HR rules on sickness in early pregnancy

[Cosmogirl]

Hi,

Wondered if anyone could help. I am currently signed off by the Dr from work for two weeks with severe morning sickness. I'm just concerned that if I don't improve I'll have to have more time off. Does anyone know the HR rules on sickness in early pregnancy?

Thanks.

I would have thought that if you are off sick, the same rules apply for whatever reason. Do you have an occupational health service? I was allowed to work reduced hours for a little while when I had severe sickness. It was better than being off altogether IYSWIM. It was agreed through the OH service.

Generally in early pregnancy sickness is just treated as any other type of sickness. As you get nearer your maternity leave, although I am not quite sure how near your employer can start your maternity leave early if you are off sick.

Bumping this for you.

Also to add that I work for the NHS and afaik they are not allowed to count any pg related sickness (at whatever stage) towards your "normal" sickness. So if you are pregnant and off with flu, this counts as sickness. If you are off with ms, it doesn't.

Afaik it is to do with equal opportunities/discrimination. We need flowery or someone like her to explain it better.

Sickness should be treated in terms of pay exactly as any other sickness would be.

Pregnancy-related sickness can't 'count' for purposes such as disciplinaries for absence if you have those where you are, or on a reference - in other words you can't be adversely affected by pg-related sickness but sick pay would be no different.

I haven't seen anything about pg-related sickness not counting towards normal sickness records in my company's maternity policy. I think you'd have to check your contract/maternity policy.

Biggest issue is that they can force you to start your ML leave if it is towards the end of the pregnancy but again, I have no idea when that kicks in. Can you get someone to send you a copy of the maternity policy if you don't have one at home?

They can start mat leave at 36 weeks if you are off sick with pg-related illness.

Spice they would be unlikely to put the stuff about pg-related sickness not 'counting' in the maternity policy, for fear of it encouraging people to go off sick. That's a legal thing not a contractual thing. If it's about pay, then it does count, you don't get more paid time off if it's pg-related, but when it comes to calculating absence rates that might lead to any kind of disciplinary or for any other reason that might have a negative impact, it can't be included.

Hi Cosmogirl,

I was signed off 1 week at a time for severe sickness. This turned rapidly into a 3 month block absence. Then I could only work a few hours at a time so realistically, the whole pg was sick leave.

I chose to take mat leave at 30 weeks (to be fair to my employer as they had paid me my entire sick time at full pay). I didn't have to, I could have waited til 36 weeks which is the earliest they can force you to start mat leave.

Policies vary, they'll have a certain length of time that they will pay you sick pay for and then it'll be statutory sick pay, unless they agree to pay you full pay anyway. My employer (a big co) was kind enough to pay me all of my sick time.

Thanks ladies - really helpful. x

Ah okay flowery. That makes sense obviously. Sorry, being rather dim.