To take time off for lunch today despite leaving early?

[tryingmyworst]

I have a maternity appointment at 2 today, so need to leave for 1pm to get there on time (and that’ll be stretching it).

Just wondering if I was being unreasonable to take my half hour lunch break before this? I can’t find anything online to say if I can do this or not.

I wouldn’t bother at all but I have horrendous sickness still in the second trimester and feel much better after some food. I don’t have time to go shops this morning for something at my desk so it’ll be staff cafe.

AIBU?

how many hours will you do to leave at 1?

can you take a sandwich with you

YANBU. You’re entitled to both.

Yanbu. You are entitled to a lunch break and time off for maternity appointments. You will do your job much better if you have a break and you need to eat.

You are entitled to both. Personally I'd have made myself lunch to have at my desk or eat on my way to the appointment though.

Absolutely you should. It's inportant to have a break and eat as a pregnant woman, especially with your morning sickness.

Leaving at 1, I’d think you were taking the mick to have a lunch break before that to be honest. Surely you can just grab something takeaway and not take the whole half hour?

If 1pm is cutting it fine, I'd leave at 12.30 then grab lunch when you get close to your appointment.

YANBU you are entitled to both.

I'd leave with enough time to get lunch on the way

You obviously have to eat but id have brought a sandwich to eat while I'm working. Would it be less obvious if you left at 12:30 and didn't come back to your desk before leaving for your appt?

@Cleanerdilemma

Leaving at 1, I’d think you were taking the mick to have a lunch break before that to be honest. Surely you can just grab something takeaway and not take the whole half hour?

This, you might be entitled to a break but it’s a bit of a piss take. I’d be making a sandwich / bringing a tin of soup or grab a ready made salad from a shop to eat at my desk if I was you.

I’d grab a sandwich en route as you’ll be waiting around there anyway. Seems a bit jobs worth to require a defined half hour extra tbh

Leaving at 1, I’d think you were taking the mick to have a lunch break before that to be honest
Agree too. Doesn't show much dedication for the job especially if you are not coming back after your appointment. It wouldnt have crossed my mind to take a lunch break earlier, I wouldn't have been able to look my colleagues and boss in the eyes.

I'd also have taken something with me.

It’s a piss take - take a sandwich

You're posting in AIBU so going to get a lot of people who haven't been pregnant commenting saying you are taking the piss

Legally you are entitled to take time off for maternity appointments and don't have to make the the time up

Having a lunch break is also a legal requirement

Take both

If you're working with a screen you should be taking regular breaks to refocus your vision and stretch your legs anyway. A lap top means you should rest every half hour for 2-5 mins and those that work on a pc monitor should be taking a 5-10 minute break from the screen every hour. Some public authority systems have these breaks built into their systems, however, if you look at your work's Health and Safety Review you'll see it there as standard practice.

If you need to leave early to eat before your appointment then personally I'd build it into travel time.

I think I’d probably make do with some biscuits or snack bar and then eat properly after the appointment.

I'd go a little earlier and grab a sandwich when you get there. Or grab a sandwich to go from your staff canteen, but still going a little earlier.

I have an appointment at 3 today and I am going to work through lunch although I am entitled to the break. I feel like I would be taking the piss to go out for an hour and then swan off 2 hours early. I have brought my lunch in to eat at my desk whilst working.

They don't have to give you an hours lunch, you're legally entitled to 20 minutes and they dont have to pay you for it so don't take the piss.
I think taking a break from 12-1 then leaving early at 1 is taking the piss and really you're about to take a whole load if time off so worth getting some brownie points in rather than taking as much as you can from them. Grab lunch on your way to your appointment.

I had a similar timing problem, a 3pm appointment meant leaving at 1.30pm thanks to public transport.

My boss made me take my lunchbreak beforehand though, his wife had been pregnant just 1/2 year earlier and I think she conditioned him in looking after pregnant women.

I tried to eat a bit early so I would be able to finish off before leaving.

Not sure if you can eat on the go or while waiting nowadays. On public transport you can't eat thanks to a mask and cafes are still closed and it's maybe not the best weather for eating outside. In our surgery/hospital you have to wear a mask also all the time, no cafe, no eating while waiting.

I can’t eat biscuits etc. It has to be something proper to help. No shops that I pass on way in either. Just got here and about to login but didn’t have time for shopping unfortunately

I'd have my lunch break. Why not? So what you're going to a maternity appointment.
My work were terrible at giving me breaks so I took my lunch before my appointments.
It was nice to have a little break and have something to eat before I was up and about again.