Pregnant employees have 4 main legal rights:
- paid time off for antenatal care
- maternity leave
- maternity pay or maternity allowance
- protection against unfair treatment, discrimination or dismissal
‘Antenatal care’ is not just medical appointments – it can also include antenatal or parenting classes if recommended by a doctor or midwife.
Employers cannot change a pregnant employee’s contract terms and conditions without agreement – if they do so they are in breach of contract.
Under normal circumstances, employees must tell their employer about the pregnancy at least 15 weeks before the beginning of the week the baby is due.
ENSURING YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK
When the employee informs their employer of their pregnancy, the employer should assess the risks to the employee and their baby.
Risks could be caused by:
- heavy lifting or carrying
- standing or sitting for long periods without adequate breaks
- exposure to toxic substances
- long working hours
Where there are risks, the employer should take reasonable steps to remove them. For example, offering the employee different work or changing their hours.
Please visit: https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave/eligibility for more comprehensive details.
Care Workers Union
