Pregnancy related sickness

[Gab22]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know if it's okay to take time off for morning sickness at 24 weeks pregnant and will my SMP be affected 😭😭😭. Desperate for some help. I have worked in a school for 3 years and my contract does say in this time I will be entitled to 4 months full pay and 4 months half pay if I am off sick? I am confused if pregnancy related sickness is classed as sick?

Thanks xx

If you’ll be paid in full for your sick leave then it won’t impact your SMP. So assuming you haven’t already ‘used up’ your sick leave entitlement then you’re fine

MAT leave will only be trigger when you're four weeks before due date. Otherwise this will be normal sick pay.

You have no idea how reassuring your answer just was I have looked for help and guidance all day!! Thank you so much xxx

Thank you so much xxxx

Did you have any periods of time off during pregnancy? Was your work okay xx

Sorry to ask but do you know how I would know if I am going to receive SSP or full pay. My contract states 4 months full pay + 4 months half pay for sick leave as I have worked there for 3 years now but I don't know if pregnancy related sickness is categorised as sick leave?

Where I work we get 6 months off sick on full pay. I had 5 weeks of pregnancy related sickness after an ectopic pregnancy and was paid in full for those 5 weeks. It was treated no differently to any other period of sickness I've had (covid, chest infection etc.)

The only difference is that the sick leave is recorded on my record as pregnancy related and therefore can't be used against me for disciplinary etc.

If you get 4 months full pay when off sick then I would expect you'll get the same for pregnancy related sickness. Treating pregnancy related sickness less favourably than regular sickness sounds like it would potentially be discriminatory.

Unless you've already taken 4 months off sick recently, I can't imagine a scenario where they could justify not giving you full pay for sickness now.

Thank you so much for your kind reply!

I'm sorry you had to go through that, sending hugs xx

I've been off for 9 weeks and counting with pregnancy sickness! It's recorded as pregnancy related sickness which is separate from normal sick leave so it won't count towards any disciplinary action etc, as others have said.
Hope you feel better soon!

Thank you so much!! Hope you are okay :( I feel the same and I'm 24 weeks! its just pay and everything I'm worrying about too xx

It's awful isn't it. And totally out of your control. It sounds like you have a good sickness policy so take the time you need! I'm starting to improve finally at almost 19 weeks so hopefully it's on it's way out!

Pregnancy sickness is paid in the same way as normal sickness. So if you’d be paid for a cold you’ll be paid for pregnancy. As long as you’ve not already had 4 months off in the last year, you’ll be paid according to your contract.

The only differences, as others have said, is that pregnancy sickness can’t be used for a disciplinary. So whereas an employer might discipline someone who’d been off sick several times if it’s due to pregnancy, they can’t. The other difference is that if you’re off with a pregnancy condition after 36 weeks then you’d need to start your maternity leave at that point. So you can’t be signed off with a pregnancy condition from weeks 36-40 then start your maternity leave at 40 weeks. But you’re a way off that yet.

To answer your other question yes I did have time off with pregnancy illnesses and I also had to start maternity leave earlier than planned. My work were really good about it. If you have a good sickness record to date then they should understand.