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Original poster

Am I being silly?

9 replies

Georgina125 · 15/07/2022 13:51

I am 13 and a half weeks pregnant following two neonatal deaths (July 2018 then July 2021). So, understandably I am anxious and probably a bit paranoid. Seeing the heatwave warnings for my area next Monday and Tuesday, I have suggested that I work from home on those days. It is very inconvenient timing but I was hoping they'd understand. Instead they are trying to persuade me that, because some areas of my work are air conditioned, I'd be better off at work.

There are several factors I'm thinking about:
-I will be sleeping badly in the heat so will be likely feeling exhausted. So working from home would help by allowing me to sleep later.
-I'm still getting morning sickness and the heat this week has not helped that. Driving tends to exacerbate it too.
-I drive 50 mins to work. I do have air conditioning but the car takes a while to cool down after being in the sun all day and feels like it struggles to keep up with the hotter days.
-My office isn't air conditioned. The main working area is but it isn't always practical for me to be in there. So if I want to sit quietly and do some paperwork, there isn't air con.

But I worry I'm being unreasonable. Maybe I should see how I feel on Monday and phone in sick if I feel unwell with the heat.

OP posts:
loafandleaf · 15/07/2022 13:57

You should do what's best for you, if you feel staying and working from home would be better you can try it on the Monday and see how it goes.

If on Monday it's too hot at your house all day then maybe going into work might be better the the next day, but if you can do your job fine at home then you may as well try it!

2Hot2Handle · 15/07/2022 14:23

No you’re not being silly, given your past history with pregnancy. Have you explained all of this to work? Are there solutions you can offer to the inconveniences it causes? Put yourself and your well-being first and make sure work understand your past experiences and how anxious you’re feeling about coming to the office in the heat.

Worst comes to the worst, ask your GP for a sick note and take some time off work to deal with your mental health.

LucyLoopyLu · 15/07/2022 14:23

Speak to HR. Companies have to make reasonable attempts to ensure your health and safety and even more so in pregnancy. Set out your reasoning clearly and calmly just stating the facts. This is the first time the met office have ever issued a red weather warning for extreme heat. It is an unprecedented weather forecast and you are not being silly, just cautious. Stick to your guns and stay at home but make sure everything is documented over email, don't rely on phone calls as then you don't have the paper trail to refer back to.

Original poster
Georgina125 · 15/07/2022 14:43

loafandleaf · 15/07/2022 13:57

You should do what's best for you, if you feel staying and working from home would be better you can try it on the Monday and see how it goes.

If on Monday it's too hot at your house all day then maybe going into work might be better the the next day, but if you can do your job fine at home then you may as well try it!

My job is partly practical and partly admin so it isn't always suitable to work from home. Saying that, I'm pretty sure I could combine all the admin backlog and use the start of the week to do a big catch up. So, although it's not what they originally planned for me to do, it would be useful.

OP posts:
Original poster
Georgina125 · 15/07/2022 14:49

2Hot2Handle · 15/07/2022 14:23

No you’re not being silly, given your past history with pregnancy. Have you explained all of this to work? Are there solutions you can offer to the inconveniences it causes? Put yourself and your well-being first and make sure work understand your past experiences and how anxious you’re feeling about coming to the office in the heat.

Worst comes to the worst, ask your GP for a sick note and take some time off work to deal with your mental health.

My work are very aware of my history and my resulting mental health difficulties (for example, I come in late once a week after counselling). I'm hoping it was a knee jerk reaction because usually, even the strictest managers, are understanding of my issues.

I've offered to shift my work around for the week. Do my admin based tasks at the start of of week and the stuff I have to be in work to do Wed to Fri.

I think my GP would gladly write me a sick note. They emphasised, especially after my second note, that I should always go to them if I struggle. And that was before I was pregnant again so I imagine they would definitely write me a fit note now. But I'll see if I can find a solution with work first.

OP posts:
Original poster
Georgina125 · 15/07/2022 14:50

LucyLoopyLu · 15/07/2022 14:23

Speak to HR. Companies have to make reasonable attempts to ensure your health and safety and even more so in pregnancy. Set out your reasoning clearly and calmly just stating the facts. This is the first time the met office have ever issued a red weather warning for extreme heat. It is an unprecedented weather forecast and you are not being silly, just cautious. Stick to your guns and stay at home but make sure everything is documented over email, don't rely on phone calls as then you don't have the paper trail to refer back to.

That's a very good idea. Maintaining an audit trail is something I need to take on board for sure.

Thank-you @2Hot2Handle, @LucyLoopyLu and @loafandleaf for taking the time to give me such good advice.

OP posts:
Danikm151 · 15/07/2022 15:41

When you are pregnant you run hotter anyway and the heat next week will only make it worse.
Workplaces are obliged to do a health and safety check with pregnant and make reasonable adjustments.
50 minutes in a car may be fine in the morning but the journey back in the evening will be sweltering.

Scorpio8 · 15/07/2022 18:55

My work doesn't have air conditioning so worried about work Sunday then in on Monday.

I am very anxious about this pregnancy and won't relax until baby born.

Sassy144 · 15/07/2022 19:14

You're not being silly at all, do what feels best for you and get a doctor's note if you need ❤️

I'm working at an event Wednesday night and won't be getting home until after 11pm (after starting at 9am in the office, then getting the train to London and being on my feet at the event 6-9) and I suggested to my boss I might take the next day off as I'll be so tired and achey, and she genuinely looked so surprised that I'd be affected by it. I think because I'm only 15 weeks and not big yet she doesn't understand. She said I could work from home the next day which will be better than going into the office, but I still think she thinks I'm being OTT.

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