Corona Virus -11 weeks pregnant and sent home from work - Need to know rights

lisastevo

Hi. I work in a supermarket and due to the CoronaVirus I have been told I can’t work because it is now not safe for me to continue. I asked about pay and they said it will be 1 weeks company sick pay followed by SSP but I’m sure as a pregnant employee my employer needs to do a risk assessment and if my work environment is deemed unsafe and there are no alternatives I have to be suspended on full pay until the risks can be removed? 

Any help or guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks 

General_Grant

As a start ask for a copy of their risk assessment.
(But you are correct that it is supposed to be suspension on full pay if they can't remove a risk.)

jonathanc8888

How long have you worked at this supermarket?

gettingtheresometime

But your employer can't feasible do a risk assessment as there's nothing they can do to eliminate the risk of you catching the virus especially as the government have said pregnant women are to be considered vulnerable.

So I guess the question is how do they treat an other person whose considered vulnerable?

lisastevo

I’ve been in touch with ACAS and with what I’ve told them about my case they said I am indeed correct and I should be suspended on full pay and to raise a grievance. 

The point they have made is that if I wasn’t pregnant I would still be able to work. The company have identified that I am at risk being at work. If I was self isolating because I have symptoms or a member of my
household had symptoms it would be a different story but as it stands the only thing stopping me going to work is the risk to myself or unborn baby.

I hope I can deliver the evidence to my employer and not have to go down the grievance route. 

Thank you all for your responses. 

gettingtheresometime

lisastevo said:

I’ve been in touch with ACAS and with what I’ve told them about my case they said I am indeed correct and I should be suspended on full pay and to raise a grievance. 

The point they have made is that if I wasn’t pregnant I would still be able to work. The company have identified that I am at risk being at work. If I was self isolating because I have symptoms or a member of my
household had symptoms it would be a different story but as it stands the only thing stopping me going to work is the risk to myself or unborn baby.

I hope I can deliver the evidence to my employer and not have to go down the grievance route. 

Thank you all for your responses. 

This is a strange time for everyone .....everyone is literally flying by the seats of their pants.
However, the way I interpret the advice given by the government, is that pregnant women should limit their social contact.

as you work in a shop that is potentially difficult so I guess it could be argued that your employer is showing you a duty of care by allowing you to self isolate now.

If you want to work then I guess if you gave your employer a 'get out of jail' card should anything happen, they'd be happy to let you work.