Considerations for working mums-to-be
Not sure how to approach working while pregnant? With no small number of appointments to attend, documents to provide and claims to make, keeping track of your rights and responsibilities can be a challenge. Use this helpful checklist to make sure you know your workplace rights and responsibilities at every stage of your pregnancy.
As soon as you know you’re pregnant (first trimester)
- Think about when to tell your boss you’re pregnant
- Schedule time off for your prenatal appointments
- Work out how much paid parental leave you’ll receive
- Think about when you’d like to start your parental leave (and how long you’d like to have off work with your baby)
- Your partner should check their entitlement
End of your second trimester
- Tell your employer that you’re pregnant (if you haven’t already)
- Apply for parental leave
- Provide a medical certificate confirming your pregnancy and due date (if your employer asks)
- Complete your claim for the government-funded Parental Leave Pay scheme
- Make sure your partner gives notice to their employer now if they intend to take leave at the time of birth
- Contact FSU to let us know when you will begin the unpaid portion of your parental leave and the date that you expect to return to work – so we can waive your union fees while you are unwaged
- Be sure to keep copies of all correspondence with your employer about your parental leave and return to work arrangements
When you’re around 30 weeks pregnant
- Start thinking about childcare If you’re considering formal childcare arrangements, check your local childcare centres to get an idea of waiting list timeframes
- Talk to your manager about the kind of contact you’d like to have with your workplace during your parental leave.
Some considerations to make include:
- How will you be told about changes happening at work, including job vacancies?
- Would you like the opportunity to work to help you keep in touch, attend a particular event or take up a training opportunity? You can agree to work up to 10 ‘Keeping in Touch’ days during your parental leave
Before returning to work
To ensure a smooth, stress-free transition, it’s a good idea to start preparing for your return ten weeks before you’re due back.
- Make contact with your manager and talk about your return to work, confirming your hours and days of work
- Confirm your childcare arrangements
- Request flexible working arrangements if you need to balance childcare and work commitments
- Contact FSU if you need any advice or assistance returning to work
Contact FSU for assistance
FSU exists to promote, improve and protect the conditions and entitlement of its members. If you need advice regarding your pregnancy, parental leave, or return-to-work arrangements, contact FSU.