I want my furloughed employee to return to work; she’s pregnant and resisting
3.
Q I want my furloughed employee to return to work; she`s pregnant & resisting a return on the grounds that she could be putting her unborn child at risk. What do you advise?
A
Your obligation as the employer is to make the place of work safe i.e. social distancing. See the answer to question 1. If there is a risk of serious or imminent danger then you may need to alter their conditions of work or find an alternative activity for her. If you can comply with these conditions the employee has to return to work.
The exception could be that if the employee is four weeks or less from their due date then they could start their maternity leave early.
The employee has no right to be paid if they do not return to work, unless they have a reasonable belief that returning to work would put them in serious and imminent danger.
Every month we feature a selection of outstanding candidates.
J is a 33 year old nanny/housekeeper. She is a Filipina with a British passport and experience with children from newborn. J is equally comfortable in a housekeeper or nanny position. She lives in north-west London and is seeking a live out position.
R is a very young and fit 59 year old lady from the Philippines. She has been in the UK for 25 years and is a British passport holder. She is very child and pet friendly and is a great cook to dinner party standard. R is a driver and has her own car. She was in her last position in Holland Park for 14 years and is leaving because the family are relocating to Switzerland. She is seeking a live out position.
J is a 42 year old Indian lady with a British passport. J speaks excellent English and is a super housekeeper/cook. She worked for clients of ours from 2016 until 2018. She is seeking a live in position.
B is a 42 year old Hungarian lady seeking an afternoon position from 2pm, Monday to Friday. She is a super housekeeper and a very good cook.
C is a lovely nanny. She is 30 years old and has a Romanian passport. C has experience with children from 4 months old and speaks very good English and also Spanish. She is happy to live in or out or on a rota.
M & V are a super multi-lingual couple. V is 38 and M is in his mid 40’s. They have long term experience working together. Both of the couple drive and are great cooks. M is skilled at maintenance, care of swimming pools, air conditioning units, diy and repairs etc. V is a skilled laundress and housekeeper. Between them they speak Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, and French. This couple are seeking a live in domestic couple position or are equally happy to take separate live out positions.
J & L are a Filipino couple with Spanish passports, 50 and 48 respectively. They have very long term experience working together and both speak Spanish. J is an excellent housekeeper/cook/laundress and L is a driver/handyman/maintenance man/gardener etc, as well as also helping in the house with heavy work. They are seeking a live in position.
D is a butler/house manager, in his early 40’s. He is originally from New Zealand and is a British passport holder. D has held positions with many high profile employers and is very flexible with working times, days and locations. D is happy to take on a short or long term role