Hi there,

I new here so I thought that I would introduce myself and also wanted to ask some advice.

I'm Emma, I'm nearly 31 and married. I'm 27+1 weeks pregnant with our first baby.

I have to commute 5-6 hours a day for work due to the fact that we moved last July and there being no suitable jobs locally (it sucks big time). I have been struggling with my back/hips more and more over the past 6-8 wekks and its gradually getting worse. My work have said that there is nothing more that they can do to support me. I'm trying to take every day as it comes and get through that but its getting harder and harder and I'm not sure how long I will be able to keep it up. My query is that I was under the impression that if I were to go off sick now the earliest that my employer would be able to initiate my mat leave is 36 weeks if the illness is pregnancy related....am i right?

Has anyone else had any problems with back/hip pain or being signed off sick so early??

Any advice would be fab!

Emma x

Wanted to welcome you to the forum. Don't have any advice for you though, this is my first pregnancy and I do temp work (no full-time job).

Where are you located? I'm in the US and I was actually signed off work at the beginning of my pregnancy. I had HG for 1st and most of 2nd tri, and the meds they gave me were so strong that when I take them, I fall asleep! I was just released back to work, and will be 36 weeks in a couple days, so am right back off work. I didn't go back for the week in between.. I know here, the commuting they wont factor in to signing you off, the condition has to affect your ability to do your actual job. But if your signed off, you should receive some kind of disability until your mat leave kicks in. You should be able to access some kind of website for where ever you are located that will give you info about it. Like a gov site. Good luck, hope it gets easier on you hun!

Oh, and welcome to BNB! =)

Thanks for the welcome! Anyone else out there with any advice etc would be fab!

Emma x

Not sure if your located in the UK, but here's my little bit of info that I have. If it's not useful then I'm sorry

In my work place in the UK (The University of Sheffield) you can only start your maternity leave 6 wks before your due date. If you have any time off sick within 2 wks of your due date then your maternity leave automatically kicks in.
Other than that your employer should be paying you their normal sick leave. After all you are still an employee even if your pregnant. I went on 3-4 wks sick leave with pregnancy problems when I was 22/23 wks and was paid my normal sick leave entitlement. I'm back at work now tho, so not sure if that made a difference.

Hope this information helps x

Not sure how right it is, but I thought you could start MAT leave from 29 weeks. If you were signed off sick before then it was classed as sick time, but if its after 29 weeks, your employer can ask you to take MAT leave from the date you go off sick instead of your pre arranged date.

Its obviously different everywhere though

xxx

Hi,

I'm in the UK. I think that you could be 'made' to go on mat leave at 29 weeks before they changed it all last year. I think (not sure though) that now it's 36 weeks if you are off with a pregnancy related illness.

Emma x

Oh you could be right, I only know what Ive read in my works maternity policy which is probably really out of date! lol

The other thing is is that im sure theres a health and safety regulation that says that if your job is unsafe while pregnant then your employer either has to find you some alternative work, or send you home on full pay. Your job might not be dangerous, but the commute might be, I certainly wouldn't like to do that every day.

I hope you get it sorted hun, sorry but I dont know an awful lot about any of this!

xxx

Thanks Linzi!

I have had a risk assessment but nothing on there about traveling....I was hoping that I may be able to get it in on there. Looking at your ticker it would seem that we're both due on the same day.... 2nd June?!

Thats right yep I thought when I read this thread you might be due on the same date

xxx