Pregnant with health problems_quit work?

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paddi22

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Hi,

i would really appreciate it if someone could help me out with this problem or give their opinion on what she should do.

A family member has recently found out she is 2 months pregnant and has no support from a partner.

She is currently working in a call centre. She has a number of health problems that could endanger her pregnancy, as well as having high blood pressure. She finds her job really stressful and the doctor in the company has signed her off for three weeks. Her HR department is putting pressure on her to come in and talk to her, and are generally difficult to deal with. She feels it is a private matter and does not want to discuss it with them, especially as the doctor has said to hold on for another few weeks before annuncing her pregnancy..

She really, really wants to quit her job as she feels it is too stressful, as well as being awkward shift wise and an unpleasant environment, and low paying.

The problem is she is worried if she quits she won't get benefits (rent allowance etc) as she left voluntarily. She is unsure when to go into social services or what to say. She also doesn't want to return to the job as it doesn't pay enough to cover childcare.

Will she still get rent allowance etc if she leaves work by her own choice?

Any help appreciated, as she is really upset and so confused about the whole thing. She went in to talk to Treoir and another association but they weren't great and one of them was quite judgmental.
 
I would think she should go into social services and have a chat. Is it possible she could go on disability benefit until just before maternity benefit as it seems to me she is unlikely to be fit for any work? Maybe just check the eligibility criteria for that? I know that you can still receive unemployment benefit even where you leave of your own accord in certain circumstances but you still have to be fit for and available to work to qualify?
 
Thanks for that. I'l def tell her to look into the disability benefit. It sounds like she should be eligible. She was worried about the 'being fit for and available for work' disqualifying her from umemployment benefit. Her weight makes her exhausted and not able to be very active as her blood pressure goes too high, and she def wouldn't be up for finding and starting a new job. Plus there is a period I think where you have to wait before you qualify for the dole, and she wouldn't be able to survive without it moneywise - with rent to pay and all.

She is unsure whether to go into Social services yet. She is afraid they will say 'well you have a job', and she thinks that if she hangs on in work they might fire her even. She is all over the place and hasn't a clue what to do. She was also wondering how much pressure is applied to go back to work after you have the baby. She has always worked in low paying jobs and is despairing about having to go back to a job she hates, with not enough money.
 
Make sure that she works at least 12 weeks of her pregnancy or else she does not qualify for maternity benefit - maybe someone else can verify this. Its either maternity benefit of Illness benefit not fully sure!

God help her if she is unwell at this stage as its a long time to the birth, but hopefully all will go well.
 
Yeah i don't think she can manage 12 weeks of work. they can't even change her to an easier job. She is just stuck in a catch 22. She can't work due to health and she can't quit or else she wont get benefits.
 
I think she should go on sick leave/disability for as long as she has to. I *think* this counts as employment for the purposes of maternity benefit (she should check this out). Is she worried about being put under pressure to go back to work? If she isn't able to work, she isn't able to work. As a pregnant woman she is very well protected, there is little or nothing to company can do to her. They are under no obligation to pay her (no company has to pay sick pay), but they can't fire her either.

Edited to add, congratulations to your family member! I hope that she has as happy and healthy a 9 months as she manages!
 
The first thing I would recommend she does is go striaght to her local social welfare officer and tell her/him exactly what her situation is. Maybe she can also get a letter from the doctor confirming that she is unable to work due to her health. She will be advised what she is eligible for. I wouldnt be too sure what she can get right now, but after the baby is born and if she isnt working she will be entitled to her lone parents book which is around 200euro a week (which I imagine would be very hard to live on) and also rent allowance. If she decides to go back to work part time, she will be entitled to a percentage of her lone parents book if she earns under 400euro a week, and possible Fis. There is great help out there for single parents, but it will be tough for her.
 
Thanks for the help. I'l show her the posts and advise her to get a letter from the doctor in work. She went to her doctor outside work, who was very judgmental and advised her how important it was to to keep her 'career' going, as the doctor herself had managed to have a child and still work (although being married and on a high wage probably helped the doctor!). This upset and confused her at first, but then she went to the doctor in work who signed her off immediately and would probably give her a letter saying as much. I suppose a trip to the social services is in order for her as a first step.
 
Check out some of the other threads in this area for maternity benefit regulations - also check out Health and Safety Benefit, which is a payment made to pregnant women in certain work circumstances.

Information on Social Welfare entitlements can be found on www.welfare.ie
 
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