Additional Guidance on Managing Pregnant Employees

New guidance - to help protect the health and safety of new or expectant mothers at work - has been published today by the HSE. This is in addition to previous HSE guidance, reported back in December 2002.

A Guide for New and Expectant Mothers Who Work aims to answer some of the questions employees may have about continuing to work while pregnant and returning to work after the birth. New and Expectant Mothers at Work: A Guide for Health Professionals, highlights the importance of health professionals' role in helping to protect these women.

Employers have a legal responsibility to protect their female employees from hazards and risks in the workplace and to assess possible risks to new and expectant mothers. If risks are identified then the new or expectant mother is entitled to a change in working conditions, be offered suitable alternative work, or if that's not possible suspended from work on full paid leave for as long as necessary.

Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) statistics found that in 2001, out of 1,434 potential tribunal cases involving pregnancy maternity related discrimination, 1,387 involved some breach of health and safety legislation.

The term 'new and expectant mothers' covers women who are pregnant, have given birth in the last six months or are breastfeeding. Employer requirements are made under Regulations 3, 16, 17, and 18 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

New and Expectant Mothers at Work: A Guide for Health Professionals will only be available to download (PDF) from the HSE website at:
www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/index/indg373hp.pdf

Both guides support the recent publication, New and Expectant Mothers at Work - A Guide for Employers [reported on the Workplacelaw Network, 9 December 2002].
This document is for general guidance and research purposes only, and does not purport to give professional advice. Please check the date at the top of the article; the Workplace Law Network retains historic articles for general research.