Will you still wfh/be suspended on paid leave after 28 weeks?

[Cafeaulait27]

If you’re pregnant and have been vaccinated will you still wfh/or get suspended on paid leave after 28 weeks?

I’ve been wfh for over a year and now with Boris announcement I will be over 28 weeks by the time the wfh if you can guidance is lifted on 19th July (provided all goes well and restrictions get lifted).

I feel a bit weird about not seeing anyone in real life before going on maternity leave in September. But obviously also want to do the right thing for me and baby. I’ve had one dose of vaccine but second jab isn’t until well into third trimester.

Just wondered what everyone else’s plans were?

Yes, I'm also feeling overlooked at work - thought it was just me. I'm working harder and more hours than ever to try to get things done and sorted and to make a smooth handover for my replacement but it just seems like everyone is just waiting with bated breath for her to start (which is not until mid-September)

This is my 3rd pregnancy and it is different from the other 2 work-wise. Although it was a pain and tiring commuting into the office and having to be nicely dressed etc, I did feel a sort of support from my colleagues as my bump grew and they were all interested and asked questions. This time it's felt a lot more isolated.

@Fro93 there certainly is! I feel like MN has become even more grumpy lately. Maybe it’s the heat?! Are you in the office at the moment, until 28 weeks or already wfh? Xx

I think it depends what your job is. The guidance says you need to stick to strict social distancing and if you can’t “ For many workers, this may require working flexibly from home in a different capacity”.

I have an office job and am currently only going into the office one day a week. I’ve had my first vaccination at 20 weeks and am 25 weeks now. I’m planning just carrying on as normal as am comfortable with the risk in my office, but am not travelling at rush hour. We’re not planning to fully open the office til September earliest though and it’s still v optional if we want to go in or not. I was going to increase my days in the office but might wait until I see how the delta variant numbers play out.

You’re right it’s definitely a balance between health risk and social/professional benefits of where you work - but v different for eg frontline services vs office etc.

@TooTiredForToday glad it’s not just me feeling like that!! I’m hoping I’ll be able to go in a bit but as you say, who knows if everyone will be around if I do as it’s much more flexible with going into the office now.

It feels a bit weird trying to wrangle people to come in to say bye, I don’t want people to think I just want loads of gifts haha! But I guess on some level I was looking forward to being a ‘special pregnant person’ haha. My body is going through a lot so I deserve to feel a bit special right?!

Keep me updated with what happens for you, I’ll keep you updated with any developments at my work xx

I suspect it’s the heat yes

Our guidance at work is actually to stay home unless we have a reason to go in- they are quite “anti” going in but allow it for mental health reasons. Im allowed in under that exception as I have strugggled at home but I haven’t really used it

I’ve been in about 3 or 4 times in the past few weeks, so approx 1 day a week to get things done (we’re moving offices when I’m on mat leave so I’ve had to sort my stuff) and to see the odd colleague but it’s a bit of a ghost town.

I’ll go in once this week, once next week and then that’ll be it until September unless something crops up where I’m needed in but I doubt it will.

It’s a very personal decision but my employer is good about it and what feels comfortable, it’s just like you say very hard to realise I won’t be seeing people again for a long time!

I hear you OP! I’m not pregnant, but left an employer I had been with for over a decade (and a team I had been with for >3 years), to join a new organisation in the pandemic. It was really hard for me personally. My leaving wasn’t marked in any way, not even a card. I had been the team leader so had spend the preceding 3 years sorting everyone else’s leaving/baby/wedding gifts etc. It’s a small point, but I felt like I wasn’t going to be missed. I have had to ‘pop’ back to my old job (electronically) to help with some big audit-type things (being deliberately vague, and it was entirely a personal choice) and from those interactions I know I was valued and am missed. Having a big life event whilst life generally is on hold is really hard. My friend turned 40 just at the start of the pandemic and still hasn’t had a proper celebration; we were discussing how weird that felt the other day.

But in reality, yes. You are likely to stay WFH, and will probably just slip off into mat leave. I suggest if you want to mark it in any way do so with some legally compliant drinks/lunch with friends. Perhaps a picnic?

You're lucky but that depends on workplaces and the field you choose to enter. I'm a pharmacist, will be 29 weeks pregnant tomorrow and have 4 weeks to go before I start maternity leave. It doesn't matter that I am patient facing, my company seem the wearing of face masks and serving behind a glass screen to be appropriate social distancing measures. Doesnt matter that people will follow me around the pharmacy when making recommendations often breathing over my shoulder or showing me their kid's rash but that is the issue I have with my workplace. I'm glad yours are more understanding x

Annoyingly the guidance is really vague and varies from government guidance and HSE.

Personally, I am clinically vulnerable and pregnant but I can't do my job fully from home. I had one jab back in Jan but can't mix vaccines so I can't get fully vaccinated. Although I can safe guard myself as much as possible at work it's commuting across London on busy tubes and trains where my risk is.

With cases increasing work are reviewing my risk so praying I can wfh until maybe leave starts.

I guess the issue here for people with more public facing roles is that employers are probably fed up of losing revenue etc and potentially paying people to be at home where they can’t do their role fully :/
So where they can say it’s a “covid safe” workplace they can probably make you go in or force you to take unpaid or mat leave early

Although as @Sceptre86 says, often the public don’t follow the social distancing etc anyway so how employers pass it off as covid safe is beyond me

I really feel for you all it must be difficult to have to make that choice :( here’s hoping rates reduce with this extra 4 weeks and that brings us all a bit closer to our due dates…

@Cafeaulait27 my situation is different to yours in that I’ve not wfh at all throughout all of this covid crap.

I work in a school (technician not teacher). I will be 30 weeks when we break up for the summer holidays and I will be in school working right up until that point. I can’t do my job from home at all. My school are pretty good about distancing and masks etc, so I actually have felt very safe at work. I’ve had my first jab but like you, not due my second until 35 weeks.

I think if I was you I’d probably continue to wfh. It’s what will ultimately be safest for you, but I do totally get you feeling weird about not spending any time with colleagues.
Are you particularly close with any of them? Any you’ll miss seeing specifically? If there are then maybe during some good weather you could arrange to meet a few for a very socially distanced meet up in an outside space. Just so it won’t feel like so long since seeing them.

Hugs. It’s hard when the decision is put on you and then it’s down to you to know what to do for the best. And I totally get mourning the pregnancy you thought you’d had, and the office/work life you're missing!

OP I'm not pregnant, so this isn't affecting me, but a few of my colleagues are. We work in the NHS (theatres - social distancing impossible, no office work), and they will be going at 28 weeks (suspended full pay, before mat. leave or annual leave starts at their request). The next few are scheduled to leave during July, so it seems like guidance is expected to continue. I don't know if any of them are vaccinated.

@baldafrique Definitely have a word. Policy hasn't changed for us.

I really hope those of you who cannot so easily work from home are able to from 28 weeks - I agree the guidance is quite ambiguous! I do feel lucky to be able to be at home.

I’m starting to feel really out of the loop at work already, it’s strange… maybe that’s why I want to physically be there so I can show that I am still a valuable member of the team.

Maybe I should make the most of it and slack off a bit haha?!