can i reduce my hours in early pregnancy

[Madamebelle]

Hi

i was wondering if by law i can request to reduce my hours at work. They know im pregnant because i told them the day i found out. I work in retail and heavy lifting was part of my job. Im finding that 9 -5.30 five days a week is too tiring for me at the moment. It doesnt help that because of the way the rota works i work 6 days in a row every 2 weeks. As of this friday it would have been 2 weeks since ive told them and they havent done a risk assessment yet. Infact sometimes i believe the manager forgets that im pregnant and expects me to do things like i did before which i cant.

In the whole day break wise i only get half an hour which is split into a ten minute breat at 11am and a 20 minute break at 1pm. They wont let me have any more breaks. After all im only pregnant.

What do you all advise?
Thanx

 

[Nikki1120]

I'm not too sure about the law part, but this is rediculous, you should definatly be offered more breaks, esspecially as the first tri is the most exhausting and scariest part, you're gonna be feeling pants and lifting heavy stuff really isnt gonna help you any, i'd ask them for more breaks honey and be persistent, good luck.

 

[Angelface]

U can ask to cut your hours at any time regardless of pregnancy! Also you shud be entitled to a 15 min break every 4 hours! And of course unlimited loo breaks!! Xx

 

[Periwinkle]

I'm sure you should get at least an hour break for 8.5 hours... When I worked in retail years ago (Tesco) I had 1.5 hours break total.

I'd probably go to my GP and get them to write one of those new fit notes saying I needed reduced hours. I'm sure they'd do it in the circumstances -heavy lifting etc.

 

[k8y]

You can but be carefull as when your maternity money is worked out they will base it on the last few months of working. You get 90% of your wages for the first so many weeks and if you cut your hours now, then that 90% will be less and you may be shooting yourself in the foot if you've been working good hours before. Look into it, I just remember not doing it when I was preg with 1st bay for the same reason,. Im not certain on this so check it out. There may be ways round it.


Oh but also... I just remembered.. A pal of mine worked in a care home. lots of lifting etc.. and in the end the doc had to sign her off work because it was to dangerous for her. Maybe chat to your midwofe or doctor. I think that your boss should offer you other duties which dont inclue the lifting.

 

[tweedy]

the only issue with reduced hours, is they will reduce your pay, so be aware when your qualifiy period is for your maternity leave, so you get the full rate, eg if you go down to 30 hours for a few months, even if you go back up to 40 when you feel better, you might find that your maternity pay will be calculated at 90% of the 30 hours not the 40. check out the government website, i can't remember if it's when your 15 weeks, or 15 weeks before your due date.

my husband is a manager in retail, and he is very aware of anyone who is pregnant, maybe it's because i've had 3 losses, but all his girls, say he's very understanding and he always encourages the rest of the team to pick up the slack, as he knows your exhausion will not last....most employers are not as flexible.

hope you get things sorted.

 

[Kimmi82]

half an hour break in a full day??! thats illegal! In my last full time job I had an hour!!

 

[WiscoGirl]

Most places in the U.S....and actually, the last NHS job I had here in London was only a 1/2 hour lunch break in the entire 8 hour day. I know this is the case especially if it is an hourly paid job and not a salaried one. Not sure where you are working...

 

[chichestermum]

as others have said your maternity pay will be based on your hours, so now probably isnt the best time to reduce hours, but if you need the extra time off then do what is best for you nd baby, if you dont want to have a lower maternity pay then just take advantage of your unlimited loo breaks, go as often as you want for a pee, and go for a while at a time, pregnancy is hard on your bladder, dont they know that! and if they ask you to do any heavy lifting or ladder climbing, cleaining with strong chemicals etc then just say no, they cant make you and if they try to fire you over that then you can get the law onto your side as they would pf basically fired you for being pregnant, it might sound horrible to do things this way, but your boss is being horrible to you by not changing the way she expects you to work, also i would demand a risk assesment, if she will not give you a risk assesment still, then write a letter stating youare pregnant, your boss then has to do risk assessment.

this link may help.
https://www.personneltoday.com/articles/2008/03/07/44781/pregnancy-and-risk-assessment-legal-q.html

 

[MrsMalowey]

Hi

i was wondering if by law i can request to reduce my hours at work. They know im pregnant because i told them the day i found out. I work in retail and heavy lifting was part of my job. Im finding that 9 -5.30 five days a week is too tiring for me at the moment. It doesnt help that because of the way the rota works i work 6 days in a row every 2 weeks. As of this friday it would have been 2 weeks since ive told them and they havent done a risk assessment yet. Infact sometimes i believe the manager forgets that im pregnant and expects me to do things like i did before which i cant.

In the whole day break wise i only get half an hour which is split into a ten minute breat at 11am and a 20 minute break at 1pm. They wont let me have any more breaks. After all im only pregnant.

What do you all advise?
Thanx

That seems like alot of hours which such a short break. I work 8-5 every day with a 45 min break , and Saturdays til 12, and in front of a computer all day. I thought that was tough but when my partner started he has to do 8am-7pm with only the 45 min break!

Is it a private company or a well know chain like company?

Also noticed you're in Southampton.. I'm in Chandlers Ford/Eastleigh xx

 

[Katiie]

My work is very good, they wont cut my hours, but after seeing how much I was struggling they mentioned maybe seeing the doctor and being signed off for a week, which I still get paid for.

Im not allowed to pick up the children or anything heavy (I work in a preschool), I work 8-5 or 8:30-6... VERY long days, but Im enjoying my week off!

You should have a longer break... We are entitled to an hour for 8 hours work. I think the law is 15 minutes every 4 hours? But im not sure.

Theres no harm in asking

 

[AngelBunny]

i only get 1 hr break on a 12.5 hr shift (working for nhs) it sucks and makes me want to cry. lol xx

 

[Madamebelle]

I work for a very small company, the owner has two shops, one in southampton and one in poole. He does everything on the skimp. So will pay us min wage and give us the lowest legal allowance for breaks, ive been told though that we are lucky to have the 10 minute break that we get as we get paid for that.

Ive researched it and unfortunately the legal is that if you work over 6.5 hours your entitled to a min of 20 minutes.

Im on my feet all day except for breaks, i refuse to lift heavy items now, i wont go up ladders. My manager said that he will try and find "easy" things for me to do but in retail that is very hard apparently.

If I try to sit down for 5 minutes especially in the afternoon i get moaned at and the saying that they love to throw around at the moment is "your only pregnant" Dont seem to care that im tired, that my back aches and that sitting actually helps once in a while.

I dont have a written contract either which im slightly worried about. I know they cant sack me for being pregnant but ive got this feeling they will make me redundant, use that loop hole to get rid of me, and because ive not got a written contract im concerned they could say in court (cause i would take them to court) that it was for a fixed period of time, and that it would be my word against theirs.