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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Did you tell your employer early because of COVID

25 replies

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 10:08

I don’t work in a public facing role but an office job that involves occasional visits to clients in commercial and education settings.

At present me and the majority of my colleagues are working from home but still making client visits when required. We can 100% do our jobs from home. However they are starting the push back to the office.

I’m already at higher risk of COVID complications because of pre existing health conditions, though I didn’t have to shield. It did mean that they sent me to work from home before everyone else did.

When COVID first happened they said they needed to know if anyone was pregnant so they could support them/do a risk assessment.

I don’t really know to what extent this still stands. I was planning on waiting till about 18 weeks to tell them as there are a few opportunities for pay rises coming in the next few months and wanted to wait until after to tell them about the pregnancy.

What have others done?

OP posts:

biscuit13 · 10/10/2020 10:19

I told my employer really early, but thats because it was in March when everything started kicking off with Covid and it was very unknown. Plus I work in a customer facing job, in a gym/fitness studio so high risk of spreading germs.
So I literally told my employer when I was 5 weeks, and then our gym closed and we got furloughed 2 weeks later.
If you think you are at greater risk then there's probably no harm in telling them.

Original poster

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 10:26

Thanks for the reply, I’m about 5 weeks now so that’s what I’m trying to decide!

OP posts:

Stef92 · 10/10/2020 10:31

@PinkPlantCase I told mine early because we were asked back to the office and I was 11 weeks at that point. If you have concerns I would speak with your GP or community midwife, although you might not have one of those yet given how early you are, but they'll be best placed to advise you and may even give you something in writing which will help tell your employer at the right time.

biscuit13 · 10/10/2020 10:35

@PinkPlantCase yeah I think i just felt like I could be at risk at the time. And tbh if you are in the UK things are getting pretty bad again, worse than the first time in fact.
I think the fact that you can work from home, that might be the best way forward. Its a difficult one, im a bit of a worrier so I've been quite careful throughout, im 36 weeks now and im not going to shops or restaurants anymore. You don't want to be getting stressed out.

Original poster

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 10:39

Thanks @Stef92 I’ve got my first chat with the GP next week and then will (I assume) be passed on to the midwife team.

For now they haven’t actually said I have to work from the office but I can feel things heading that way. There’s been a shift in their attitude lately, which is annoying because as the PP said cases are going up and up!

OP posts:

Pumpertrumper · 10/10/2020 10:43

I’m due back from mat leave in January and am currently 5 weeks
I’m gonna tell my employer next week. I promised I would as they want to keep on my mat cover as they are super busy due to Covid.

gypsywater · 10/10/2020 10:49

I told my boss at 9 weeks then had a miscarriage a week later and wish I hadnt said anything. Next time not telling anyone for as long as I possibly can!

Original poster

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 11:04

@gypsywater so sorry for your loss

Risk of miscarriage is of course the other thing to consider in all of this.

OP posts:

LeanishMachine · 10/10/2020 11:09

We have proper HR instructions for this, which are that up to 28 weeks the standard covid secure procedures are fine, after 28 weeks expectant mothers should wfh where possible or have additional RA if not.

Why is the risk for this higher after 28 weeks?

Original poster

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 11:21

@LeanishMachine seems odd doesn’t it, if someone was pregnant and got very very ill with covid then they could potentially deliver the baby after 28 weeks and the baby would have a reasonable chance of being okay long term. Though the experience would probable be pretty traumatic of course.

Yet before 28 weeks if the mum got very ill the baby would surely have a lower chance of survival.

Not that I’ve researched this, just surmising. I know that most people who are young don’t get symptoms that put them in hospital.

OP posts:

kidsareok · 10/10/2020 11:26

Hi! I'm 30 weeks pregnant but told my employer at 8 weeks as it was during the height of the pandemic and I was working in a school. I worked from home from then onwards. It did, however, result in my job contract 'not being renewed' on its renewal date ( which was when I was 19 weeks pregnant) so therefore I am unemployed now. I'd say if you are a permanent worker and have job security then definitely tell work early on so they can put things in place. In my case I wish I had just soldiered on and told them later on so I would now have a job. They were very sneaky but I should have thought about the fact they're essentially business minded and will work situations to their advantage. My advice would be that if your job is fixed term or temporary, weigh up the pros abs cons of when to tell them - I found even the most supportive employer has business decisions rather than staff welfare at heart.

LeanishMachine · 10/10/2020 11:32

I thought maybe that by 28 weeks the strain on heart and lungs is higher but I'm only guessing

DueNumberTwo · 10/10/2020 12:01

I'm 33 weeks working in a public facing public sector role and haven't been told to wfh all the time (even though I am sometimes). They aren't interested, told me if I'm worried or struggling then I can start mat leave early. No risk assessment done for either pregnancy or Covid.

