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Sunday, 17 October 2004 |
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Employers are required to protect the health and safety at work of all employees and others, including new and expectant mothers. When assessing risks in the workplace they should pay particular attention to risks that could affect the health or safety of new or expectant mothers or their babies. All reasonably practicable measures should be taken to prevent exposure to risks through removal of hazards or implementation of controls.
Employers should inform you of any potential risks and the need to provide written notification that you are a new or expectant mother as early as possible.
If a risk remains which could damage the health or safety of a new or expectant mother or her baby, employers must follow a series of steps to make sure she is not exposed to that risk.
- The same steps should be taken if the new or expectant mother has provided a medical certificate stating that the night work could damage their health or safety.
The ultimate action to avoid a risk to a new or expectant mother is to suspend her from work on maternity grounds, but before being suspended, she must be offered suitable/appropriate alternative work, if any is available on terms no less favorable than normal.
- If you are suspended you must be paid normally during this period.
- It is unlawful for an employer to dismiss an employee because of a health and safety regulation, which could give rise to maternity suspension.
- This applies regardless of your length of service or hours of work.
More information can be found at: http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/mat-pl958d.htm
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