Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are not complaining about the sick leave they get while they are pregnant but about the fact it has the potential to eat into their sick leave over the four-year period ahead. The Minister may be aware that a survey carried out in Norway found that three quarters of pregnant women took sick leave from work but that this can be reduced through flexible work adjustments. Overall, 35% of women cited fatigue and sleep problems as the main reason for taking sick leave, followed closely by pelvic girdle pain and nausea or vomiting, with 32% and 23% of women suffering these symptoms respectively. The study also looked at work adjustments for pregnant women and found 60% of the 2,197 women surveyed reported having adjustments made to their working situation. On average, these women reported taking seven days less sick leave than those who went without job adjustments.

Does the Department have the potential to put in place a system where the employer is obliged to be more flexible with regard to pregnant women in order to deal with some of these problems?

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