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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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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:

Primaryteach87 · 12/08/2016 19:40

I'm 100% of the opinion that you should take appointments during working hours for at least 80% of the time (since that's your FT %). Otherwise you and your toddler (who presumably doesn't think waiting around for appointments is their idea of quality mummy time!) are being severely disadvantaged.

Crunchymum · 12/08/2016 19:55

My line manager was so taken aback that I had a dental appointment in work time (I'm 3 days per week and it made me 15m late) that she actually asked me to change my appointment.

I put the dentalast receptionist on speakerphone to explain why there was no one available to look after my 1yo 3yo whilst I had treatment.

She then asked me why my childminder couldn't have them on a day I was off.

redskytonight · 12/08/2016 20:13

crunchy but you're not entitled to time off for dental appointments!! It's not your employer's fault you have no one to watch your DC (take them with you to the appointment maybe?)

Ginmakesitallok · 12/08/2016 20:27

Dental appointments I'd always make on my days off - unless it was an emergency. Or I'd take it as flexi time (so make up the time)

iminshock · 12/08/2016 20:31

Friday
Unless you want to piss off your colleagues

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 12/08/2016 22:32

Any disadvantage to part timers over this issue is offset by the fact that they can use their day off for getting things delivered, having tradesmen in etc whereas fulltimers have to take annual leave. Swings and roundabouts.

Primaryteach87 · 12/08/2016 22:36

^no because part timers aren't paid on their day off.

Ginmakesitallok · 13/08/2016 08:37

Whoknowswherethetimegoes - nonsense.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 13/08/2016 08:42

Really? As a part timer I find that's a huge benefit.

Original poster

Ilovetea82 · 13/08/2016 09:09

Having reflected on this, I have several thoughts:

If the appointments were on a Wednesday would I be expected to change my working days to accommodate having them on my day off?

I have the luxury of putting lo into nursery on a Friday without additional cost as we pay for a heavily discounted 5th day to allow work flexibility.

At work I have 'accumulated' 6 Friday's this year where I have gone into work to meet project requirements (not making time up due to illnesses) but not 'gained' these back as we do not have a TOIL system. So it's not like I slack off and do more than the 32 hours a week on a regular basis.

Midwife has said that lo can accompany me to some of the appointments as a nice way to include them, so I will book some on Fridays for that purpose.

To be honest and I think it will boil to this it will depend on work loads and what I have going on as to whether I will skive off on a Thursday for them and bring my work along and crack open a laptop in the waiting room. (I'll use my own).

I like the idea of trying to get a balance between the two.

Good will to your employers doesn't meant they won't make you redundant when you are supposed to return to work.

OP posts:

RubbleBubble00 · 13/08/2016 09:38

I did a mix of both. On work days I made my appointments as late as possible, usually got in a little earlier on those days to take pressure off

Ginmakesitallok · 13/08/2016 09:39

Whoknows- it's not a "benefit" to be able to do stuff on days you're not being paid. The days I'm not working aren't "days off" , they are non working days.

I get paid less because I work less.

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 13/08/2016 09:51

It is a benefit because I can take 5 whole weeks annual leave a year without having has to use odd days up here and there having plumbers in etc like my FT colleagues. In return I make sure I schedule medical appointments etc for non-working days too, whereas the FT colleagues are allowed to have them in work time. So it kind of balances out.

bluecashmere · 13/08/2016 09:53

I'm really surprised so many people have said you should go on your day off because you will annoy your colleagues otherwise. It says so much about attitudes to pregnancy and motherhood in the workplace. You are legally entitled to that time off. I worked full time so had no choice but to have time off. Also had a long journey to appointments but I made them late in the day to avoid to much disruption. I was working over my hours (unpaid) other days anyway. Going on a Friday doesn't make sense to me if you can't go alone. Taking a dc to appointments will mean you and MW can't concentrate fully.

Ginmakesitallok · 13/08/2016 09:56

But Whoknows- you are "paying" for that privilege! When your ft colleagues are taking time off to wait for their plumbers they are being paid! You're not! Yes, working part time makes my life easier in some ways, but I sacrifice about £1000 a month for that flexibility!

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es · 13/08/2016 10:03

I do know that, and I didn't mean that it is a benefit in the strict monetary sense but it's definitely an advantage. I'd far rather have plumbers in during unpaid time than take holidays for it so as far as I'm concerned it's a benefit of being part time.

finova · 13/08/2016 10:13

I always booked on day off and took my toddler. A colleague always took time out of work (pregnant at the same time).
The place of work were not loyal to me and I nearly lost my job whilst on mat leave (very stressful). If I could go back I'd do 50/50. It's much more stressful having to entertain a toddler whilst getting your bp checked etc.

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