Pregnancy, work & coronavirus

[Milnes94]

Im aware nobody knows! But When do you think pregnant women will be allowed back into work? Im 28+3weeks now, have been off since middle of march. Not due to start maternity until the start of august! Just wondered if theres any chance of me going back in before mat leave begins really. I work in a hospital on a surgical ward.

I think it depends on your employer and what measures they are putting in. If yours is in a hospital I wouldn’t count on returning before your mat leave.

Mine have started easing a few people back in but on a rotational basis, and we are only allowed 5 people in my section of the office at a time currently. I’m due at the beginning of October, starting mat leave at the beginning of sept, and the H&S team said they feel it’s unlikely I will be returning to work in the office before my mat leave (currently working from home).

Technically you can work it’s down to the employer to risk assess and decide

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

Technically you can work it’s down to the employer to risk assess and decide

RCOG states from 28 weeks no direct patient contact, i just wondered if anyone thought this may change

Really? I’ve had a google, I understand it’s still based on a work risk assessment. Could you kindly post a link to anything that differs ? Would be good to know

I wouldn't have thought the RCOG guidance will change that much - they keep adding things and updating facts when they know but I think the 28 week mark is likely to stay for a while! Just because it's still relatively new and I'd imagine they would rather stay over cautious until a large amount of pregnant women have been through whole pregnancies with covid for them to definitively say it will/won't affect babies.
I'm a nurse and have been managing to WFH ina slightly different role as my manager said it wasn't worth the risk of me going in, even before 28wks. I'm 17 weeks now and spoke to my manager again today, as it stands will continue to WFH until mat leave in October.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

www.rcog.org.uk/en/guidelines-research-services/guidelines/coronavirus-pregnancy/covid-19-virus-infection-and-pregnancy/#occupational

Thanks for the link- the emphasis is still on the pregnant woman and her work place- technically we can still work out the house. I’m not advising it, I’m just saying the advice is still vague and wishy washy, an ass of an employer could still demand we work.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers are you a health care worker? The advice at the bottom of that link is specifically for health care workers over 28 weeks pregnant and says they should be avoiding any direct patient contact.
I can't imagine many employers going directly against that advice.

I’m only 16 weeks and not in a medical job, but I can’t socially distance. I’m self employed so if the advice is still the same when I’m 28 weeks, I think I’m going to have to continue to go to work. Maternity pay for the self employed is dire anyway and having just had months off, I can’t afford to lose anymore money. Also my business won’t tolerate me finishing 3 months before my due date and 3 months mat leave.
Not very helpful to your question but sadly I can’t see much changing re 28 weeks anytime soon. (Although I’m keeping everything crossed something miraculously changes) It’s all just a big mess.

No I’m an office worker in the private sector, I’m very lucky with my employer but I was just pointing out that the government aren’t saying we can’t work. Trust me I’ve heard enough stories over the last three months to know there are ass hole employers out there.

I’m 6 weeks and work in a school. I’ve been told that I can’t come into work as my headteacher can’t guarantee my safety ie catching Covid.