Pregnancy related problems

[PDR]

1. I wrote to work asking if I could take 2 weeks of 2011's holiday at the start of my maternity leave and I have not had a reply despite verbally chasing this up. I am due ti start maternity leave on 22nd December.

1. There has been no risk assesment done yet.

1. I am currently off sick and I am due to go back to work on 21st November. I called today to chat about possible changes to my working conditions and my boss just said she had another call coming in, had to go and would call me back - she didn't.

1. I also informed them that as I am now seeing a midwife, constultant and a physiotherapist, I have quite a few appointments scheduled in the next few weeks and I wanted to give them plenty of notice. This did not go down well.

eg. 29th Nov I have a midwife appointment
and 1st Dec I have the GTT test which involves 2.5 hours sitting at the surgery.

Am I expecting too much from my employer?

Chase them about the holidays, should be no reason why they don't let you take them but afaik you can't force them to let you take them before your maternity.

They may have done a risk assessment, you just don't know about it. If its a large company then likley that a risk assessment already exists. Are you office based? If so a risk assessment can be done fairly quickly and if no changes needed (9 times out of 10 none are for office staff) then carry on as normal.

What changes would you like making? What are you off sick for?

When you say did not go down well what do you mean? Afraid to say it but employers are not allowed to discriminate against employees because of pregnancy...doesn't mean they have to like it....

IIRC, if you go on sick leave any time after 29 weeks, your employer can start your maternity leave immediately. Is that still accurate? If so, you may find your leave plans radically changed. (NB: this would not apply to time off for appointments).

What are the rules for how much leave you can anticipate from future leave years? Is it covered in your contract?

It is a very small company with no HR dept.

I am office based in a hotel but I have to interact with clients too and am a "trouble-shooter" on a Monday night having to deal with anything from dirty sheets to fire alarms.

I am signed off for SPD - I can hardly walk - hence some parts of my job would be impossible. Some are fine, but I do not want to be the only member of staff in the office on a Monday as I am physically not able to carry out the tasks mentioned above.

I called work today after seeing physio as she suggested I might be able to go back to work if they could make some changes to my working conditions. I told my boss I have quite a few antenatal appts scheduled in the coming weeks if she wanted to jot them down to arrange cover... she said "oh great" and then said there was someone else on the line and she'd call me back (she didn't).

I work 3 days a week, one day being Sunday and in one week I have 2 appointments scheduled - maybe that is too much but it's not really my fault the midwife & physio can only do those days. I can't easily swap my working days as I don't have childcare.

:(

I think it's 4 weeks prior to your due date that they can force you to start Mat leave so I should be ok as planning on starting at 32 weeks anyway.

I can have the whole 5.6 weeks stat minimum and as I am away for the whole of 2011 I think I can take it all. As my Mat leave spans two holiday years ie. leaving Dec 10 & returning Jan 12 they should let me take it either before my mat leave or at the end - I am proposing half half.

1. They are not obliged to let you take holiday, although it does make sense to allow you to do so. All you can do is continue to chase it. When you say you are 'due to start maternity leave on 22nd December' do you actually mean that or do you mean you are hoping to be taking holiday from 22nd December? When are you due?

1. When was the last time you requested a RA? Who is responsible for H&S, did you speak to him/her. Have you specifically identified risks yourself that you are concerned about?

1. Is the only problem that your boss hasn't rung you back yet? Has your GP/physio put in writing the changes they feel need making to enable you to return to work?

1. I actually don't think it's unreasonable of your boss to be slightly irritated. If you only work 3 days a week, and only 2 of those are during the working week, it's reasonable of her to at least hope the majority of appointments do not take place when you would normally be at work. Yes you are entitled to paid time off, absolutely, but your boss is human and she would be a pretty saintly boss not to be a bit irritated by so many appointments taking place on the 2 days a week you do work. She shouldn't have let you hear that reaction but it's an understandable reaction to have.

Have you tried speaking to your midwife/physio/consultants office about the possibility of changing appointments to a non-work day?

1. I am due to start holiday on 22nd December - then official Mat leave 2 weeks later (05/01/11) I am due on 18/02/11. I am mainly annoyed at their lack of response TBH. In my letter requesting Maternity leave I said that if it was a problem to use next years holiday just tell me and I will move my official mat leave 2 weeks earlier - now I believe it's too late as I had to give the date in by last Friday. I just wanted to know one way or t'other really!

1. I have not requested a RA. I assumed it was automatic - as a pp said they may well have done this without my knowledge and no risks identified. So am I right in thinking I should be asking for a new one now I have developed such severe SPD?

3/4. I was a bit put out that my boss didn't ring me back to be honest as I doubt she was that busy. I was trying to give her as much notice as possible of the appointments so she could arrange cover. When I was given an "emergency" appointment the week before last she wouldn't give me the time off.
I have tried asking the midwife if I can see her at another surgery but she said no this was not possible - she is at my (small village) surgery on a Monday afternoon only which unfortunately is when I work. Physio is on a Tue or a Wed and the Tue appointments had already gone when I booked today as I did ask. Not sure what else I can do really. Consultant appointments are just sent to me in the post without my consultation and as you need to be seen in that particular week of pregnancy it's not easy to change. IIRC none of the consultant appointments have been in work time so far. Thus far only 3 midwife appointments and 1 physio which I was not given time off to attend.

Sorry this is long.

Sorry I meant to say thank you - I am obviously expecting a bit too much!

Well it sounds as though your boss is being a little bit rubbish, but nothing majorly out of the ordinary.

Yes technically your employer ought to automatically perform a risk assessment without you requesting one, but it's not a major big deal having to ask really, rather than waiting to see if they do it and complaining if they don't. To give them the benefit of the doubt, if it's a small company they may have no idea they are supposed to specifically do one for pregnant women.

Speak to whoever is responsible for H&S and ask for one. If you are refused, that's the time to get cross, and that's when you are not asking too much.

Sounds like you just need to pester your boss a bit about your holiday booking.

In terms of the appointments as long as you've done all you reasonably can, that's fine. I was just pointing out that really it's natural for your boss not to be thrilled. Of course if she starts treating you badly in some way because of the appointments, not paying you or whatever, then that's when to get cross about it. Her huffing and puffing about it is slightly unprofessional of her and irritating for you but that's about it.

Ok thank you for the sound advice. It's not easy to shut down the hormones when you're pregnant and see things in perspective!

You have my sympathies PDR - I'm having similar problems trying to convince the HCP's that it is better to have my appointments on the days I'm not due at work. The usual response is "You are entitled to time off for antenatal appointments you know". It's not great is it? I find booking them at the beginning or end of the working day is the next best option, where possible. And the GTT is an especially BIG PIA given the length of the appointment

That's exactly what my midwife said... And ever since I asked she has been a bit "off" with me!!!! Yes GTT is a right pain :-( And my office is a good 1/2 hr drive from my surgery which doesn't help matters!!!!