I hope you have more understanding employers

110APiccadilly · 10/10/2020 14:13

@LeanishMachine

Why is the risk for this higher after 28 weeks?

My understanding is that the research shows no extra risk from Covid to mother or baby before 28 weeks (and as most pregnant women will be under 45, and of course women, they actually start off with a lower risk than men or older people). After 28 weeks, there's a very slight increase in the risk of premature birth if the mother gets Covid. (I wonder also about the risk of missing appointments etc - in my area, we're only getting face to face appointments after 28 weeks - presumably if you've had a positive test result you might have to miss routine appointments though I'm not sure).

1990shopefulftm · 10/10/2020 14:31

I told my work at 9 weeks on the day lockdown started, then worked from home from a week later until 28 weeks when I took annual leave and mat leave afterward. I managed to time it perfectly as they were starting to get people back in the office that week. They met all the covid secure guidelines so although wfh was working to some extent, as being in the office was better there was no legal argument against it if i had asked for an RA to be done.

I don't know if it's every area but if you have a positive covid test then in my area they don't allow you to have routine appointments whilst self isolating and you aren't allowed a birth partner from your household if you have symptoms of covid yourself so there's an added risk from that aspect.

Cookies47 · 10/10/2020 14:32

I told my boss when I found out at 4 weeks, as we're in a global pandemic & I had no idea what extra support I would need. Really glad I did! :)

Bearcub01 · 10/10/2020 14:56

I’m 17 weeks and still haven’t told work. I’m furloughed until the end of the month so should be due back in November but haven’t heard anything yet. Bit of a weird one as I took on this part time retail job at the start of the year while I was going to look for something else, I was only there a few weeks and have been furloughed ever since. Technically I’m still in my probationary period so don’t know what will happen when I tell them.

Original poster

PinkPlantCase · 10/10/2020 15:28

Thanks all! Interesting to hear different approaches.

@Cookies47 what kind of support have they offered if you don’t mind me asking?

@Bearcub01 I imagine if you tell them you could be at lower risk of redundancy after furlough because they’d be putting themselves at more risk of a tribunal case. That might be a very rose tinted view though!

OP posts:

Cookies47 · 10/10/2020 18:32

If anything changes with the gov guidelines, my boss already knows I'm pregnant so it's not a surprise for him if I need to work from home again, for example. If work have some kind of outbreak, I'll be sent home first as I'm vulnerable.

As well just the support of having someone know I'm pregnant throughout the worst of the morning sickness!

I see no reason to keep it a secret. However, I'm aware some people may have managers less supportive than mine is.

user1487755366 · 11/10/2020 19:37

@LeanishMachine

Why is the risk for this higher after 28 weeks?

There is some limited evidence of transmission to baby in the third trimester (though all newborns babies who have tested positive have been fine). Also, there is a possibility of becoming more ill with the virus in the third trimester. Depending on positioning of baby, you are more likely to experience shortness of breath anyway later in pregnancy and covid obviously affects breathing and could exacerbate. Unfortunately, some women who have contracted the virus late in pregnancy have become seriously ill and there have been deaths. I've been working from home since 28 weeks as recommended by my midwife and supported by my employer.

Daffodil21 · 12/10/2020 11:01

I've already told my boss, and I'm only just over 5 weeks (I told him at the end of last week). I'm wfh and don't have a customer facing role. I've had 2 miscarriages before so actually that was one of my reasons for telling him so early, in case things go wrong again (I will likely need some time off). For me personally I just thought it was easier to be honest so he knows the situation when he's planning on how we're going to move forward generally. But I work for a very small company so I suppose it depends

Oatmilk1 · 12/10/2020 11:15

I would wait if you can, using your other health issues as a reason for staying home most of the time etc.

There is no guarantee that a risk assessment will say you can wfh in first trimester.

Do you want to be at home the entire time you are pregnant? It is a long time...

I am in my third trimester and go into office about once a week (fully my choice though).

scotgal99 · 12/10/2020 17:56

Same as some of the other posters...
Told my manager at 4 weeks as this was just before the big lockdown & the advice at the time was that all pregnant women should be shielding. Not been back at work since as I work in a public facing role & they have been fairly supportive in allowing me to continue to stay on furlough.

sarahc336 · 12/10/2020 18:16

Yes I had to tell my employer at the start of the original lock down and 4 weeks, nightmare but it's the only way they can help you if they know x

FilthyforFirth · 12/10/2020 19:36

I told around 7 weeks as lockdown was kicking off. I am expected on site in my PM role though so wanted a risk assessment asap for that. Luckily I was told that I could work from home for entire pregnancy and avoid site altogether.

If your job is permanent and not at risk I would personally tell early.

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