To think employee should give notice of maternity appointments

[Namechange202323]

So cover can be arranged? At the moment she is telling us on the day of the appointment “have to leave 3 hours early today, have an appt” or “not in tomorrow got my 20 week scan, sorry forgot to mention earlier”. It basically means that, if it’s on a day where others are already off on holiday etc, the colleagues who are in have to stay late to cover as the work can’t be done in time, if they can’t then I have to as the team manager or stuff gets cancelled last minute which has a big effect on the income of the business. These are the standard pre-booked appointments that she’s known about weeks in advance. Is totally get it later in the pregnancy when issues can just crop up that need checked, and by then hopefully her cover should be fully trained. I’ve asked her to put appointments in her calendar that she knows of but she just says she forgets. She’s also has several private reassurance / sex scans, tests etc, on top of the NHS ones, all during working hours and last minute notice.

Unless being closely monitored she will have prior notice so yanbu

Yes unless it's an emergency appointment, she should let you know in advance.

She has the right to the time off. You have the right to notice for the planned appointments.

She should be telling you of any appointments that are coming up that she knows about beforehand.

I don't think you have to allow time off for private scans!
I know my private scan I booked out of working hours, but if I didn't I would have had to book annual leave for it or take it unpaid.

I doubt you have to pay her for the private reassurance scans so that may focus her mind a little.

Someone who is better sighted on the legalities will hopefully be along but I think it’s reasonable to expect notice of medical appointments. Whether you can say she can’t go without providing notice I don’t know.

She knows when they are - she’s just being crap.

I sympathise - I’m in a similar position without the pregnancy angle

Yes should tell you. Is the woman concerned someone who before the pregnancy was prone to telling you things at short notice?

I'm trying to find out where employer stands. Can we insist on notice, I feel like I’ve asked her several times and she’s doing it on purpose. There were a few performance related issues before she announced pregnancy but we’ve backed off on that now - I’ve been told to be quite careful but it’s really frustrating the team.

What does your maternity policy say? Has she had a maternity meeting where everything has been explained to her?

She should be using her own time for the private scans.

You should have a written maternity policy.

Yes, last minute holiday requests etc! One was refused as no cover so think this is payback!

@Namechange202323 could she be using the days to get random days off as and when preferred?

You are allowed to ask for proof of appointments and the appointments have to be recommended by a doctor or midwife - the private scans are unlikely to meet this requirement

Work is entitled to ask for proof of the appointments.

She’s also has several private reassurance / sex scans, tests etc, on top of the NHS ones, ask her to schedule those for first thing in the morning if possible. You can't with the NHS ones.

You're allowed to see proof and also I think its only meant to be ones the professionals have recommended not just if she fancies a scan she gets the time off.

The private scans are not covered by legislation, and you are not obligated to give her paid time off to attend those (though some employers choose to do so).

For known in advance (20 week scan etc.) stuff I always let my manager know/ put it in the diary for awareness. Towards the end of pregnancy it can get trickier as you end up with quite a few appointments with less notice. That said, I've always tried to stack mine (where possible) on the same day. They tend to overrun, but it's better to be out of action for one day (and it be the same day consistently where possible) than dribs and drabs of 30 mins here and 45 mins there scattered through the week.

I had a baby last year but also work in HR

Each scan or midwife appointment was scheduled at the previous appointment, so always had adequate notice. I was heavily monitored due to issues in first pregnancy and for the most part still had at least a week notice. I always just gave my employer the letter or told them about it as soon as I knew. You aren't being unreasonable to do to ask this. You could possibly say you need at least XX two days notice otherwise you can't guarantee you'll be able to release her.

You also only have to give her time for nhs appointments. Private scans aren't necessary, if she needed extra scans due to health concerns the nhs would provide these. If she is just doing it because she fancies she needs to do it in her own time (unless your policy states otherwise).

Ideally this should be outlined in your maternity policy ie "employees are allowed time off work for maternity appointments however should give as much notice as possible" so if it's not, it might be worth raising.

Good to know we can say something on the private scans. I wouldn’t mind if it was third trimester or she was high risk but it’s neither - she’s only 21 weeks atm but this has felt like so many appointments already all last minute notice. I’m sure i’d only had about 4 appts by that point in both pregnancies! All I had weeks of notice to give work.

Thank you. Policy days:

“If you are pregnant you are entitled to reasonable paid time off for ante-natal care during working hours. Although it is not always possible, XXX would request that you try, wherever possible, to arrange appointments to accommodate both your needs and the needs of XXX. You should also try and give XXXX as much notice as possible of appointments.”

Could we argue that the amount of time is not reasonable and she’s not trying to give notice, so her actions are against company policy?

What does your HR person say, OP? They can certainly advise you
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Do you have a HR department? I'd be asking for their guidance TBH.

The appointments should be arranged well in advance, so I’d email her with a copy and paste of the contract, reminding her that she should provide adequate notice, and ask her to let you know the date(s) of the next ones. I’d also say that you may need to refuse any last minute requests in future if cover hasn’t been able to be arranged in advance. She’s clearly trying to play the system.

You should still proceed with the performance issues problem. She isn’t immune to that because she got pregnant. No wonder your team is frustrated.