7wks pregnant and quitting stressful job, am i entitled to any benefits???

[S79]

I am 7wks pregnant. I had a mc in Dec 2008 as my boss really stressed me out. As a financial adviser I have to hit sales targets and as I wasn't even 3months pregnant I obviously kept my pregnancy quiet. My manager thought I was slacking when really I was always feeling sick, but I couldn't tell him. 2 days before I was due to take my xmas annual leave he cancelled my holiday and demanded I worked!! This obviously really upset and stressed me out, I even rang the union who sympathised with me. But over the weekend I had the mc so I didn't go back to work for 6 weeks as I was devastated.

I now have a new manager and last month my performance was much better and he is really happy with me. But now that I am pregnant my husband and my family want me to leave work and focus on my baby, they don't want me exposed to that kind of environment again...my mums really worried as I?m also having brownish discharge.

Am I entitled to receive any kind of benefits? Anything at all??

Thanks x

Ask the benefit office before you quit!

Sure you would be if you were made redundant, but quitting I would doubt it.

Hope it works out.

Thanks I'll have a look into that.

I'm afraid I don't know anything about benefits, but I wanted to say I that I don't think you should hold yourself at all to blame for losing your previous pregnancy. I think it is highly unlikely that a stressful environment had anything to do with your miscarriage. Usually they are to do with chromosomal problems which are present from the moment of conception. People get pregnant and have babies in war zones after all.

However, I completely understand why you might not want to work in such a stressful environment while you are pregnant. It is difficult enough being pregnant again after a mc without having to deal with a job you dislike.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do about your work and I hope you go on to have a successful and happy pregnancy.

I second what neolara said, you do seem to be blaming the stress you were under at work for your miscarriage and it is unlikely to be that. Obviously what you went through was unacceptable but I do think you shouldn't say it caused your miscarriage.

I also notice that you say things are better at work, you have a new manager who is happy with you and are doing well, but your husband and family want you to leave work anyway. What about you? If you are happier at work do you want to leave? Obviously it's perfectly fine to do so if you prefer to stay at home relaxing during your pregnancy and are in the fortunate position to be able to do that, but it just struck me that you were saying this is what other people want.

I do think it's unlikely you'd be entitled to anything in the way of benefits if you just decide to leave your job.

Can you speak to your gp to perhaps be signed off work for a period of time... perhaps until you're sure the baby is well and you're further along in your pregnancy, and then perhaps go to shorter hours? I would be cautious of jumping ship too soon, unless you're happy that you can find other work in your chosen field/can support yourselves financially on one salary.