Pregnancy and work stress driving me crazy!!…could work end contract?!

[Bobbieiris]

25 weeks pregnant with twins (first pregnancy) . Been feeling exhausted and emotional for the last few weeks plus some nausea (second trimester feels so much worse than the first!) to top it off I caught a cold virus over the weekend which has completely pushed me over the edge with the pregnancy related fatigue, dizziness & nausea. Went into work today and asked if I can take some time off. Work said because it was a cold virus it wasn’t pregnancy related. If I go off work and it is not pregnancy related then HR will end my contract due to having time off with Covid last year. I spent all day in a little side office at work feeling awful and struggling. Spoke to GP this afternoon and she has signed me off sick with pregnancy related sickness.Also spoke with midwife who said I really need to rest as it’s a high risk pregnancy . I feel so relieved to have the time to recover but also sick with stress as so worried HR will drag me into a meeting and end my contract. Sounds a bit over dramatic but I’m exhausted and stressed after an awful day and just wanted a rant , feel like I’m just in a circle of stress!

I feel for you on person to person level. On a business level:

You told them you need time off work for a cold. They said no. A few hours later the doctor signs you off with an unspecified pregnancy-related illness, which handily enough protects you from getting the sack.

It it absolutely clear to them you are off sick with a cold and the doctor fudged the sick note. You know this too. I wouldn’t be sitting out the sick note if I wanted to keep my job, I’d be dragging myself to work.

@StormingNorman you say that but I wouldn’t be feeling so ill with a little virus if I wasn’t already feeling awful with pregnancy .Its the virus alongside the nausea, dizziness and fatigue . How is that so hard to understand ?! My doctor didn’t ’fudge’ a sick note…it’s a high risk pregnancy, I’m in clinic every two weeks! I also can’t exactly dose myself up with medication while pregnant. What would you do….run yourself into the ground and risk the health of your babies?

i'm so sorry to hear. I've never ever heard of an employer threatening to end a contract just because someone needs to take sick days off (do they not know how awful people can feel with a cold/flu)??

This sounds like an extremely toxic workplace. go to work and tell them your GP has demanded that you rest for a few days as it could affect your pregnancy.

If they end your contract, you can seek legal councel. They can't do this to you

She is 25 weeks pregnant WITH TWINS. Everything is pregnancy related! Pregnancy IS an illness, regardless of what anyone says, and women should be signed off work (if they wish) from the off, no questions asked!

Dragging herself to work could mean harm coming to her pregnancy. Because things are not unrelated, you know? The body is the same!

If they terminate, Id be going after them for discrimination and Im pretty sure Id win.

@lily0309 @ASGIRC thank you!! I just wanted to off load a little after a terrible day…. The last few weeks have been rough and apart from one an afternoon off I have been dragging myself into work! I don’t understand how people don’t get that pregnancy symptoms make everything else so much harder!

I went off sick with a cold when I was pregnant. (Not a high risk pregnancy). I was spiking fevers that paracetamol couldn’t control. I remember working Boxing night and powering through because I knew they would never get cover and I felt terrible, like grimy with sweat because I was so feverish. I
got sinusitis and all I could do was stick my head over a bowl of steam. Not being able to take anything much beyond paracetamol really does impact on the ability to shift a cold.
OP your management’s lack of understanding speaks volumes. What kind of work are you in? Have you had a pregnancy risk assessment done? I think they’d find it very difficult to terminate your contract in current circumstances.

@StarsBeneathMyFeet its awful isn’t it, crazy how pregnancy can make a virus so bad! Ironically I work in healthcare .

I'll never understand managers requiring their staff at work whilst ill. I am a manager, and if someone on my team is sick, I tell them to steer clear from the workplace! we don't want to catch their bug and I don't want more people from the team (including myself) then getting ill too!

Plus, let's be honest when someone is sick, they are the opposite of productive. i'd rather have them resting at home and be back on their feet as soon as possible. Working whilst being sick massively delays the recovery.

Anyway that's definitely not normal OP, you deserve so much better

Eh?! They can't legally end your contract over sickness especially if you are pregnant. You need to read this - www.acas.org.uk/your-maternity-leave-pay-and-other-rights/health-at-work-during-pregnancy

Unfortunately you’re wrong. Your link states…

If you're off sick and it's not related to your pregnancy, your organisation's usual rules for sickness absence will apply. Check your organisation's policy to find out what these are.

what does your contract say about sick days (unrelated to pregnancy)? do you have a yearly paid sick days allowance?

Completely disagree. The cold is only the tip of the iceberg here. Without the pregnancy, the OP could most likely carry on with work. It's the pregnancy symptoms that are the problem - and it's a twin pregnancy!

@Bobbieiris they will be skating on extremely thin ice if they try to end your contract now. Pregnancy is a protected characteristic!

Some people shouldn't be managers! I honestly can't even fathom telling someone (especially someone 25 weeks pregnant, never mind with twins!) that their contract will be terminated because they are feeling ill even though they were off with Covid last year. It just seems inhumane... humans get ill, some more regularly than others, and some ill enough to take time off once a year. It would be different if you had said you had been off every few months for the past year.

Very toxic workplace!

Hi Op,
I'm a HR professional and I'm completely baffled that someone would be telling you they will end your contract if you go off sick.
Firstly, who was this person? I am assuming a manager. Clearly needs some basic training on employee rights.
How long have you been there for? You are protected under the equality act for anything pregnancy related and I know you say your sickness isn't pregnancy related but I would argue that your utter exhaustion and feelings of stress are definitely pregnancy related, so they need to tread very carefully.
Have you ever been pulled up regarding sickness before? For a contract to be terminated for repeated absences there are always trigger points and often at least two warnings before a dismissal. Never in my life would I advise a manager to jump straight to dismissal.
A lot of managers will threaten HR like we are the big bullies, but more often than not we only find out about the managers BS when an employee raises it with us because they are worried. I would advise that any future correspondence with this person is via email so you can help keep track of what is said.

Unfortunately you haven’t read the original post. OP’s Dr has signed her off sick with a pregnancy related sickness. So everything in my link will apply.

I couldn't agree more, great advice. I despair of managers on a daily basis! Was going to ask about length of service but it's irrelevant here; the pregnancy is the predominant factor.

Just had the conversation earlier with someone about these empty threats - only we were talking about employees threatening to go to their union! Makes me laugh - would be a brave union rep that would scare me off!

SO sorry you feeling like this I’m currently 29 weeks pregnant and I am more feeling great today or yesterday and really don’t feel well enough to go to work but iv had so much time off iv got 5 weeks left so going to try push tho but if it’s to much for you it’s to much if doctor signed you off sick take the sick they can’t sack you for it and if it’s a hard pregnancy I’d start your mat leave at earliest you can witch is 29 weeks

hope you feel better soon xx