I'm currently in early pregnancy. I have notified my employer about being pregnant. I work as a bus driver and can often be driving up to five hours at a time without easy access to a toilet. I already have very little space between my stomach and the steering wheel. Other women who have been pregnant have had alternative work given to them before they went on maternity leave. I have not had a risk assessment done yet and my boss has known I have been pregnant for three weeks. He says he needs proof that I am pregnant via a MatB1 form. But surely something can be done? Please help.
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I am currently on a fixed term contract that ends at the end of Jan 2013. Before going on leave for Christmas I had been told that my post would be renewed. I then informed my employer I was pregnant. I returned from the Christmas break to be told that plans had changed and that my position was no longer required due to budget constraints and I would be redundant at the end of January. After this I could be retained on a casual basis but with no guarantee of work. This whole situation appeared to change once I informed them I was pregnant, for the 6 months before this I had been assured my contract would be renewed. Does this sound like I have a case for pregnancy-related discrimination?
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My company announced in March / April time that they would be reducing numbers and therefore we would have to apply for a role. This was shortly after I had found out I was pregnant. My line manager and task manager were informed as I felt I was struggling and as I was worried about whether this would impact my application. I was told it was bad timing by my task manager and told not to worry by my line manager. I applied for a role in my exiting team at the same level and two others (we were encouraged to apply for 3) in different teams, same level. There then followed a period of waiting where I was signed off with hyperemesis. On my return I was told I was unsuccessful and was therefore at formal risk of redundancy. The pregnancy was then known by everyone. During the time since then (1st June) I have appealed this decision due to the way the application forms were scored as I felt last year’s rating was used when I was not in the role long due to maternity leave. This was unsuccessful. I was then given three months’ notice, giving me a last working day of the day before my estimated due date. I have obviously been applying for jobs internally, but cannot really go externally as I would lose the right to SMP, although I do understand I could apply for Maternity Allowance. I have had a few interviews, but not been successful. I put in to leave early on maternity leave which was accepted. I have been signed off for several weeks now with hyperemesis. However, I attended an interview last week which again I was unsuccessful for. My line manager is saying that there will be some interviews held next week (which may be when I have started maternity leave) but I will have to travel for these 1.5 hours each way on public transport, which I don't really fancy but will do if I have to. My question is whilst I am on maternity leave - what do the company have to do to fulfil their legal obligations to me? It is a very large company so there are new roles coming up on the vacancies list pretty much daily, although obviously not all are suitable for me, but I am certain that at least one a week (if not more) would be. What do I have to do whilst on maternity leave? Do I have to attend all interviews offered? Do I have to keep my eye on the vacancies board and apply for jobs etc.?
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I am 27 weeks' pregnant and my company have asked for applications for voluntary redundancy. I have been with the company 1 year and 11 months. I was told I qualify for SMP, which I knew. What I would like to know is do they need to pay me Company Sick Pay if the company is still running? That is 6 weeks at 90%, then 12 weeks at 50%? In the last 2 weeks they have moved me from 1 project to another. No formal letter was issued, just a meeting with my manager. I was told I was being moved as the company was in a mess financially and that they had to place people in projects which were more suited to experience. The project I was in before was involved in going into prisons and working with prisoners on release. They also used this reason for moving, for my safety, even though in the 5 years previous, no pregnant person was every moved from the project. I became concerned when the Team Leader of HR asked me if I was seconded from the prison project or transferred. If she doesn't know, who does? I just fear the worst, at a time when I shouldn't be stressed.
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I have worked for my company for 3 1/2 years and in October last year I received a 10% pay rise. It is a small company and in April this year I started a trial as general manager, but stepped down and requested I return to my original role as office manager earlier this year. I did not receive another pay rise during this temporary role change. Since requesting to return to my original role which was agreed in the meeting I did not have any further discussions, meetings or letters on the subject until two months later I received a letter requesting my presence at a meeting to discuss my return to my original role and a subsequent drop of 10% in pay to reflect the drop in responsibility. Can they do this as there was no relation in pay to the job role change? There was a difference of six months between each event. Any change in salary will effect my SMP and holiday pay throughout my maternity that is due to start in December. Can I fight the pay cut as it equates to me losing a fair amount of money just as I need it most?
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