How can I avoid heavy tasks at work in my pregnancy?

Moses Ssesanga

What you need to know:

  • The law is on your side. Your supervisor is mandatorily required to make your work station conducive and comfortable. You should take the issue up with your HR department or your supervisor’s boss.

My work as a security point officer involves getting up to search guests and whoever is getting into the premises. I am six months pregnant and cannot keep getting up because it exhausts me even before midday. I have asked my boss to redeploy me in a location where I can work when seated but he has refused. What should I do? Bena

Dear Bena
It is not acceptable that your supervisor continues to ignore the fact that your pregnancy is in its second trimester and hence you can’t continue to be as resilient and versatile in execution of your duties as you were before the pregnancy.
What you should know is that the law is on your side. Your supervisor is mandatorily required to make your work station as conducive and comfortable as reasonably possible to your situation.
He should make arrangements to ensure you are removed from your current station, which requires constant movement or staying on your feet for long and assign you lighter responsibilities until you commence your maternity leave.
Your boss must understand that he can be held liable should your health or the baby you are carrying become adversely affected arising out of his negligence.
He should be made to understand that his inability to employ empathy towards you is putting the company at litigation risk with dire consequences.
Take the issue up with your HR department or your supervisor’s boss. If you have a Workers Union branch at your workplace, ask your Shop steward to take up your case with management. Should you fail to get redress, contact the Labour Officer in your district.
You should not under any circumstances endanger the health of your baby or yourself since you are now in a vulnerable situation.

Moses Ssesanga
Head Human Resource
NMG - Uganda
[email protected]