I recently visited my cousin who is pregnant, just completing first trimester and working..she has had a difficult time as usual with nausea vomiting tiredness ..she was in a very light project when she concieved, with less working hours and flexibility...but now that project got over..now the HR people are alloting another project to her..it requires her to travel often to another city..the nature of project itself is pretty stressful, and the travel is also more stressful because they sometimes sponsor train ticket sometimes flight ticket in economy class and the airport and railway station both are pretty far from client location..she doesn't want to take the risk as she has health issues and concieved after long time of being married...if she doesn't opt for this, there is one more project that requires her to travel everyday for 30 kms, I.e Up and down 60 kms to external client location within same city..she is not confident to travel that far, and wants to join some project within her company campus which is pretty close to her home...company campus is 3 km from her home and she can easily work if they give project there..there is no work from home option for both projects..she has informed HR of her pregnancy but they told her that as long as she is fit to travel she has to travel..else she has to bring medical certification from gynaecologist stating her inability to travel then they'll consider giving some small project in company premises closer to her home..the gynaec whom she consults is very busy lady..gynaec tells her that she cannot give any reason to excuse from travel and that everything is ok, she can travel etc..but as a woman she feels difficulty in travelling due to extreme tiredness and nausea and as she concieved after a long time..her company doesn't have clear cut policies on domestic travel, and transport facilities are not good..so I'm posting few queries on her behalf- 1. if my cousin consults her gynaec and she refuses to issue a medical certificate? What can my cousin do? 2. If the gynaec is ready to give certificate what reasons can she mention for not travelling? 3. Even after giving medical certificate If the HR still keep forcing her to travel on project work how can she deal with them? Note : due to financial commitment she cannot shift her home elsewhere..and she is ready to resign only if there is no other way out..she has been in that company for more than a year and is eligible for maternity leave but she can avail the leave only 6 weeks before due date not before that.
If she does not have financial problems,she can take a break from work I guess..her pregnancy is more important right now.thats what I feel.
Yeah true..as a last resort she is ready to take a break..but if it's somehow possible to get exemption from travel and if she can convince HR to give her a project in the company campus itself that's just 3 km from her home she can manage easily..anyone who has dealt with a similar situation of being forced to travel on office work inspite of personal and health concerns please tell me how you dealt with it.( she lives in India )
