Fit Note - Reduced hours

mofopants · 4 June 2013 at 6:29PM

Not sure if this is in the right place.

i am currently 25 weeks pregnant and am off work for the 2nd time in 3 weeks with a UTI. Last time i took 1 day off due to staff shortages but this one is much worse and my employer told me that being off again today was unacceptable. My doctor has advised that the position of the baby is likely putting pressure on my kidneys and that recurrent UTIs are likely until the birth.

I am really struggling with a long commute and want to ask my doctor to give me a fit note for reduced hours as i have a few other issues which i haven't taken time off for, but are making it hard for me to continue full time.

as my employer makes me keep annual leave from my entitlement for xmas shut down reducing my hours using my holidays is not an option as i plan to work up until 35 weeks and only have 35 hours leave remaining.

If i get my doctor to sign me off on reduced hours do I get SSP for the days I am signed off?

TIA

Cutzee · 4 June 2013 at 6:45PM

Hmmmm. I think your employer may be playing with fire - in terms of you being off again with a UTI as "unacceptable" - as I thought pregnant women had protection with regards to possible discrimination if you are sick during your pregnancy? And it sounds like the UTI infections are due to your pregnancy. Just something to keep in mind...

Time off sick for pregnancy and your sickness record

Time that you take off sick because of an illness resulting from your pregnancy, such as high blood-pressure, shouldn’t count towards your sickness record at work. This includes any time you take off because of a miscarriage.
If you are disciplined or dismissed because of your sickness record when you're pregnant, this may be discrimination. You should get advice.
If your employer decides to dismiss you for taking too much time off sick when that time was due to being pregnant, this is likely to be pregnancy and maternity discrimination. You can make a claim to an employment tribunal about this.
If you take time off because of an illness connected with your pregnancy, or because of a miscarriage, this should be recorded. You might want to keep your own records of time you have taken off sick because of your pregnancy.
Not all time taken off sick when you’re pregnant may be to do with your pregnancy. For example, you may have a cold or the flu. If you’re off sick for a reason which has nothing to do with your pregnancy, this can be treated the same as the usual sick pay policy.
Example
You’re pregnant and have been off sick with a pregnancy-related illness since early in your pregnancy. Your employer dismisses you because their sickness policy says you can’t be off work sick for more than 20 weeks in a row. If all of this time off was due to pregnancy-related illness, this is discrimination.

I'm not sure about being paid SSP whilst on reduced hours. I hope someone else can help you with that query