Health

[matron 22]

An employee has asked for lighter duties at work when she starts IVF. Is there a law that says employers have to do this

[daffy654]

Has she given a reason for needing lighter duties? In what way would her IVF treatment be affected negatively by her current job?

[Maydup]

Its good practise for the employer to consider the request but no obligation to agree to it. I advise asking for the request in writing and for clarity as to exactly what the expextations are. Eg what duties are they being excused from and how often. Then consider the consquences a reply accordingly. Maybe meet them half way?

[Maydup]

^^^^ shocking typing sorry!!

[woofgang]

agree with Maydup's summation but also its important to get the employee to say in writing WHY they feel that light duties will be needed, also how long for.

[boxtops]

A letter from her GP supporting her request would be useful (but she'd have to pay the GP to provide it).

[ummmm]

Doesn't IVF have some harsh side effects for some people?

[woofgang]

I believe so Ummmm but that still doesn't mean that "light duties" would help, or that the employer must provide them. My experience of managing people on IVF was that if things got rough then they took sickness absence and followed the sickness absence procedure of so many days self cert then doctor's cert. It was certainly helpful to be told that they were planning to have IVF and in the work they were ding there were options to be flexible about what they did on not so good days, but we wouldn't have put them on light duties "in case"

[ummmm]

I agree it isn't obligatory but it would be a nice gesture (depending on the size of the company)

[boxtops]

It's a hard call in a way - would you give light duties or special preference to someone who was trying for a baby naturally?

[ummmm]

No, but trying for a baby naturally doesn't usually have any side effects.

Bit tired, maybe :-)

[boxtops]

:-)

[woofgang]

but the IVF may not have any side effects....and (and I know this will make people shout) the employee is choosing to have IVF. I am absolutely not saying that nothing should be done to help, but putting someone on light duties "just because" just doesn't seem reasonable to me.

[boxtops]

My understanding also is that any such request can only be agreed if the employer has "light duty" roles already - they don't have to create a light job if there isn't one available.

[Svejk]

ummmm

///Doesn't IVF have some harsh side effects for some people? ///

Yes, ummmm, some of them end up with kids.

[boxtops]

I can't see any risks here which would be affected by doing a job http://www.hfea.gov.uk/ivf-side-effects.html

[woofgang]

One of the people who I managed was affected quite badly and did need to take sick leave, but she said herself that she thought that the problems she had were probably caused by stress as much as the actual treatment.

[MrsH2012]

I am currently undergoing this procedure myself and informed a select few at my place of work for obvious reasons. If this lady is asking for lighter duties it's because she needs them. The side effects of the drugs taken affect 1 in 100 people which is actually quite common. Before looking up the side effects of my medication I was actually experiencing alot of them. The pain for me is not continuous but it comes from nowhere and then fades as fast as it came. I think maybe you should look up her treatment on the HFEA or NHS website to get a better understanding, if that does not help you then look up the side effects of all the medications she is taking. Stress is an important thing for her to avoid especially whilst on the injections.