Maternity leave

[Milkand2sugarsplease]

Hey,

I know everything is up in the air with corona at the mo but does anyone know what the rules are from 28 weeks? Can I be made by my employer to start maternity leave that early or do I have the right for my employer to redeploy me to a different role, more isolated and away from others, from 28 weeks until I would normally go off on mat leave?

No they cannot start your maternity leave early unless you are off with a maternity related illness in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy. The earliest you could choose to start your leave is 29 weeks. What sort of job is it?

Thanks, it's a school for children with significant additional needs. Difficult (read impossible) to social distance in the classrooms.

I do some admin work too so I'm thinking that I can just increase the admin I do when it comes to it but I want to be prepared for them trying to say I HAVE to start leave if I can't perform my role.

If they can't make it safe for you and can't find you an alternative role then they'd need to suspend you on full pay. They can't make you start leave until 36 weeks

The could furlough you?

maternityaction.org.uk/covidmaternityfaqs/ might be useful to you

@Milkand2sugarsplease Hi OP, I’m a teacher and I had my last day in school yesterday. I’ll be working from home from now until I start maternity leave as normal before baby is due. Your school should either allow you to work in your admin role/provide you with a role in which you can socially distance, or allow you to work from home where they can’t make those arrangements, but they cannot make you start your maternity leave. Hope that helps x

I work for the NHS and have been off on “medical suspension” since 28 weeks as I was classed as front line staff and couldn’t be moved anywhere. I’ve basically been classed as a 12 week shielder although I don’t have to medically shield (if that makes sense)

Not starting maternity leave until day before due date unless baby comes early.

Depending on where you work and your role if they can’t find anything suitable of you can’t work from home they may just put you on something similar until your mat leave date which you would choose as normal.

Hope this helps

Thanks all, that's really helpful!! I'm glad I can't be forced to start mat leave early and lose time after baby arrives!!

[quote 2020N]@Milkand2sugarsplease Hi OP, I’m a teacher and I had my last day in school yesterday. I’ll be working from home from now until I start maternity leave as normal before baby is due. Your school should either allow you to work in your admin role/provide you with a role in which you can socially distance, or allow you to work from home where they can’t make those arrangements, but they cannot make you start your maternity leave. Hope that helps x[/quote]
Hi, how many weeks are you? I’m a teacher and 24 weeks. Where did you get the advice from? Thanks

Unless you were already part of the furlough scheme earlier this year, then you won’t be able to be furloughed.

Contact Maternity Action, they have a lot of guidance on this. Have you had a full risk assessment for your third trimester?

I'm also a teacher and currently 24 weeks. I actually have covid now unfortunately. In the LA I work for they say there is no need to work from home from 28 weeks- that a review of risk assessments is sufficient. The problem is that reviewing my risk assessment isn't going to make it any safer! I know midwives have told a teacher friend of mine she should wfh after 28 weeks and the NEU say this should happen..but getting schools/the LA to agree might be another matter.

I should say, i haven't yet raised this with school but another teacher in my school has. She has ended up taking her mat leave from 29 weeks which I am very reluctant to do.

@DanceM1

I'm also a teacher and currently 24 weeks. I actually have covid now unfortunately. In the LA I work for they say there is no need to work from home from 28 weeks- that a review of risk assessments is sufficient. The problem is that reviewing my risk assessment isn't going to make it any safer! I know midwives have told a teacher friend of mine she should wfh after 28 weeks and the NEU say this should happen..but getting schools/the LA to agree might be another matter.

I should say, i haven't yet raised this with school but another teacher in my school has. She has ended up taking her mat leave from 29 weeks which I am very reluctant to do.

Sorry to hear you’ve contracted Covid, and hope you make a speedy recovery.

