Manager’s guidance
Pregnancy
Most women have uncomplicated pregnancies. However, there are some who experience a variety of health problems.
If a pregnant employee is experiencing any of the aspects of pregnancy raised below, line managers should discuss with them the impact they may have on their ability to do their job and have a plan in place to accommodate them. Please note that the list below is not exhaustive, if the line manager is unsure of how to accommodate anything advice should be sought from HR or Occupational Health.
Aspects of pregnancy which may affect work
| Aspects of pregnancy | Factors in work | Actions to lessen impact on work |
|---|
|
'Morning' sickness, headaches
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Early morning work; exposure to nauseating smells
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Temporary adjustment to hours/ explore opportunity for home working; temporary relocation
|
|
Backache
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Standing/manual handling/posture
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Accommodate changes in posture; restrict manual handling activities
|
|
Frequent visits to toilet
|
Difficulty in leaving job/site of work
|
Allow flexibility for toilet breaks
|
|
Increasing abdominal size
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Use of protective clothing; work in confined areas;
manual handling
|
Source suitable protective clothing/PPE in advance of it being required
|
|
Comfort
|
Work uniforms not fitting
|
Source suitable maternity uniforms in advance of it being required
|
|
Balance Problems
|
Working on slippery, wet surfaces
|
Alternative footwear
|
|
Varicose veins
|
Standing/sitting
|
Accommodate changes in posture.
|
Risk Assessment
As soon as the line manager is informed of the pregnancy, they are expected to conduct a risk assessment for pregnant staff members. The risk assessment can be found on our Safety, Health and Wellbeing pages.
Medical Appointments
Expectant mothers, regardless of their length of service, are entitled to reasonable paid time off to keep appointments for ante-natal care. Ante-natal care is not necessarily restricted to medical examinations, for example, it could include parenting classes. Members of staff should give their managers as much notice as possible of appointments.
Managers should note that fathers and partners are allowed to take unpaid time off work to accompany expectant mothers to up to 2 antenatal appointments.
Pregnancy Related Illness
Absences related to the pregnancy will not normally count towards the staff members’ sickness absence record. Should the staff member fall ill due to a pregnancy related illness within 4 weeks of the expected due date, the maternity leave will automatically be triggered.
Managers should discuss any illness with the staff member and put in place and temporary adjustments to work, for example later start times which may be beneficial to the staff member.
Facilities
Pregnant and breastfeeding women may need to use toilet facilities more frequently. The need for physical rest may require somewhere she can sit or lie down comfortably in private, without disturbance at appropriate intervals. Managers should, wherever possible, identify areas where women can take rest breaks.
Return to work
If a woman returns to work within 6 months of delivery or if she will still be breastfeeding after returning, the risk assessment for her work should be reviewed. In some roles, for example if the new mother is exposed to toxic chemicals, unsealed ionizing radiation sources or pathogens, the risk assessment should be reviewed to consider the risk of exposures that could result in contamination of breast milk.
The line manager should consider whether the new mother may need assistance with or temporary alteration of work routines if the work is physically demanding e.g. jobs that involve lifting and handling of loads, or prolonged periods of standing or walking.
Line managers may also consider whether a temporary adjustment to workload would be beneficial, for example, suspending certain duties for a temporary period to enable the new mother to concentrate on one particular area of their work.
Flexible Working
St George’s is committed to all employees achieving a productive balance between work and life outside work. Often new mothers may request a change in their working arrangements. Types of flexible working may include; Part-time working, Job-sharing, Flexible working hours, Compressed hours, Term-time working/Annual hours and Working from home on a regular basis.
Managers should consider any requests carefully and agree a pattern that suits the employee and department.
Arrangements for mothers wishing to express milk
New mothers who are still breast-feeding will need access to a private room and a break— usually once or once or twice per day— to be able to express milk. She will also need access to a fridge to store expressed milk until the end of the day.
For new mothers wishing to express milk or rest whilst pregnant, SGUL has the use of a student union room on the 2nd floor of Hunter. The key is held in the Security office or the Student Union Office. Anyone wishing to use it just needs to ask for the key. You should ensure your maternity risk assessment is in place.
If possible, local arrangements could be made. All that is required is a room that is available on a daily basis at appropriate times which can provide privacy and which is close to somewhere for the woman to wash her hands.
They will also need access to a fridge to be able to store expressed milk until the end of her work day. Fridges in tea rooms should be suitable: provision of a dedicated fridge is unnecessary. Milk containers can be stored inside a second larger box, locked or tamper-evident if thought necessary, to ensure they are secure and not contaminated whilst stored in the fridge.