Category Archives for Blogs

Balancing the bump – Preparing for maternity leave/birth – childcare issues

Annabel: There is no doubt about it that having a baby is a very big event in a woman’s life. From an employer’s point of view though, it is can be just another thing they need to work around and deal with. Some employers find this really difficult to deal with on a practical level and uncertainty about whether a woman will really return from leave a year later can make some bosses withdraw from the relationship. This can make the woman feel she is not welcome to return and set off a spiral of ‘disengagement’ that can make it hard for both parties.

Laura: Having a good handover and return to work plan can really help. Discuss this with your boss and showing that you are planning to make things as easy for them as you can.. Keep talking – even when you are on leave. If you don’t get on with your boss get someone in your office that you trust to keep you up to speed with changes and projects.

Annabel: Your boss is not the only person you may find yourself liaising with at this point. Whenever your baby is due your partner is entitled to up to two weeks’ paternity leave. They can take this to coincide with the birth or within the next eight weeks. They need to sort this out with their boss and make the appropriate requests. If your baby is due after 3 April 2011, your partner may also take up to six months additional paternity leave if you return from maternity leave early. In a nutshell, he can take the rest of your leave (to a maximum of six months) when you go back to work … and if you go back to work before your statutory maternity pay is finished, he will also get paid (at the same rate and for the same period as your outstanding statutory maternity pay). Your partner has to give at least eight weeks notice to their employer before they can start the leave, and there are other processes to go through and conditions that he must meet. You have to give at least eight weeks notice if you want to come back before your year is up. Although you don’t have to do this before the baby is born, you need to start talking about what you want to do, how it will affect you financially and emotionally. If you really are planning for your partner to take the final six months of leave, then it would be a good idea to mention this informally to your boss so they know that you may want to come back early and make suitable cover arrangements.

Laura: I have one client in particular who is waiting for the Paternity leave to be extended in order to start a family. They cannot wait to start a family and it makes far more financial sense for him to be the main caregiver. However without the new paternity rights it would have been difficult for him to take the extra leave and return to his job. I am excited by the changes which I feel will really benefit family units. Both partners get to experience the highs and lows of being a parent and will be far more supportive of their partner knowing the full story. More families are having to adapt to a new way of working and roles are no longer clearly defined in the home. Even feeding breast milk can be continued (although in a bottle) when Mum is away as companies become even better at providing facilities to express milk for nursing mothers.

Do you have a query that you’d like Laura or Annabel to answer? Follow this link and post your question for them – http://balancingthebump.com/contact/

Posted by on 12/04/2011 12:10:19

Did you Follow today’s #1230KISS Twitterview with Mindy Gibbins-Klein?

Karren Brady and Mindy Gibbins-Klein

One question I posed to Mindy was – Yesterday evening I had the great pleasure of hearing Karren Brady speak at the Kent2020 Dinner. One of her six key points to successful business is “Direction” Karren said “The whole world steps aside for a man who knows where he’s going”. I asked Mindy if she agreed/would like to add to that.

Quick as a flash came back “A MAN who knows where he is going?! Surely women on fire make people JUMP aside!”

Posted by on 08/04/2011 14:39:54

Looking to give someone a hot lead…

I’ve just had an American client of mine ask me if I know someone who could do some work of a type that I personally don’t do. Perhaps at the 1230 Blackeath event tomorrow I could really make someone’s day by passing this lead on! If you are going to be there….I look forward to meeting you!

Balancing the Bump – Working whilst pregnant, sickness and absence issues

Annabel: Pregnant women are protected from discrimination, so you should not be treated worse than a male colleague on sick leave if you are off with a pregnancy-related sickness. Even if your employer’s sick pay scheme is ‘discretionary’, this does not entitle them to exercise their discretion in an unlawfully discriminatory way. You should take advice if you feel you are being treated differently to other sick colleagues.

Laura: A condition which affects mobility is Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD) which causes pain in the pubic area. This can be debilitating and you may find it hard to walk, so the commute becomes impossible . If appropriate, you could work from home or see if your employer would stretch to a taxi in and out of work. You could also see if your role could change, for example working on a different project or in a different department until you go on leave. Your GP may issue you a fit note, which is a sick note listing what you are fit for, and what adjustments are needed to get you back to work.

