Information for line managers

Your employee is pregnant - what now?

1. notification to the HR department by the pregnant woman

Your employee has informed you as her supervisor of her pregnancy. Please remind your pregnant employee to inform the HR department as soon as possible. She will need her maternity pass with the expected date of birth.

2. prepare a risk assessment

Ideally, a risk assessment for the workplace of the pregnant/breastfeeding employee should already be available. If the risk assessment has not yet been drawn up or is incomplete, this should be done as soon as possible.

As soon as you become aware of the pregnancy or that the employee is breastfeeding, you as the supervisor must immediately prepare a risk assessment in accordance with Section 10 (1) of the Maternity Protection Act (MuSchG) and define the necessary protective measures.

Here we provide you with three risk assessments for different areas, which you are welcome to use:

3. discuss the risk assessment with the pregnant woman

Once you have completed the risk assessment, discuss it and the resulting measures with the pregnant woman.

You both (the pregnant employee and you as the supervisor) sign the risk assessment.

4. implement the results of the risk assessment

If hazards have been identified, the necessary protective measures must be taken and adhered to. If hazards cannot be eliminated, alternatives for continued employment must be sought together with the pregnant woman and implemented if necessary. Employment must not take place despite the express wish of the pregnant woman! This applies to both female employees and female students.

If no alternative employment option without risk can be found, the employer must issue a ban on employment.

5. keep the risk assessment

The risk assessment remains with the supervisor, is filed there and presented to the inspecting body if required.