does a scan count as an ante-natal appointment in terms of the right to paid time off when pregnant?

[dollybird]

my friend has been told it doesn't and that she needs to make the time up. I don't know anyone who's ever worked here (myself included, twice) who's had to do that. Her nightmare boss reckons she's checked it with HR, but it seems to me if a scan isn't ante-natal what is??

[Ewe]

Yes it does count, her employer is wrong.

[Ewe]

From directgov...

Time off for antenatal care
All pregnant employees, however long they've been in their jobs, are entitled to reasonable time off work for antenatal care. Any time off must be paid at your normal rate of pay. It is unlawful for your employer to refuse to give you reasonable time off for ante-natal care or to pay you at your normal rate of pay.

Your employer can ask for evidence of antenatal appointments from the second appointment onwards. If asked you should show your employer a medical certificate showing you're pregnant and an appointment card or some other written evidence of your appointment.

Antenatal care may include relaxation or parent craft classes as well as medical examinations, if these are recommended by your doctor. If you can, try to avoid taking time off work when you can reasonably arrange classes or examinations outside working hours.

Fathers-to-be and time off for antenatal appointments
Fathers do not have a legal right to time off to accompany their partners to antenatal appointments as the right to paid time off only applies to pregnant employees. However, many companies recognise how important a time this is and let their employees either take paid time off or make up the time later.

[StercusAccidit]

Yup

Her employer is a bell end

[MaryBS]

Yes - I had a lot of scans in pregnancy, and every one counted.

[DavidSussex]

Usually, yes, if recommended by a doctor. Not the 4D-I-want-a-beautiful-video-of-my-baby-to-show-the-relatives scans though.

[flowerybeanbag]

Yes a scan is an ante-natal appointment.

[dollybird]

her boss and two bosses above are sticking by their argument that it isn't. they also say ante-natal appointments is only with your midwife - when I was pg I alternated between GP and midwife and got time back for them all

[trixymalixy]

They are wrong. I got time off for an ante natal scan this afternoon.

[gigglewitch]

scans are anti-natal appointments, you can even get time off to attend aqua-natal and pregnancy aerobics sessions if you have a letter from your midwife. check out directgov if you need more ammunition for your pal to fire at her dimwit employer.
Grrrr.

[flowerybeanbag]

Here is a very scary link from Equality Human Rights all about the right to time off, including how appointments and defined, and also outlining the fact that the woman will have a sex discrimination claim if she suffers any detriment from trying to use the right she has to this time off.

[gigglewitch]

Nice one, Flowery

[flowerybeanbag]

mwah ha ha!

Hopefully that ought to do the trick.

Am baffled at anyone thinking a pregnancy scan is not an ante-natal appointment tbh!

[gigglewitch]

well it's not like you check how the baby's doing is it

[dollybird]

thanks flowery. tbh this is isn't the half of it, but won't go into detail on here, although this is the same boss who told my friend she could 'get a little job in a shop or pub afterwards'.

[dollybird]

yeah, not like you can send someone else to go in your place

[cheshirekitty]

A pregnancy scan is an important diagnostic tool to detect any problems that may occur in a pregnancy.

Your friend has the right to attend scans with full pay. I could not believe employers were trying to get out of paying expectant mums when I worked as a midwife (I always put the mums right on their rights).

Ante-natal appointments can be conducted by midwife, GP or hospital doc.

[DesperateHousewifeToo]

Make sure that your friend keeps a full account of all these 'conversations' with her bosses, along with dates and times.

Hopefully, they will come to their senses but if not, she might need the information in the future.

Is it a large company? They probably have a written maternity policy she could request direct from HR.

Might be worth making an appointment with them to 'discuss her rights' (even though she knows her rights) in case HR have it wrong too

[dollybird]

Hi all,

it is a large company. Her boss reckons she spoke to HR. They've agreed to give her some of her time back (she's on flex time) as a 'one-off' . She's been keeping notes for months as this all started before she was pregnant, but last week her boss told her that if they couldn't sort out why she (my friend) didn't like her (her boss) then she would have to move jobs!! She had a meeting with her and a senior manager today and went in with three pages of typed up notes of things that have happened, but we'll see if anything comes of it. Her boss is an easy person not to like - she used to be my boss, hence the 'used to'!

[flowerybeanbag]

Hope the meeting is productive, but I agree with Desperatehousewife, she should contact HR directly to enquire about her rights. However incompetent HR are, I can't believe they'd tell a manager that scans don't 'count'.