Pregnancy: Your rights in the workplace

The law is designed to protect pregnant women and new mothers at work. Maternity Alliance guidelines tell you what you’re entitled to

Your employer must make sure that your working conditions won’t put your health or your baby’s health at risk. If you’re pregnant, have just given birth, or you’re breastfeeding, it’s illegal for an employer to dismiss you if you can’t do the same job as before due to health and safety risks.

Risk assessments

Your employer must carry out a risk assessment of any working conditions, processes, or physical, chemical and biological agents, that could jeopardise the health and safety of you or your baby
If the assessment reveals a risk, your employer must do all that is reasonable to remove it or prevent your exposure to it.
If the risk remains, your employer must temporarily alter your working conditions or hours of work
If that isn’t possible, you must be offered suitable alternative work on terms and conditions that are no less favourable than your original job
If there is no suitable alternative work, your employer must suspend you on full pay

Examples of working conditions and agents which the law recognises might harm your health and safety

mental and physical fatigue and other physical burdens
handling of loads entailing risk of injury
movements and postures
shocks, vibration or movement
travelling (either inside or outside work)
noise
extremes of heat or cold
ionising or non-ionising radiation
biological and chemical agents, mercury and mercury derivatives, lead and lead derivatives and carbon monoxide

Night work

If your work involves night shifts, you have the right to transfer to suitable alternative day work or, if none is available, to be suspended on full pay. You must tell your employer in writing that you are pregnant and provide them with a medical certificate from your doctor or midwife stating that you cannot work at night for health and safety reasons. If you do this, your employer must transfer you.