Covid WFH

[Laurend0603]

Hi all

I worked from home at beginning at pandemic for 2 months then went back but told them I was pregnant after 2 weeks and have been in the office since. Yesterday I took myself home to work from home..not sure if they are happy bout it but surely if I did last time I should now as on vulnerable list?

Just looking for knowledge opinions etc... I am 25 weeks. No risk assesment has been done etc since pregnant so not really sure what is right

Is it a job where you can easily WFH? Because if so, according to the new government guidance you should be WFH, pregnant or not 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes I can do the job from home. others might need to do very small part of my job but minimal and worked last time...
Yes looks like everyone should be then when I look online seems I probably should have been at home full time of pandemic no risk assesment or anything has been done since I told them, probably my fault too as never looked into it until it got bad again

They definitely should have done a risk assessment as soon as they found out you were pregnant. I would ask them to do that at a bare minimum. But it sounds like your whole company should be WFH wherever possible.

Its a really small office so only 4 of us, so 2 people need to be there really and they rest is a production floor so we can stay open but I feel I should be the first one going home as pregnant...yes I mentioned about the risk assesment then I got an official email saying they had sent me to work from home till further notice so think they maybe a bit worried its mainly all male so dont think they have ever had someone pregnant and cant get funny about time etc no idea why! but feel I need to protect myself and baby

I am not sure why being pregnant means you should be the first one home. Being older and male makes someone a much higher risk so they should be the first to wfh

I'm pretty sure pregnant people are not on the shielding list like they were at the beginning, so I'm not sure that gives you a higher priority to work from home than the other staff.

We dont have any older males and pregnancy is on the shielding list my work agree with that part!

Pregnancy is still on NHS sheilding list... you dont have to sheild anymore as in not to go out to shop etc but you have to work from home where possible but I suppose everyone getting that advise now

When I spoke to my midwife the other day she told me they recommend WFH after 28 weeks. That’s up in Scotland so not sure where you are.

Pregnancy isn't on the shielding list and never has been 😕 Shielding is for the 'highly clinically vulnerable', and pregnancy was never in that category. And now even people who were in that category are no longer shielding, and are being told they can go to work...

Yes I think its similar here I am seeing midwife soon so will ask her

If you look on NHS pregnancy is still there..people arent being told to go to work they are being told to wfh if possible..

it says this...and if no risk assesment has been done how do I know its COVID secure?

You can go to work as long as the workplace is coronavirus-secure, but should work from home wherever possible

In Scotland pregnancy after 28 weeks is on the vulnerable list not shielding and are recommending pregnant women past 28wks work from home.

Your work should be doing a covid19 risk assessment for everyone and pregnancy is obv a big part of yours.

Hope this situation resolves with minimal stress for you

@Laurend0603 I believe the recommendation is to work from home from 28 weeks that's in England too. I hope you manage to get it sorted x

I have a letter from the NHS in England saying that I am Clinically Vulnerable and should be working from home wherever possible, my midwife reiterated this to me at my 28 week appointment two weeks ago. Your local NHS may take a different view @bluemoon2468 but the advice you have been given is obviously not the advice all of us have been given.

@Laurend0603

Pregnancy is still on NHS sheilding list... you dont have to sheild anymore as in not to go out to shop etc but you have to work from home where possible but I suppose everyone getting that advise now

Actually this isn't the case

It just says to maintain social distancing measures

I work for the NHS & their policy is that pregnant women should be working from home from week 28 of pregnancy. The risk category that we sit in has changed though and although we were in a high risk category we are now in a moderate risk category. So if you are working in an environment where you wont necessarily come into contact with COVID+ve patients you can continue to work from the office in a COVID secure way if need be. I think now it is actually the last 4 weeks of pregnancy where we are advised to 'shield' but I suspect this is to do with keeping yourself at very low risk of catching COVID before you need to attend hospital to give birth.
Your company should have done a risk assessment as soon as you informed them of your pregnancy though. This isnt due to just COVID but also your work station set up, lifting, day to day duties etc.

@Pinktruffle I've not been given any info about it from my local NHS, I'm talking about the government guidelines and RCOG advice, which have consistently said that pregnant women are 'clinically vulnerable' but not 'highly clinically vulnerable' aka shielding. There's no obligation for your employer to have to allow you to work from home, as long as they have carried out a risk assessment that shows that they are taking steps to protect you from covid if necessary. I know several pregnant teachers who are now back at work following a risk assessment, in line with government guidelines.

I think all hospitals/midwives/hospitals are interpreting it differently- I'm 18 weeks with twins, saw the midwife yesterday. No requirement to shield and not classed as clinically vulnerable

@Bluemoon2468 I think most peoples arguments here are that the risk assessment is not worth the paper it's written on and that socially distancing in schools is a very difficult job. They have to be worthwhile risk assessments. It s great to hear that your friends have adequate ones and feel safe in school, lots of people don't and are asking for support which they are entitled to do without someone constantly telling them they have no legal right. Also, my school sent me the RCOG guidelines stating them as a reason I should be working from home. The fact that they are so open to individual schools interpretations is an issue worth discussion, no?

@Pinktruffle I agree it's open to interpretation. Not trying to be difficult, just trying to answer the OP when she asked whether pregnant women should be shielding. All I said was that pregnant women have never been on the shielding list, which is true, and that it's not necessarily black and white that her workplace HAS to let her WFH because that isn't the case. Obviously it's great if they choose to be so accomodating!

Seen my midwife she was in shock that they are even questioning it, so have written me a letter of recommendation to work from home to send to them