NHS Overtime While Pregnant

veryconfused20

Is anyone aware of any specific legislation within the NHS that specifies whether pregnant women are permitted to carry on working overtime? Or does anyone have any direct experience of the answer? I understand this may be Trust specific but wondered if there was general guidance that stated when pregnant you were required to only work your contracted hours for health and safety reasons, etc?

Thanks

General_Grant

Risk assessments have to be carried out by the employer - as they are for all employers with pregnant workers.

connor0811

I was under the impression that you can’t be forced to do overtime, unless your contract explicitly states this. But then I thought ah NHS it will almost definitely be in the contract. (Maximum of 48 hours a week still applies though, unless you’ve signed anything to waive this)

 But I’ll say this (if I’m allowed, sorry if not), if you already aren’t in one, join a union, they may get a lot of bad press but with stuff like this they’re brilliant. It’s worth it joining for the legal representation most offer and the one I’m in, indemnity insurance for healthcare workers (I’m not a healthcare worker just to add).

I hope somebody on here gets you a definitive answer quickly and you have a healthy and stress free pregnancy and enjoy the next chapter in your life.

Good luck 

General_Grant

connor0811 said:

I was under the impression that you can’t be forced to do overtime, unless your contract explicitly states this. But then I thought ah NHS it will almost definitely be in the contract. (Maximum of 48 hours a week still applies though, unless you’ve signed anything to waive this)

 But I’ll say this (if I’m allowed, sorry if not), if you already aren’t in one, join a union, they may get a lot of bad press but with stuff like this they’re brilliant. It’s worth it joining for the legal representation most offer and the one I’m in, indemnity insurance for healthcare workers (I’m not a healthcare worker just to add).

I hope somebody on here gets you a definitive answer quickly and you have a healthy and stress free pregnancy and enjoy the next chapter in your life.

Good luck 

The OP was not, as far as I could see, asking about whether their employer could force them to do overtime but in fact seemed to be asking whether they could continue to do the overtime they were already engaged in.

The risk assessment I mentioned should address the question of whether the pregnant employee needs adjustments such as reducing hours.

oh_really

Op, what is the actual issue?