my work...can they be serious

[Kate83]

work have requested for me to proveide them with a letter from my doctor saying i shouldnt be lifting! Are they serious, im 27 weeks pregnant. Basically my job is driving and lifting, i deliver school meals. I have spd so sitting for long periods of time is difficult so i have requested to be based in the school rather than galavanting off round the county. Can they really expect a pregnant woman to lift unless she gets a docs note?? PS im employed by the government. thought they would have been really hot at this sort of thing and accomodated me easily.

 

[Flipsy]

If they want a letter then just get them a letter its easier than arguing. they shouldn't need one it should be common sense and part of your risk assessment hun

my work were ace just said don't risk it and get a colleague to lift stuff. It might be they have to suspend you on full pay if they can't place you elsewhere x

 

[Terangela]

Nope, if it is something that modifies your duties they will need a note.

 

[spring_baby]

Just for ease of life and less stress for you I would go and see yr doc and get the letter, yr doc will give you the letter and as to yr work I think goverment jobs are probably the worse sticklers of all, not from personal experience but from friends of mine, so i get where yr coming from.
I just think that its easier to cause yrself less stress to do it their way xx

 

[KitKatBit]

It does sound ridiculous I agree, but like the others said, I'd just play the game and get the note so you've done your bit and are completely covered. You could probably even just ring your docs and get them to do one for you to pick up, rather than needing an appointment.

 

[Flipsy]

Nope, if it is something that modifies your duties they will need a note.

different in the uk x

 

[SIEGAL]

Sometimes places just have their policies or laws they must abide by even if it is obvious. For example, I needed extra pee-breaks during my law school finals. This is done through the office of disability. Law School exams are regulated by the American Bar Association - they have to comply by the laws the ABA makes for them or they lose their ability to mint ABA approved law school graduates. So, I needed to bring a dr.'s note that said pregnant woman need to pee alot. Both the office admin at dr.'s office and disability coordinator thought it was funny but why argue, right?

 

[lisaf]

Sometimes places just have their policies or laws they must abide by even if it is obvious. For example, I needed extra pee-breaks during my law school finals. This is done through the office of disability. Law School exams are regulated by the American Bar Association - they have to comply by the laws the ABA makes for them or they lose their ability to mint ABA approved law school graduates. So, I needed to bring a dr.'s note that said pregnant woman need to pee alot. Both the office admin at dr.'s office and disability coordinator thought it was funny but why argue, right?

PMSL!!!! That is just awesome! Love that you had to get a doctor to confirm what you can just google or read in a book!
I totally get why they made you do it, but it is quite funny!

Different country than the OP though... they seem to get better protection there than we do here.

 

[goddess25]

I wouldn't argue about it either, just get a letter from your health care provider and be done with it. I have a few friends who are nurses in the UK that had to provide letters to the NHS for modification of duties as well... in terms of lifting.

 

[Kate83]

oh dont get me wrong im not argueing, im just schocked that they need a doc to say i shouldnt be lifting, its like a weird comedy sketch. They know im preg cos of the work MATB1 form that the midwife fills in for u to get maternity pay. Im wondering whats next, a letter from doc to say my waters may break and therefore i will cause a slip hazard???

 

[Tanikit]

That is pretty crazy - I worked as a vet before maternity leave and was often lifting heavy dogs onto tables - once I got pregnant I just stopped and no one ever questioned me - in fact most people were quite happy to lift their own dogs or if they were really big I asked the people who worked their to help. I think I would have laughed if I had been told to bring a note. Just before I left if I did pick up even a small dog there were people who told me not to which I laughed at since I was still lifting my own much heavier daughter!

 

[pickles]

Have a look at the Health and Safety bit on here:

https://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parent...ilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10026556

I too work for local government and a senior manager has tried to haul me over the coals for pregnancy related sickness. They don't stand a chance.

Make sure they do a regular risk assessment as your needs chage as your bump grows, so the RA they should have done at the beginning of your pregnancy may not be relevant to you now.

 

[Chellepot]

I can help with this as you are in the UK. The health and safety at work act requires them to carry out a risk assessment for a preganant woman in the work place. If they haven't done one they are breaking the law, provided you have given them written notice of your pregnancy.

Quoted from the HSE website:

"Employers are required to assess risks to all their employees and to do what is reasonably practicable to control those risks. They must include any hazards/risks to new and expectant mothers, when conducting this risk assessment. More information on how to do a risk assessment can be found in HSE's guidance Five Steps to Risk Assessment[1].

It is important that female employees inform their employers that they are pregnant, have given birth in the previous six months or are breastfeeding. The notification should be given in writing, as early as possible.

When employers receive written notification from an employee that she is pregnant[2], has given birth within the previous six months or is breastfeeding, they must conduct a specific risk assessment. The assessment must take into account any advice provided by the woman's GP or Midwife on her health."

Now whilst it states there that your employer must take into consideration advice provided by your GP/Midwife, when it comes to lifting there is no need as the risk factor assosciated with lifting in pregnancy would be too high for them to justifyably continue to ask you to do it (if they have done their risk assessment correctly).

If you want to have a look here is the link to the website: https://www.hse.gov.uk/mothers/information.htm

I actually wrote the risk assessment for pregnant women in my work place before I was pregnant myself so if you have any questions please feel free to private message me. Not only do I have my own Health and Safety quals but my mum also work for the HSE lol, so no shortage of good advice. x

 

[Kate83]

thanks. I rang my docs today and the receptionist just laughed, thought it was a wind up. She also said ill be charged for the letter so I have phoned midwife and left message hoping she can do it. I had a risk assesment early on but i havent had one since. To be honest im still waiting for Jeremy Beadle to pop out from under the desk!

 

[Tadan]

That says it all when the receptionist laughs! I would tell work if they want a letter they can bloody pay for it! Thats terrible! My work had to do an update on the risk assessment as I got bigger?

 

[UkMum2b]

That is odd, it is definitely their responsibility to assess your working enviroment if you are pregenant. At my work it's all office based but they still assess things like chairs, workstation layout, whether you want a foot rest etc. You shouldn't be having to tell them, they should assess you.

 

[Kate83]

Midwife kindly wrote a letter for me (free) its a little tongue in cheek which I love. Hopefully that will be enough and they can leave me alone!

 

[Tadan]

Oh good, I'm glad she did it for you. Lets hope it shuts them up!

 

[Chantibug]

thats odd . i never needed a letter like that, and i was a waitress (lifting trays, chairs, etc) until the day i went into labor, twice. I guess it makes sense if you suddenly arent able to lift what you could before though.. for me it wasnt hard cause i never lifted more than about 35lbs or so, and while my job said not to do it i did anyway lol,.