Manager has referred me to OH for pregnancy sickness but I haven't even took one day off

[gracem24]

I work for the NHS. I've been suffering terribly with all day pregnancy nausea and vomiting, it's incredibly debilitating. It ramped up massively when I hit 9 weeks and being in the office was horrible. I am around 10.5 weeks now and haven't took a single day off during my pregnancy, but I did ask my manager if I could WFH last week which was agreed. I usually only do one WFH day out of the 4 days I work but there is nothing I do in the office that I can't do at home, and am actually more productive at home where I'm comfortable at the moment. I seen my GP on Friday about this to discuss meds and was given a fit note that recommends me to WFH for the next 2 weeks, I didn't want to come back to absolutely stacks of work and the stress of that which is always what happens when I'm on a/l. I let my manager know and she said she is referring me to occ health and that she cannot support me WFH for the rest of my pregnancy (I didn't ask for this but this is just what she said) but I can WFH this week and until I hear from occ health.

This is the first time I've ever even had a note from the GP and first time being referred to occ health. I can't understand why as I haven't even been off sick? I've still been working everyday. GP was happy to sign me off completely for a few weeks and I wish I had of just done this now. I really can't see why I'm being referred to occ health has anyone had any experience of this and know if its normal to be referred when you haven't even been off sick? Maybe it's my hormones but I'm quite annoyed by it. There is no way at all I will be struggling on into the office feeling the way I do now in 2 weeks if I still feel the same, which I feel is what they are trying to get me to do because of the referral, I struggled on through my first pregnancy into the office everyday through it and never had any medication or a day off and I'm not doing it this time.

Thank you for the replies it's been really helpful to get others knowledge on this. I'm not demanding to work from home, it's just either that or I'm off sick but the thing that baffles me is when I'm actually in the office, 90% of the time I'm in the office alone and can easily (and usually do) go the full day without seeing another person relevant to my work, my role is similar to pa for 2 senior staff and one of those I haven't seen in about 3/4 months. I am the only person who does my role.

I was referred to occ health by an inexperienced manager who thought it was part of the procedure which it wasn't for my company. I think it was mostly arse covering but it turned out to be extremely helpful. I was also suffering from HG and was struggling through with an unsympathetic manager who was making my life difficult. Occ health really set him straight and made my life much easier. They really did seem to prioritise my health and wellbeing ahead of the company.

Actually given your line manager is a bit shit, occupational health stepping in will likely be a blessing.

HR and your line manager will have to follow the OH advice so think of this as a positive. I’ve seen OH reports come back advising that the person cannot work and requires to be off longer which just means getting that sick note from your doctor to sign you off after all.

I had HG during my pregnancy and my boss didn’t know anything about it, we found looking at this website really helpful https://pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk my boss became a lot more understanding of things after educating herself about what I was going through. I ended up being signed quite a lot during my first trimester then things were manageable by medication with the odd day or week off here and there. Sounds like your boss just doesn’t know how to support you so is following process, you should get a positive outcome from this OH meeting as they’ll better explain how HG is impacting you.

Your manager is doing the right thing. They are also pre empting that this this could be a longer problem that 2 weeks and involving OH in the process at an early stage. To be fair, from your last sentence in your original OP, it already sounds like you’ve got it in mind to work from home more this pregnancy. You’re not out of your first trimester yet, sickness could improve dramatically.

In any case your manager/ HR need to carry out a risk assessment given you are pregnant. It is also a protected characteristic which means you cannot be discriminated as a result. The role of OH is to assess your fitness for work and to advise about reasonable adjustments.

However, if tour workplace feels they cannot accommodate these adjustments due to business/ operational needs, they do not have to. But i think because it's a protected characteristic and you feel your role can be done from home and doesn't affect the business, it will be difficult for them to not make this accommodation.

Sounds reasonable, it's not a warning or anything. You have a substantial health issue that is affecting your work, she is not the person in the organisation that is qualified/knowledgeable so has referred to the people that are. If they say you have to work from home and she says she can't practically support it then you're just off sick.

This sounds like a good thing? They're making sure you get the support you need to, so you can continue to do your job to the best of your ability

No , they won't. They will try to find ways to help.
Not pregnancy related, but I've had two instances where Occ H have over ruled or 'advised' my manager.
We've had people signed off nights by OH even though it's part of our role.
IME they are quite good.

I'd imagine your manager is slightly freaking out about health risks, setting precedent, risk of you suing etc and just wants it to be out of her hands and with the people whose job it is to manage this stuff.

But I wouldn't let them contradict the GP letter.

I'd just go off sick for two weeks or until your sickness eases off and save yourself the stress!
You'll still get paid.

I worked in the NHS for far to long and this is what they do. They are awful. They say it is to help you but an apt with consultant in OCC health is to usually to undermine your Gp. It happened to me when I had whiplash injury and my only means getting to work was the bus and I had the accident on the same bus.
They want bums on seats as they say. People in the office and everyone there.

I left the NHS and went into private sector and found them to be amazing compared.

I would be prepared to get everything in writing as you may need to call on unison/union rep. I would be tempted to take someone with me to the OCC health apt as well.

Get signed off completely

Places I have worked you see OH as soon as you tell you that you are pregnant. It should be standard.

My experience with OH is they will agree with the doc and they will put a reviewable plan in place. Say you WFH for 2 weeks, and review to see if it needs continue.
They tend to sit on the side of caution, especially with pregnancy. So I wouldn’t be too worried about it.
When I saw mine she talked about managing energy throughout pregnancy and not lifting things.

Belt and braces approach to make sure they’ve done everything they can to support you
its just arse covering so they can’t be accused of being unsupportive and discrimination