Help!

[GG11]

Hi just after some advice with my current situation..
Currently 20 weeks pregnant and stuck living in a box room with my narcissistic mother, whilst my partner lives 2 hours away in his house. The reason for this is because work will not allow me to either work closer to him so I could commute from his or WFH (the job CAN be done from home and was during covid) so in the meantime I'm having to drive there on my days off which isn't ideal.

living with my mother is now causing me endless unnecessary stress everyday! She will pick arguments with me and then twist it around to make out I'm the issue.. I obviously don't need this as its causing me alot of upset/stress and probably my unborn baby too.

What can be done to allow me to WFH? I can't live here and no I don't have the money to live elsewhere - I need to live with my partner as this is also where I will be giving birth (recently changed my midwife to there).
Could a Dr give me a note stating I need to WFH? Is that a thing?
Any advice would be appreciated (not negative please as don't need it!)

Thanks in advance

The fit notes you get from doctors have two options: firstly that you are not fit for work; secondly that you are fit to work with adjustments. If you explain to your doctor that you are suffering from mental ill health due to having to work in the office, if they’re sympathetic they should recommend the adjustment as working from home. Then if your work is still dead against this the onus is on them to prove it is not a reasonable request. However if you worked from home during Covid this is a big burden of proof on them; I wouldn’t think they’d be able to justify it.
Depending on the size of the organisation they may refer you to occupational health. Again in this instance just emphasise the mental health aspect. Good luck!

Thank you so much, very helpful 😊

Where do you live and work before you were regnant?

Hi @GG11
I'm going to be having a conversation with my workplace about wfh. I got to wfh with my last pregnancy after having an ohs, i voiced my concerns about travelling, at the time it was covid but can't say that now, i said how vital this time is and wfh will ease the pressure and i said what i do can be done from home - the ohs person needs to know that, they're just an independent person and won't know what you do. Also, if you have any health issues mention that too. Hope you get to wfh and move back in with your partner xx