Retail and Coronavirus

[emmafou1807]

Does anyone else work in retail? I'm only 21 weeks right now so not in that 28 week window yet but not feeling like there is a huge amount of advice about what to do when I get there. Gov seems to just say stringently socially distance but I work on the shop floor, so I don't see how that's possible. Wondering what other retail companies are doing with their pregnant staff?

I'm retail, or was. I finished two weeks ago but I was just doing my job as normal. Mostly on a till behind a screen. Your employer should do a thorough risk assessment. I was too big to do any shopfloor work, I couldn't bend or lift anything so had no choice about the till!

I work at sainsburys and 22 weeks, I do both tills and shop floor. Management haven't battered an eyelid, I think even if it was advised to stay at home for us it wouldn't make a difference 😔

@Sho2207 it seems Sainsbury’s are too busy telling us how they “feed the nation” to worry about their staff 😕

@BananaPop2020
So upsetting isn't it, the whole pandemic has really made me realise how much I dislike my job, and how much the management just don't care. They only care about earning money 🙄😔

Are you in a union OP? They can advise you if you are. I'm in retail and I agree there's a lot of confusion about everything at the moment.

@Sho2207 it sticks in my throat everytime I hear of a major company acting like some benevolent grandparent as they simultaneously shaft/sack/expose their staff to risk.

How was the till @hatepickinganame ? I can sit myself on one the entire time if I wish, and it is the safest place what with all the screens etc but I thought later in pregnancy you weren't supposed to sit for long periods of time? Or is that a myth?

I'm not in a union no. And I am management so I actually have a lot more flexibility that others in that I could easily just say I'm sitting on a till and noone would be able to stop me. The advice is just very vague even management above me are confused about whether they should be sending me home at 28weeks or not.

@emmafou1807 I'm management too, and I found it ok. I just made sure to stand for a bit if sitting was an issue (not sure what your tills are like but ours are OK for scanning sitting or standing) and there were certain manager tasks I could complete to give myself a break that weren't strenuous. There was a conversation at one point of if I was 28 weeks before a certain date (don't recall the date but this was back in sept) then I would be put on leave until my maternity but I would have refused anyway, I felt safe enough but it wasn't lockdown then and I'm in a quiet rural town.

Great thanks @hatepickinganame plenty of our cashiers choose to stand up occasionally so I know it's possible, although I find it a bit low it wouldn't be for a long time so maybe it'd be fine. I also feel safe for now, staff are great, we clean regularly etc it's just the customer aspect that I am uneasy about. People still walk right up to your face to ask a question, for now I'm comfortable but I just don't know if my mindset will change when I hit 28 weeks.

I’m retail and currently 28+3 haven’t been informed of anything about leaving at 28 weeks and just had my maternity leave approved to start at 38 weeks.
I know they were advising leave at 28 weeks during the peak of last lockdown but as far as I know it’s not still a thing. There’s been nothing mentioned in any of my companies updates

Hey, just wanted to find out if anyone's companies had a change of decision within the new guidelines for pregnant women?
I saw this on another app the other day and spoke to my manager about it, he's now opened a business case for me to try get suspended on full pay but I highly doubt I'll be winning that one 😂

@Sho2207 I’m now 36+4 and still working in retail doing shop floor, tills, deliveries, so no changes made in my company.

@Oneandabean
Oh wow, maybe mention it to them?? Unless you'd rather be working haha

I don’t really see why I’d need to? They haven’t actually said pregnant women should isolate or anything like that. There’s really no need to. Just make sure your adhering to social distancing, washing hands etc and carry on as normal

@Oneandabean
If you're happy to work through then that's fair enough, I'm worrying about it though and don't want to risk contracting it

I’m obviously a little anxious but there’s nothing as yet to say that employers should be doing anything more than risk assessments and keeping pregnant employees as safe as possible. Unfortunately retail doesn’t count as being more at risk places of work as employees and customers should be adhering to social distancing rules. It’s more places such as hospitals and carers roles where social distancing can’t take place.

@Oneandabean
Well I'm already high risk for pregnancy complications so I'd rather not risk catching the virus when I'm being advised I shouldn't be in a public facing role beyond 28 weeks. It's starting to effect me mentally so I'm doing what I can to keep myself and my baby healthy whether that means getting signed off sick from GP or work suspending me

Speak to your midwife and see what they advise. I’m low risk so it doesn’t affect me but it could be depending on your risk factors that they’d want you to be away from work. My gp won’t sign you off sick just for being pregnant but I could take mat leave from 29 weeks if I’d wanted. So that could be an option for you? Midwife should definitely have the best advise for you though.

@Oneandabean
I've got my 31 week appointment with midwife on Tuesday so will have a chat with her then ☺️ I will also try GP because I know quite a few people who have been signed off when in late stages of pregnancy and covid being about. Cases in my area seem to be getting worse by the day so that's not helping either 😔