Advice on being signed off from work

[rachelx94]

Hey,

I wanted to see if anyone could help me as I've never been signed off before and this is my first pregnancy.

My work have started becoming unbearable and making my workload triple by telling other team members if they're too busy (we train clients on our platform via zoom) then book their work into my diaries, basically feel like I'm just there to have other peoples work dumped on whilst also doing my own which has tripled as I've been given random tasks that I've never had to do in the 4 years of working there.

I can't sleep and if I do I wake up thinking about work, last night for example I woke up at 2am checked my emails saw more to do lists sent to me and then I couldn't sleep so I called in sick today and then was pestered with when I'm back if I'm in tomorrow etc

On top of this I have to do tests to check for pre eclampsia which is stressing me out as well. My manager has never been pregnant so doesn't understand.

I didn't get morning sickness so I didn't have any time off just the scans and mid wife appointments. I'm wondering if anyone has been in similar situations and been able to be signed off from your doctors due to stress/pregnancy etc

I know Google says to take 7 days off myself and if I need more then a doctor will sign me off but if they can't leave me alone for 1 day I have no hope with 7!

Any advice is welcome, thank you for reading my rant !!

I was signed off for hyperemiesis so different but found it super easy. Literally submitted a form to my doctor's and they signed me off for the amount of time I requested within a few hours. I didn't self certify as work were being funny about it.

Ah okay perfect, I've heard mixed reviews of it being easy/hard but feel like with pregnancy they will help me out. My works the same as yours I wouldn't even try taking a week off myself

No issues being signed off whilst pregnant.

I've been signed off quite a few times and once during pregnancy. Moved in between as well so this was with different GPs. Never been an issue and always done with minimal question. Make sure they wrote 'pregnancy related stress' on your fit slip as it's non reportable in future references I believe. Whereas bog stranded work related stress could be shared with a future employer. Good luck, hope things get better

Thanks for the help everyone xx

How far along are you, OP? Because there is a certain point in pregnancy where you can no longer be signed off. If you are signed off, it triggers your mat leave to start. I can't remember the exact week but it's somewhere in the 3rd trimester. You might be fine with that but I know some people don't want their mat leave to start that early.

Look after yourself. I had preeclampsia in my most recent pregnancy and work stress definitely didn't help so I don't blame you trying to reduce it!

I'm currently 23 weeks so that should be fine.

Ahh glad someone understands what it's like, hope everything was ok x

Good to hear!

Everything was fine thank you - I was on a lot of BP meds from 36weeks, with bloods and monitoring every couple of days. I'd saved up my AL, so i went on AL from 36-39w and then mat leave from 39w, which meant I could just focus on my appointments and health etc. I got to 39+3 in the end and then was on BP meds for about another 12weeks post partum? But all worth it in the end.

I'm sorry they are being like this to you. Have you discussed your concerns with your employer? Have they completed any pregnancy risk assessments on you? Do you have a HR department, or is it a small organisation?

Of course you could get signed off with stress from your GP, but do you have an enhanced sickness policy or is it only SSP? Don't forget there is a qualifying week for SMP which is 15 weeks before your due date, so if you are signed off now will your salary dramatically reduce? As you are only 2 weeks away from the qualifying week it's something to consider. You may have enhanced policies for both/ or alternatively not be looking to go back but thought I'd mention it.

Yes this was what I was going to say!

Check your qualifying weeks or you will get a shock if you were going to rely on SMP.

And to add to above I believe qualifying is 8 weeks period.

You need to get to get some advice - sounds like discrimination if they are treating you differently now you are pregnant. Speak to HR, a union officer if you belong to one, ACAS or pregnant then screwed.
Start keeping notes of their behaviour towards you. Their behaviour is not acceptable.

@rachelx94 You can still take time off sick but if you do feel ok to return ask your GP to sign you as “may be fit for work” and then specify that you need a phased return with your workload to be reduced plus no “new duties”, no “overloading” etc. Get the GP to be specific that you need a risk assessment and a normal or slightly reduced workload.

From what you have said, how you are feeling currently is primarily due to an untenable work situation and could well be untenable for someone who isn't pregant. This is something you may have address again in the future after your maternity leave.

Please try and ensure that when your doctor signs you off work related stated on the sick/fit note that work related stress is clearly stated and that your pregancy is not given as the primary reason. This will give you further evidence if you end walking back into the same situation when you return from maternity leave.

Ah I was unaware of this... so we get 10 sick days full pay for the year, every sick day I've had I have received full pay for it.
I'm due 24th jan and mat leave starts 13th December, so if I was to get signed off next week let's say does this then affect my pay later on?

Sorry for the questions this is all completely new to me.

Edit: just had a look at my contract and attached an image to what it says about sick pay

I'd get signed off to be honest. Though check your workplace policy as in mine, maternity leave kicks in automatically at 36 weeks if you're still off sick at that point.

Do this calculator to double check...

www.gov.uk/maternity-paternity-pay-leave

I put your details in and it's saying the following.

I would hang in there until atleast 6th and then if your signed off until 12th with full pay should be ok. But personally I wouldn't risk it. If you can hang in there until 12th I would.