Wondering why so many pregnant health workers are facing workplace risks for COVID-19? We at @MaternityAction have been working in this for a while. /1 #covid19

First of all, health and safety protection for pregnant workers was appallingly bad pre-COVID. @EHRC research from 2015 found that 1 in 25 pregnant workers left their jobs due to unsafe working conditions. /2

You would think that this would prompt urgent action by Government. But it didn’t. They reissued some HSE guidance, with no substantive changes, and left women to fend for themselves. /3

Enforcement of health and safety for pregnant workers remains weak. Women are left to pursue employment tribunal claims to hold employers to account. This is complicated, expensive and takes years. Not the swift and affordable solution women need. /4

So when #COVID19 hits, health and safety for pregnant workers is already a problem. Pregnant women were declared a vulnerable group on 16 March. But no Government guidance was issued on how to deal with pregnant workers. /5

Many employers put pregnant women on sick leave or unpaid leave rather than follow health and safety law. Government guidance could have sorted this, but there was no guidance. /6

As a result, @MaternityAction advisers have faced a flood of calls from pregnant workers who are deeply distressed about unsafe working conditions. /7

We at @MaternityAction have produced FAQs on health and safety at work and a template letter for pregnant women to use, but we don’t think it should be left to pregnant women to sort this out. They have enough on their plate. https://maternityaction.org.uk/covidmaternityfaqs/write-to-your-employer-for-health-and-safety-protection-during-pregnancy/

There are over 500,000 pregnant women in the workforce in the UK. These women should be treated as an integral part of the workforce, not an afterthought. It’s time for Government action on health and safety protections, and to address the gaps in the #COVID19 support schemes. /9