Husband offered new job two months before I'm due

[Shabeth]

Hi everyone
Had some exciting news today that's got me panicking, my husband has been looking for a new job for months and finally been offered one! He's not told them I'm pregnant yet he was only offered it today, tried to ring back to give them a heads up about paternity and they've not gotten back to him yet.
He really needs to leave his current position it's affecting his health but I'm worried about him potentially missing the birth, the new role may take him away for up to two nights a week, nothing we aren't used to. I'm wondering what legal right he has if he'll still be on probation? I want him to ask for only local runs for a few weeks until I'm due and from then until I have the baby that way he'll definitely be able to get back to me. But what if they don't offer this? I'm pretty sure they can't not give him his two weeks paternity but worst case he's 5 hours away from home, leaves early misses the birth and gets fired for bailing mid shift then he's out of work with a new born and me on maternity.
Do you think it's reasonable for the company to give him local runs or am I being over panicky?
I really am happy about his opportunity.

[flowery]

He won't be entitled to paternity leave obviously, so he'll need to ask if he can take either annual leave or some unpaid leave. I'm sure they'll accommodate a little bit of time off if they possibly can.

No idea whether it's reasonable to ask for 'local runs' because I don't know how much of a change from the norm that would be. He can ask the question but there's no obligation on them to comply, and I would suggest he doesn't push it when it comes to inconveniencing a job he's literally just starting.

There's no reason to think they wouldn't let him come home when baby arrives. That could be 'emergency dependents leave' which would give him a day or two.

Ultimately it sounds like he really needs this job. He can ask for a bit of time off around the birth, and ask them to be flexible with his work if that's possible, but I suggest you make some contingency plans so that if it doesn't work, you can cope.

[TinaMena]

Trouble is, the law is still discriminatory against men in this respect, and doesn't entitle them to time off like a woman would in the same circumstance.