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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

working days and Friday off

67 replies

Ilovetea82 · 12/08/2016 11:33

I work a 4 day week and have Friday's off.
When lo has been ill etc I have worked Friday's to make up time and get work done (if I don't do it it won't be done)
I am pregnant and my midwife has surgery on Thursday and Friday afternoons. Would I be very unreasonable to book the appointments for Thursday afternoons and use the time to rest, lo is at nursery then and I would need to bring him with me if I did it on a Friday.
So unsure what to do, I work 45 mins away from home so wouldn't be going back after the appointment....

OP posts:
Ginmakesitallok · 12/08/2016 11:37

I work pt too, it's a hard one isn't it? On one hand you are entitled to time off for antenatal appointments, otoh we're expected to arrange appointments outside work time if possible.

Fuck it - book it on the Thursday, taking your wee one with you wouldnt always be appropriate. If you worked full time you'd have to take time off.

Familyof3or4 · 12/08/2016 11:38

I expect I will be in the minority here but I think if you have a choice to do it on a day off you should use that.

MargotsDevil · 12/08/2016 11:45

Even although you're entitled to the time off I think YABU to deliberately make an appointment requiring time off when there is the opportunity to not do so. Sorry.

amy85 · 12/08/2016 11:48

I think yabu if you are able to book an appointment for your day off then I think you should

pitterpatterrain · 12/08/2016 11:49

I have done a bit of a mix. Not all the clinics have appts on my day off so I tend to offer my day off first and if they can't make it then a working day it is.

Mummaaaaaah · 12/08/2016 11:51

as you have a little one to look after on Friday it is totally appropriate that you book it when you can go on your own. So as late as possible on a thursday so as not to disrupt work would be best solution.

coconutpie · 12/08/2016 11:52

You're entitled to the time off. Go on Thursdays when LO is at nursery.

myownprivateidaho · 12/08/2016 11:53

Do you mean you would book the appointment for Thursday and then make up the time missed from work on the Friday? That's ok, I think. But booking the appointment on the Thursday with no intention to replace the time and when it's available on the Friday seems off to me.

redskytonight · 12/08/2016 11:57

Who will do your work if you take time off for a midwife appointment? Based on what you've said, nobody, so won't that just be making problems for yourself later?

Also, surely the legal right is time off for the appointment - which is about 10 minutes in my experience -so you'd be expected to go back to work afterwards unless it was last thing - I'd personally find this more of a phaff than just organizing it off on my day off (and if it's just a normal check up it's totally fine to bring your DC).

Arkwright · 12/08/2016 11:58

I would arrange it for the Friday. Even though it's allowed during working hours. I always booked the very last appointment time when I worked ffull-time so I took hardly any time off. A colleague deliberately arranged her parentcraft classes during the day when she could've gone at night. It pissed people off.

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 12/08/2016 11:58

Not unreasonable if you're planning to rest on Thursday afternoons and go to the appt and then work Friday afternoon to make up for it.

It is unreasonable if you are planning to book the appt on Thursday afternoon and not make the time up, when you could book it for when you're off.

I suppose you'll have your child either to go to the appt or to work, when neither is ideal, so no situation will be perfect.

Ghanagirl · 12/08/2016 11:58

I think you should book late on Thursday and go to apt alone as its not always easy seeing midwife with LO in tow as you often have to wait long time.
Not sure why people think it's not as you are given time off for antenatal apts if you worked one or two days that might be different but working 4 days with a nursery age child is pretty full on even if you're not pregnant!

Skittlesss · 12/08/2016 11:59

I think my work policy was that they expected you to book appts out of work but if that isn't possible then you can go in work time.

Original poster
Ilovetea82 · 12/08/2016 12:01

My thoughts on booking it for Thursday was so that I wouldn't have lo hanging around the dr surgery for hours (I was first in for my booking app and she was running an hour late). I think the fact I'm asking the question means I know I shouldn't do it.
My scan is on a Wednesday so wondering if I should now offer to work on the Friday to make up for it (I will be expected to work the whole day to cover the morning missed)

OP posts:
Ghanagirl · 12/08/2016 12:03

Redskytonight
10 mins! I used to be a midwife and even the most straightforward antenatal apointment takes around 20mins and that's before you factor in the waiting and travel time.

SouthWestmom · 12/08/2016 12:04

Scan fine
Midwife more regular so although technically you can, I suspect you could be unpopular with colleagues

redskytonight · 12/08/2016 12:06

It's fine to take time off to go to the scan (legal entitlement). What's not fine is taking more time off than you actually need to go to the scan and get back to work (though if for example you started work at 9, your scan was at 10 and 20 minutes from work, it would probably make no sense for you to go in before it). In theory you don't have to make up this time, though if no one else does your work when you're not there, I'm not sure how that would work!!

Ghanagirl · 12/08/2016 12:06

Ilovetea82
Why would you be expected to work whole day for missing the morning?
What do you do...

Original poster
Ilovetea82 · 12/08/2016 12:06

I would need to travel 45 mins back to dr surgery, wait for appointment which could mean I am in and out in 20 mins or 3 hours depending on how late she is running and then another 45 mins back so it's most of the afternoon at best as if I left at 1 it would be 4 when I would be back and I finish at 4.15

OP posts:
MargotsDevil · 12/08/2016 12:08

I think there's a difference between taking time for a scan which is an appointment issued as opposed to choosing to take extra time on the Thursday. It's the choice thing that makes the difference for me.

Original poster
Ilovetea82 · 12/08/2016 12:10

I'm an engineer, I've probably worked far more hours than I should over the years so I come in at all on a Friday its sorta expected I'll be there all day- no written policies just typical to work way more than contracted where I work.

OP posts:
redskytonight · 12/08/2016 12:11

ghanagirl My routine midwife appointments were 10 minutes. (scheduled as). I wasn't counting travel and waiting time which are variable.

SleepFreeZone · 12/08/2016 12:15

Do what you think is right in your situation. My old workplace didn't flinch re. any appnt I had to have. It was a funny old place and whilst I could have really played the system without consequence, I didn't as it didn't feel right. For example I lived a feud distance away do could have easily scheduled an early afternoon appnt sbd basically not gone back after, that kind of thing. But I didn't as I'm not they sort of person, many probably do though snd I would bet it doesn't impact on their career progression afterwards.

PhoebeGeebee · 12/08/2016 12:17

If you worked full time, you'd have to take the time off on the Thursday. You don't work full time as you have a Friday off, which I assume you don't get paid for. If a colleague worked FT and needed a MW apt, she'd have to go in work time (as she is legally entitled to) so why should you have to sacrifice time on your day off for what is a legally entitled to apt? I'd say always try and get the later apt, and don't leave at 12.00pm for example, but I don't think YABU to go to a medical apt in work time at all.

ChasedByBees · 12/08/2016 12:19

I'd book it on Thursday.