Time off work for appointments...

[Solaia]

Hi

I just wondered whether those of you who have had lots of appointments to do with infertility have told your work why you are off?

We are fairly early on in the medical journey (although on cycle 27) and on Friday I put through three requests at work for upcoming medical appointments for scans etc. I know my line manager is going to be extremely curious as to what is going on!

As nice as my manager is, I feel that this is really private - we haven't even shared with our families that we are heading along the IVF road. It's not like a broken foot or something.... Should I explain to my manager? What did you do?

There is another girl in the office who is going through her 4th cycle of IVF and is very open about it, but I feel like it is almost a sort of soap opera in the office. 'Is she or isn't she pregnant?' is a constant source of discussion I don't even like the idea of my manager wondering in her head!

Thanks

Solaia

[SarahFx]

I told my second in line manager that we would be starting IVF after Xmas. She is a lot more approachable than my other female boss.

She was great and said I'd be entitled to special leave for any appointments and could mark my diary with asthma clinic (I have severe asthma) in case anyone else wondered. She asked if I was keeping it a secret and I said I was and didn't want anyone in the office knowing.

You wouldn't tell the office if you were ttc normally so why would you make it public knowledge you were having IVF.

[Inthebeginning]

I told my boss straight away. I think it depends what relationship you have but if you are going to need extra time off in the future then it's best to be open about it all. Maybe just "fertility investigation"?

[Grittzio]

A few years ago now but I told my boss and nobody else apart from parents and a couple of close friends. my boss was great and no questions asked when I said I had an appt. IME if you have to deal with a failed treatment the less people that know the better. Good luck on your journey, hope it really happens for you soon x

[moggle]

We'll hopefully be doing our first cycle of IVF in jan/feb and I'm planning on telling my boss. He's actually a bit of a nob but I think he's a good guy underneath... I work in the civil service and they have recently introduced a new policy which means you have a meeting about attendance if you have more than 6 days off sick a year; IVF related stuff is on the list of exclusions from that, so if I don't tell him and have to take much time off I could get a warning about attendance.
I will be keeping it a secret from others though and most family, although I have told 2 close colleagues. Having said all this, my clinic is near work and I'm hoping I can fit in planned appointments before/after work or at lunchtime.

[SarahFx]

Moggle, I'm a civil servant too. I've had a look at our IVF policy and it says that from the embryo collection you are in a protected period and no trigger points would be reached by ivf related sickness.

I want to print it off but I couldn't run to the printer fast enough in case someone else saw it. Need to stay late one night!

[queenbee81]

I'm a teacher and I have told my headteacher and my line manager. I had little choice really as I am not allowed time off during term time.

Perhaps just tell one person x

[kitty555]

I work in a school too hence can't really always have time off during the week. I have spoken to my line manager and one other senior member of staff (who is a lady so understands it all a bit better than my male line manager). My manager was really understanding though and told me to take time off whenever needed. x