sickness

[mum2A&L]

Just a quicky,

I have been signed off sick since the beginning of Sept. I am now 31 and a bit weeks pregnant, and have been told taht i am to be signed off until baby is born. I know that my work can start my mat leave from 29 weeks, but apart from my line manager mentioning it to me, nothing else has been said (it would have to come from their HR dept). Are they able to backdate the mat leave? are they able to say because i have been sick since 29 weeks this is when they are going to start it, even though i am past this by a couple of weeks?

Any advise would be fantastic!

 

[Emmylou]

I found this on http://www.workingfamilies.org.uk/asp/e ... yleave.asp :

Sickness during pregnancy or at the end of maternity leave
If the employee is sick during her pregnancy and the illness is not related to her pregnancy (e.g. she has a sprained wrist), then she should be treated in the same way as any other employee who is ill.

If she is ill with a pregnancy-related illness (e.g. pregnancy-related high blood pressure) and there is more than four weeks to go before childbirth, she should go on normal sick leave in the same way as any other employee who is ill. Note though that an employee cannot be dismissed for having a pregnancy-related illness, and any such absences must be recorded separately from sickness absence unrelated to pregnancy.

If she is absent from work due to her pregnancy during or after the beginning of the fourth week before the EWC, the employer can automatically trigger the start of maternity leave. However, this is at the employers discretion. It is considered good practice not to trigger maternity leave for the occasional day off in that period.

If the employee cannot return to work at the end of her maternity leave because of illness she should be treated as back at work and on sick leave. She should comply with your normal sickness procedures.

EWC = Estimated Week of Childbirth

I think it is saying that you are off sick and should be treated as a normal employee as you are more than 4 weeks away from your EWC, whether it is pregnancy related or not.....does that make sense?

 

[Emmylou]

Sorry, I was also going to say that it might be worth checking with them directly to see what their intentions are, & you could always make an appointment to check at the Citizens Advice Bureau (sp?) too, as they will be able to confirm what you are legally entitled too.

Good Luck hun, let us know how you get on

 

[mum2A&L]

thanks hun! i think i wil give these people a ring / drop them an email and see what they say. I want to know what my rights are before my work decide what they are going to do. They never seem to be 100% clued in with stuff like this (they do try though), and i kinda want to make sure they arn't taking the mick.

 

[Lyndsey]

You can choose to take mat leave from 29 weeks onwards. Work cannot force you to take mat leave until 4 weeks before the baby is due . if you are entitield to sick pay then use that until you have to take maternity leave. If you are off sick then work can automatically start your mat pay from the 35 week period.....

I have done this and although my work are being horrible my mat leave will not start until I am 35 weeks pregnant.

Hope this helps

Lyndsey

 

[Sassyminx]

i thought by law they cant make you start your maternity leave until you decide you want to unless your off with a pregnancy related illness

 

[Lyndsey]

if you are off sick 4 weeks before the baby is due then they can make you take it ( or so my boss says) but not before. It is very confusing.

 

[Sassyminx]

if you are off sick 4 weeks before the baby is due then they can make you take it ( or so my boss says) but not before. It is very confusing.

thats only true if its a pregnancy related illness afaik

 

[Lyndsey]

well my bosses are making me start my mat leave from 34 weeks onwards. GP but genreal debility on the sicknote and work related stress.. my company have "looked into it" and this is what they came up with. I wouldn't be surprised if it was wrong though.

They told me that if I was absent from work even for 1 day they could commence my mat leave..... at the 34 week point.

 

[mum2A&L]

Cheers girls (ive just noticed the replys).

Ive spoken to my work, and if i get signed off again (the hospital said i couldn't go back to work), they will start my mat leave 4 weeks before by due date (Which is only a week before my induction date). Ive got quite a bit of hols left as well, and will have to take them before my mat leave starts.

can MW's sign people off work, or do i need to see my GP (easier to see him than my consultant at the hospital)?