Annabel: Employers are not obliged to adjust your role in line with “fit note” recommendations. Many employers will make adjustments for you, but if they can’t then you will be off sick until you are fit to return to normal duties, at whatever rate of sick pay you are entitled to. If you work with lead, radioactive substances or hazardous chemicals that potentially put your unborn child at risk (your job’s risk assessment should show this), then your employer has a duty to adjust your role, offer you alternative employment (at the same rate of pay) or even suspend you on pay in order to protect you and your unborn child. This is extremely rare and does not cover any general worries you might have – for example being exposed to coughs and colds during the winter etc. If you unreasonably refuse an alternative role, you may not be paid. Take advice if you find yourself in this situation.

Laura: Your employer is able to start your maternity leave early if you take time off in your last 4 weeks before your due date because of a pregnancy related illness.

Annabel: This is because maternity leave is triggered by pregnancy related absence (including illness) during the last four weeks. A common reason for this is the baby coming early. If you do start maternity leave earlier than planned, remember you need to come back earlier than planned!

There is no reason why pregnancy needs to be a problem for employers if they support their team in the right way and communicate effectively.

Do you have a query that you’d like Laura or Annabel to answer? Follow this link and post your question for them – http://balancingthebump.com/contact/

New Photography Boudoir Site

Please check out my new boudoir website, www.beautifulme.co
If you like what you see, please tell your friends about it.

Posted by on 31/03/2011 21:54:14

Blackheath Rocks!

I really enjoyed today’s event. I had no idea there are so many talented business women on my doorstep that I would never have otherwise met or known about. From designers, to vegan chocolate makers, to maternity consultants to IT Communications specialists….and that’s just a few of them. Brilliant!

Balancing the Bump – time, money, parenthood and the law

Annabel: I am always amazed how women deal with being pregnant at work. Women who were healthy and robust sometimes adopt the attitude that pregnancy is some form of illness and that they simply cannot do a reliable or complete job whilst pregnant. Others sail through with no obvious change until the very latest moment. There are so many misunderstandings about safety and risk when it comes to pregnancy at work.

All employers need to do Health and Safety risk assessments. All but the smallest employers should have them in writing. This assessment should include risk to pregnant women and unborn children regardless of whether anyone is pregnant at the time the assessment is done.

Laura: When you notify your boss that you are pregnant your workspace should be checked to see that it is set up appropriately for you and your growing bump. You may also need a specific evacuation procedure so let the building manager know that you are pregnant or ask your line manager to do so. If you work very long hours this may need to reduce depending on your circumstances.

Annabel: If the job involves a lot of standing, then you may need to have somewhere to sit when things are quiet so you can take the weight off your feet! If your job involves lifting you should already be trained in ‘Manual handling techniques’. You can always split a box – carry half at a time or ask a colleague to help.

Laura: In my experience emotional health is a real ‘risk.’. There may be an overwhelming sense of responsibility which can increase the risk of stress related illness. A woman may feel more anxious . Managers should be sensitive to this – but not let underperformance go unchecked.

Annabel: There is a real difference, both legally and practically between “Here is a note from my GP saying this is dangerous for me because this is not a healthy pregnancy and I am at risk (or my baby is)” and “I am pregnant, I must be careful, so I have decided that I can’t do the following things.”

Do you have a query that you’d like Laura or Annabel to answer? Follow this link and post your question for them – http://balancingthebump.com/contact/

Annabel Kaye is Managing Director of Irenicon Ltd, a specialist employment law consultancy. Tel: 08452 303050 Fax: 08452 303060 Website : www.irenicon.co.uk. You can follow Annabel on twitter – http://twitter.com/AnnabelKaye. Our specialist site for pregnancy and parenthood at work can be found on www.balancingthebump.com

Busy at Friction

I’m happy to have 1230 coming to do their 1230 Twilight event at Friction lounge and bar Beckenham, I’m very excited about this and the events I have arranged there . It’s going to be a good year.

Did you miss me?

Great to see everyone who was at yesterday’s meeting in Bromley – and thanks for my special 1 minute spot : )

I had to leave before the end to go and seal a deal (it was worth it!) but it did mean I wasn’t there to give people more info on my event – THE FIVE KEYS TO CREATING ENOUGH TIME.

Here’s the web address for all the information and booking: http://www.essential-woman.com/bromley
Please pass it on to all the women you know who will benefit!

Look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Posted by on 17/02/2011 10:51:30

Hello Blackheath!

I’m really looking forward to the first meeting of the 1230 Blackheath group on 3rd March. I hope to meet up with both new and familiar faces and get chatting and sharing!

Posted by on 17/02/2011 14:08:40