Top 10 Tips for Supporting Pregnant Workers

It is important for employers to look after a pregnant worker’s health and wellbeing during pregnancy, keeping them safe from workplace hazards and supporting them during and after their pregnancy.

1. Consult company policies

After your employee has made you aware of their pregnancy, you should find out about your company’s pregnancy and maternity policies ahead of your next catch up with them. You can then talk them through these policies and their statutory rights at your next meeting, and inform then where to find this information.

2. Encourage openness

Encourage your employee to be honest about any concerns they have so that you can provide the support needed. Every pregnancy is different, so avoid making assumptions and allow your employee to make recommendations.

3. Carry out an individual risk assessment

Your general workplace risk assessment should assess the risks to women of childbearing age – when you have been notified in writing of an employee’s pregnancy, you must carry out an individual risk assessment, including:

A review of your existing risk assessment
Discussion of any conditions or circumstances with their pregnancy that may affect their work
Discussion of any concerns about how their pregnancy could be affected by work
A consultation with their safety representative or trade union if they have one
Medical recommendations from their doctor or midwife

4. Review the risk assessment regularly

The individual risk assessment should be reviewed and adjusted regularly as the pregnancy progresses and if there are significant changes in the workplace or employee’s work activities.

5. Share risk assessment findings

Upon completion, share your findings with your worker, and their safety representative if they have one.

6. Protect them from risks

If a risk is identified, you must first try to control or remove it. If this is not possible, you must follow the below steps:

Adjust working conditions or hours to avoid the risk
If 1. is not possible, then give them suitable alternative work
If 2. is not possible, then suspend them with full pay for as long as necessary to protect their health and safety and that of their child

7. Plan around appointments

Employees are entitled to reasonable time off for antenatal appointments with full pay. Employers cannot, by law, refuse an employee time off during working hours for these appointments, or expect them to make the time up later.

It’s best to keep a note of when these appointments are scheduled so that you can work around them.

8. Keep in touch during maternity leave

Keep your employee appraised of any relevant developments in the company, such as reorganisations, new opportunities etc.

It is also good to discuss any flexible working arrangements required, and a potential phased return to work, ahead of their return date.

9. Prepare for return to work

Meet at the start of your employee’s return to discuss the plan for restarting work, along with updates, suggestions or concerns either of you have. Make sure you are checking in regularly as they settle in to make sure they are okay and any help needed is provided.

10. Make provisions for breastfeeding

If your employee plans to breastfeed, they must have access to somewhere hygienic and private to rest and express milk if needed, as well as a fridge to store their milk in.

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