As I say, I’m 24 weeks. I’ve recently found out that at the hospital I’m giving birth at, if you have a positive Covid test within 90 days before giving birth then you are not able to use the birth pools. Even if you then go on to have a negative test subsequently. A water birth is my preferred birth plan, I had a water birth with my first DD. Yes, I realise that things can go awry within the actual labour which may mean a water birth isn’t possible anyway, but it would be so galling to catch Covid and test positive in, say, January and that then mean that the birth pool was totally out of bounds come March

Hi @LittleRa

I’m 28 weeks. I informed school of my pregnancy very early on (4/5weeks) as we were in lockdown and I was working in the hub. I was then advised by my school to work from home until 12 weeks. In September I went back to my role and had a risk assessment completed, where it was written in then that I was to strictly social distance, not carry out playground duties after 20 weeks, to wear a visor in class and that I would then work from home after 28 weeks. My head teacher sourced all of the guidance from Welsh Government, the union and our Local Authority.

I’ve just had a quick scout for the information and as far as I can see, strictly social distancing after 28 weeks, being offered an alternative role or working from home are still recommended. When I spoke with my union (NASUWT) they said that they are following the RCOG guidance. I hope that helps x

gov.wales/schools-coronavirus-guidance

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/2020-07-31-occupational-health-advice-for-employers-and-pregnant-women-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.pdf

@DanceM1Thats awful that she’s been forever to start maternity so early on. Both NEU & NASUWT still say that schools have to make you safe and if they cannot provide a role for you to safely distance in school, then they have to allow you to work from home. It also says that they cannot force you to take maternity pay early so definitely stand firm on that! x

neu.org.uk/advice/coronavirus-pregnancy-and-maternity-faqs

www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirus-guidance/full-reopening-of-schools/full-reopening-of-schools-england/pregnancy-maternity-covid-19-pandemic-england.html

@DanceM1forced not forerver

Everyone's else's experience seems to be very positive.
Im frontline. As far as I'm aware you have the right to ask for redeployment but if they cannot accommodate you then you stay in current role. It's completely up to them - being over 28 weeks does not mean you can't be frontline anymore. It just depends on your employer. (may be different in Wales and scotland).
Many employers want you to use up all annual leave (including bank holidays which you get back) before mat leave so this may be substantial.
I would suggest a gently gently approach rather than demanding.
My trust have made absolutely no concession at all but I have all my AL leave left so will be leaving at 33 weeks.

@Arrowcat teachers have no annual leave allowance that it is possible to use prior to maternity leave (they also accrue no annual leave whilst on maternity leave). It’s quite a different set up for teachers compared to all other jobs.

My midwife advised that pregnant women shouldn't be working after 28 weeks if they're in roles where they can't socially distance.

@husbandcallsmepickle

My midwife advised that pregnant women shouldn't be working after 28 weeks if they're in roles where they can't socially distance.

Did your midwife actually provide anything in writing on this, is there any actual official advice? I can’t see my Headteacher and SLT going for “so and so said this” approach

this is the guidance our NHS trust is following-

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

Very interesting reading other people's experiences!

@littleRa thank you! Im just trying to make sure im fully recovered before i go back. I have never heard that about the birth pools. I wonder why that is..90 days is a long time! Obviously I realise there will be a good reason for it but yes I can completely understand you being desperate to avoid getting covid within that time frame (or at all).

@2020N yes I don't plan to do the same if I can help it. I don't think she really pushed it, just enquired. Rates have gone up massively since then, especially where I live. That may make a difference.

@DanceM1
Totally TMI but the reasoning appears to be because the virus can remain in your bodily fluids for that length of time (90 days), including faeces. Although you’re just as likely to poo during labour on a bed as in the pool, when on a bed it is more straightforward and easy to clean up without cross contamination whereas in the pool it’s a bit more of a complicated catch it before it disintegrates and disperses in the water type of situation.

Oh wow.. yes that makes sense!

@LittleRa what an absolutely bizarre policy, 90days because they think your poop is going to disintegrate into the water and then float into the air and infect everyone, surely if it disintegrates and goes down the drain eventually then it's just like using the toilet and if they scoop it up it's just like pooping on a bed 🤷🏾‍♀️ 🙈😂 really hope it doesn't become an issue for you but I totally understand your concerns with 2 teachers and a little one at school 😕

They should do a risk assessment and if your current duties are not suitable they should find other duties for you. Eg back office work or working from home