After 28 weeks can you be forced in?

[stairway]

I’m almost 28 weeks pregnant initially I was told I would be home working from 28 weeks. However my new manger wants me to come into to work ( hospital) and either work on reception or in the office. Does anyone know if I can decline this? Im not sure if there is any work I could do at home.

workingfamilies.org.uk/articles/coronavirus-parents/

Have a read through this site

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

My understanding from the guidance is that you must stay at home. If they cannot find suitable work for you to do at home then you need to be suspended on full pay until maternity leave starts.
I'm 30 weeks and have been banned from going into the office (civil service) and am now wfh

If covid secure measures are in place then you have no automatic right to work from home after 28 weeks.

They can also make you take mat leave early.

I'm 28 weeks - patient facing nhs role. I have been moved to a teaching role this week, still in the same office and visiting staff on the acute wards to offer mental health support.

If I was high risk then I would have to go to occi health and have a review of my risk assessment at that point they could recommend that I be suspended on full pay.

I'm not high risk ( very mild asthma, healthy BMI etc) and I'm quite happy to still go in. I have lots of annual leave to use so I will be starting that at 34 weeks then starting my mat leave at 38 weeks. I could start my mat leave early but I don't want to waste time that I could have off with my baby.

So you could ask for an occupational health review if you are concerned (your manger may have to request this - they do in my trust) or look to start your annual leave/mat leave early.

Thank you. I think it’s the case that unless you specifically say you don’t want to come into work then they think you don’t mind. We’ve had deaths from staff members in their 60s where I work and they always say well it was their choice to come into work although I suspect they were pressured to come in.

I’m not sure hospitals can really call themselves covid secure when they have the highest infection rate outside of care homes.

Hi OP, our Trust policy is you're home from 28 weeks or if there is another role in a non clinical area you can be redeployed until mat leave.

I too am concerned about this. I am a community pharmacist and cannot wfh. I have a high risk pregnancy. We have covid measures in place such as a screen behind which I can serve customers and hand gel but I cannot keep two metres distance from colleagues, many if whom will not wear masks. I am only 8 weeks and things may change re covid before then.

I would contact your union and see what they say and what support is available. You may have a low risk pregnancy but work in a high risk environment.

I would say you should be off, the current guidelines are that over 28 weeks you should be wfh if not able then suspended on full pay. I work in a private hospital and is 'green site' but I'm still off from 28 weeks on special pay. Hospital are not covid secure as much as they try and say they are. I would speak to your union and also ur HR department as ur trust may have a policy in place that ur manager is trying to get round. They can also not force you to take mat leave early, the only time that happens if you are off sick with a pregnancy related illness in the 4 weeks before due date. Being on special / suspended leave should not trigger this
Stick up for ur self, u only get one shot at this pregnancy.

Check out Pregnant Then Screwed. Their advice is really great. You should not be at work (unless you work solely in isolation I guess and adhere to social distancing constantly, which most workplaces can’t do) after 28 weeks at the moment, you either have work to do at home, or you’re suspended on full pay. You’re at the highest risk of becoming ill in 3rd trimester and considered clinically vulnerable.

@Sceptre86 I’m a pharmacy tech, only 21 weeks pregnant but already been told I’ll be sent home at 28 weeks. This is also the case for pharmacists I work with. Won’t have much work to do at home except some admin stuff, but it’s impossible to socially distance in community pharmacy, and especially more risky for you as the pharmacist with patients wanting to see you etc. I work for a smaller company but I’m sure most of the big name pharmacies are following suit with NHS guidelines to send pregnant women home at 28 weeks. Things may change by the time you’re at this stage though, just keep an eye on the guidelines from the government and RCOG and stand your ground! X

@Honeybobbin if you can’t do your job from home or safely, then you should still get paid - and you do. Why should the choice be to risk your health or get paid?

Yes sorry the redeployed ones after 28 weeks is only with the employee's agreement and if they can be in an office role alone etc. The norm is to be sent home certainly away from any clinical staff.

I'm also wondering about this. I'm a community pharmacist in the South East and we've really been hit hard in our area. I'm 22 weeks currently but work haven't even give it a second thought about the 28 weeks guidelines. It's physically impossible to social distance. I wear a mask 9 hours a day and have a screen for patients but the dispensary is at best 3m squared so am in constant contact with my 2 colleagues. I've booked to have 2 days off a week from 29 weeks using annual leave but am still worried about risk - I'm low risk normally. Obviously WFH is out of the question too

@MrsBtobe2020 my company have found admin type jobs for the pharmacist I know who is pregnant. It may only be a few weeks worth of work, but it’s not safe to be in an environment where you’re unable to socially distance post 28 weeks. Could you see if there is any other work you could do then? Definitely at least bring up the fact that you need a plan for 28 weeks!

,@swiftt thanks for the advice. I hope my company will be as supportive as yours but I doubt it as I haven't had my risk assessment yet despite informing my manager at 6 weeks.

@MrsBtobe2020 are you a member of the pda? If my work are not supportive I will ask my consultant and midwife if there is anything they can do. If not I will contact the pda and see if they can help. Would your work consider putting you as double cover so you are no longer patient facing? It still wouldn't help with keeping a 2m distance from colleagues though.

@Sceptre86 I hope they are. Mine knew since 5/6 weeks too, and only just did a risk assessment 2 weeks ago (20 weeks) because I refused to go to work at that point as I felt unsafe. They’ve now made adjustments to allow me to work safely until 28 weeks.

I’m definitely going to talk to my consultant about the risks as she will have to deal with me if I catch covid and become really unwell.

Thanks for your help @swiftt and @Sceptre86! I have emailed the pda this afternoon for advice. I know we had the risk assessment last year (when I wasn't pregnant) but situations have become much worse since last June! I've not even had a maternity risk assessment 🙄 our company has just taken on covid vaccines so our other 2 shops are needing locums as I've managed to stay far away from that but I do feel like that is taking up all their time rather than staff safety... Id rather be working, I'm defo not on the want for extra time off!

Pregnantthenscrewed on Instagram are really helpful but basically the guidance is that if you can't social distance from everyone then you work from home. If that isn't possible then you are suspended on full pay but your bosses can use the furlough scheme to help pay - just have to make sure they top it up to 100%
They can't make you take your maternity early. Hope that helps x