My boss and my rights

[Carrottopppp]

I am 14+1 today and I've just left work early after explaining to my supervisor im really struggling to do my role at the moment. For clarification I am a picker for a well known supermarket chain in their refrigerated warehouse. I explained even though I'm only 14 weeks this is pregnancy number 5 and everything is expanding rather quickly and my body is knackered from 5 pregnancies in only 8 years, my lower back is in bits, my shoulder blade is agony, I'm constantly knocking and putting pressure on bump, not to mention I'm bloody freezing no matter what I wear. I have a permanent contract and my bosses boss who is lovely is going to call me once he's in work. What are they likely to do, what are my rights, I'm sat here contemplating quitting as I see no other role I can do for the meantime, we have goods in, goods, out, picking and they are all labour intensive. For now I'm down on the system as on maternity until my boss can deal with it, I'm worried about losing my job but also having to continue a job that in the long run is doing more harm than good.

The large supermarkets will surely have access to Occupational Health services, and they should be involved to ascertain what you can actually do and what reasonable adjustments can be made

You cant be on maternity at that stage of pregnancy. If they can't find you a suitable alternative then they may end up having to suspend you on full pay

www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/employer/risk-assessment.htm

My supervisor put it on the system for now as maternity just as a reason for my absence until my boss gets in to work and calls me about what we can do going forward.

Do you just mean maternity related absence rather than maternity leave then? That's ok

I would be asking them what alternative roles are available on a temporary basis and/or for a referral to occupational health. They should also be doing a pregnancy related risk assessment.

Your boss will likely want to phone you to discuss a risk assessment if you haven't done one yet or a meeting with Occupational Health.

Would you be able to change roles within the supermarket? So instead of picking could you do checkouts for example? It may mean changing your hours but would save you having to go off.

If there's no other suitable alternative then they would need to suspend you on full pay but I think it does also mean you could be forced to take your maternity at the earliest date possible (I believe 29 weeks) - although I could be wrong about that

They cant start her maternity leave until 36 weeks if shes off with a pregnancy related absence

@dementedpixie ah okay, I thought if you'd been off long term with pregnancy related illness they could start it at the earliest 11 weeks - as I said though, I wasn't sure so that's good then!

@lou98 it's the distribution warehouse I work in and I'm only trained in picking unfortunately.

I'm still waiting on a phone call from my boss, the conversation with my supervisor was very quick and a little hit and miss as he is polish and I have a hard time understanding a lot of what they say due to hearing difficulties but he definitely said for now it's down on the system as maternity, he'll let the manager know when he comes in and he'll give me a call and apparently I'll have forms to sign as I don't yet have my matb1 and that was about it, so no idea what is going to happen going forward.