers must provide suitable rest facilities for pregnant or breast-feeding employees. (In addition, employers are encouraged to provide a clean and private place where nursing mothers can express and store milk. A toilet is not suitable for this.)

Rest facilities should be close to a toilet (where possible) and include somewhere the employee could lie down if necessary.

If you're only working PT and already sitting down all day I don't think they have to do anything else other than allow time off for medical appointments. I thought you were going to say you were on your feet running around a shop 40 hours a week or something!

Oh I see so it’s only if it’s necessary does the company have to provide somewhere to lay down, which is isn’t really but I would just love a nap 😴

Probably just wishful thinking then!

Unfortunately, I think you are wishful thinking! Would be lovely though! The tiredness should ease off for a couple of months and then come back with a vengeance in your third trimester. I'm 32 weeks and barely able to sleep so exhausted all the time!

@BumpLoading I work in an office so am sitting all day, and only work part time hours so don’t get a lunch break but I can make tea / eat at my desk or go on my phone when I like.

No offence OP but it sounds like you have it easier than most! I get super tired as well, but just have to battle through it. I find stepping outside for a few mins of fresh air in the afternoon helps a lot.

Just be happy you dont have a more manual job, and that you only work part time.

I've never heard of any employee being able to go for a lie down, except maybe a lorry driver!

Lol!!!! Lol at everything in this post. Grow up.

Is this a joke? Are you a troll? I am 38 weeks pregnant, finished my full time STANDING job 2 weeks ago, finished the pub I work in a couple of evenings a week a couple of months ago and finished in the salon I'm in doing makeup last week. I also have a 1 year old, my makeup business and a house to maintain.

While I understand pregnancy can be tiring, I think you need to grow up and have a think about what it's going to be like when your baby is here!

@ HamCheeseHamnCheese

I work in an office and we have a wellness room that we are supposed to go into and can lie down if we need to!

But I'm 31 weeks pregnant now and have never used it! I've closed my eyes in my car on lunch break one day when I was particularly sick and go to bed extra early to limit the tiredness during the day.

"The company’s not made any changes for me (I’m the first pregnant person they’ve ever had) eg nowhere to lay down or rest so should I be requesting this or AIBU?"

😂 Only in our dreams do we get paid to nap.

@Cantthinkofausername1990 wow, lucky! I would definitely be making the most of that if I had that at my work.

Sympathise with you , my second pregnancy was tired the whole time, luckily was a sham with a child at school. It got to the point where I couldn’t even push a trolly at the supermarket

@leafy22 @MrsChanandlerBongg chill out guys I said this is my first pregnancy and don’t know my rights and as this is my works first pregnancy too neither do they do thought I’d ask if having somewhere to lie down was an actual thing as napping is the best part of pregnancy 😂

I do appreciate it sounds like I have it much easier than most though so I am going to enjoy my part time office hours and glad to hear that lots are super tired too!

Get your iron levels checked OP. Exhaustion is really common in the first tri as you are growing a placenta and in the third tri as you are big by that point but at your stage many women are feeling pretty good.

I am smiling at the idea of work naps though. I guess it would be nice. At 20+ weeks pregnant I was still travelling long haul regularly and working 50 hour weeks!

Good idea @eurochick I assume they check my iron levels when they take blood tests? but I will definitely mention it to my midwife next appointment and see if they can check it.
Oh wow 50 makes me feel like I’m being super lazy! I don’t think my boss would be any the wiser maybe I could convince him workplace naps are a real thing and see if I can get away with it

They won't do a blood test til you are 28 weeks so I'd discuss it before then. I found googling ways to increase iron levels through diet helped me as I was on the low side of normal with the 28 week blood test and feel a bit better now.

Didn’t you have all your bloods checked already? I had mine at my booking in appt around 12/13 weeks!

You might be able to request a blood test sooner. I had one at 24 weeks as I was concerned about my iron levels. There was a walk in service at the antenatal section of the hospital.

BumpLoading I'm in an almost identical situation- 17 weeks, desk job, small office, small business, first pregnant lady working there, no break but food/ drink as needed. Absolutely knackered. I was tempted to lay on my office floor for a little kip earlier.

For all of those who are saying get real, I've done both the busy on my feet job and now this, and it's a completely different type of knackered for me. When I worked on my feet the tiredness seems to be kind of delayed until stopping, at which point I just hit a wall. Whereas while im at a desk, its kind of like a carb slump/ driving for too long tiredness in the middle of the day. It takes a hell of willpower not to put your head on the desk and have a kip!

I have no answers, other than no, your employer doesn't need to do anything, so power through. Or, if you really can't go through then negotiate a 20 minute break and lay in your car.