HG help - working arrangements

[esunny]

Hello Everybody

I’m looking for some guidance and advice. I have been off sick for 4 weeks with horrendous HG. I’m about to enter my second trimester and I am feeling abit better now I am on Xonvea.

I want to request hybrid working going forward so I can manage my HG symptoms, my pregnancy is also high risk due to an immune condition, and I was wondering if anybody has requested this before? I WFH one day a week already but I really think this won’t be manageable.

any advice on how to help my case? Would a doctors fit note help? Can feel myself stressing about it already.

thanks you x

Hi, I was high risk during my first pregnancy and my manager agreed that it would be best for me to wfh. I was off on sick for pretty much my entire first trimester and I really wanted to go back to work because I hated being in bed all day - it took a toll on my mental health so I asked my manager if i could wfh until mat leave. I had multiple sick notes as well and my manager was completely fine with it. I was very transparent about my complications and I had no issues putting in the request. I actually returned back to work a few days ago and found out I'm pregnant again - my manager just said to wfh 🤣 and not come in if i don't feel well enough!

Your situation sounds very similar to mine with the first trimester!

I think I’ll need to raise it in my risk assessment as I’m really struggling mentally with it and being sick around people too! I want my baby to be healthy and stress free!

In my pregnancy in the autumn my boss effectively banned me from the office! In my pregnancy in the summer I kept trying to struggle into the office and ended up making myself more unwell.
It would come under "reasonable adjustment"

You can ask for a fit note that says you’re okay to work but on amended duties or with reasonable adjustments and then say to them you need the adjustment to be WFH. I’d be frank with them that you have limited ‘good’ hours and if you use them up commuting you’ll be less able to work or will get more ill again.

Ive just this week got back to my normal hours but I’m still WFH - I’m 23 weeks and was off completely for December and January and then back half days in Feb. Honestly just do what you need to to get through, HG is brutal and you can’t overdo it or you get worse again. I’d be really up front with work about that!

Thanks for replying.

when you did your half days was that 5 days a week and did you wfh on your half days? I’m really worried about pushing myself so I might ask for half days and wfh for the next month. I’d ideally like to be hybrid 3 days WFH 2 days in office if they can allow it.

thankyou x

I only work 4 days a week normally but yes did half days all 4 of them. At first I was having to nap in the afternoons as I was so worn out!

It’s my second HG pregnancy and I was hospitalised loads in my first one because I just tried to power through, so I was just really clear with my employer (who is luckily very understanding!) that I needed to go gradually to avoid making it all worse.

It’s definitely worth asking! It makes sense for them to cooperate and come up with a plan with you as otherwise it’s more likely you’ll just get signed off totally. Pregnancy sickness support are good for how to explain things to your employer if they’re difficult. It sounds like you know what is likely to be best for you so I really hope they accommodate it for you! Good luck!