Work saying I have to make up time for doctors appointment

[LA89]

Hi,

I recently found out I'm pregnant and have my first doctors appointment tomorrow.

I'll only be away from the office for an hour but my boss is saying I will have to make the hour up. Is this correct? I thought pregnant women were legally entitled to paid time off for any pregnancy related appointments and that I don't have to make the time up.

I just wanted to check in correct before I go to HR.

Thanks!

I'm in the UK btw if that makes a difference

Yes that’s illegal to ask you to do that.

I would approach your boss as if you’re just giving him a heads up about something he may not realise. Say ‘you may not know this if you’ve not come across it before, but by law I can’t be asked to make up time spent at pregnancy related appointments or have my pay docked for them’

Speak to your boss first before approaching HR. It will likely just be a lack of knowledge. Only approach HR if he digs his heels in and doesn’t respond with ‘oh, that’s fine’.

Btw, the legal info is available on the U.K. government website, you can check there for evidence. Wasn’t sure if you knew (it’s a better more useful resource than a forum!)

Same as gamma said. They are ment to pay u and no u dont make up the time u are at appointments.

Does your boss know its a pregnancy related appt? If so then just say that you wanted to double check why you're being asked to make up the time. If not then you'll need to say its a pregnancy related appt and go from there.

You are totally correct and actually can have up to 6 hours per appointment I believe which aims to cover any delays and travel time.
Definitely go and speak to your manager first and test of its just lack of knowledge. Otherwise head over to HR

Thanks so much for the speedy response guys. He is aware it's pregnancy related and I went back to him and asked him to double check as I was under the impression that I'm entitled to paid time off for antenatal appointments. He said he's checked the company handbook and it doesn't state that in there but that he's happy for me to have paid time off for tomorrow's appointment. He also said to try and arrange future appointments around my shifts (I do two late shifts 11:30-8pm and 3 9am to 5:30pm shifts) and basically said to swap my shifts to minimise disruption of possible.

He's a nice guy and I don't want to get him in trouble but I also want the time I'm entitled to and don't want to have to work until 8pm 3 days a week if my appointment happens to fall in the morning on my early shift.

I want to speak with HR as I think it's just lack of understanding on his part with me being the first female pregnant employee he's had on his team. But I work for a very big company so don't think he should be getting this so wrong either.

Surely he can't ask me to swap to a late shift if I have a morning appointment?

Thanks so much guys. This is stressing me out!

That's bad that your manager didn't know about this.

TBF to him though I think a lot of women do try and schedule appointments outside of work hours if it's possible. I did but I didn't worry if I couldn't IYSWIM.
I worked four days a week so it was easy for me to schedule appoints for my day off particularly as they were non urgent appoints that were made a long time in future.

As others have said he can't as you to work the time back, but I think asking you to consider working appointments around your shifts isn't the worst thing in the world. He's doing it to minimise disruption to his workplace and his other employees so they don't have to pick up your slack (if this is the case anyway). Obviously if the appointments for whatever reason fall during your work day it's just something that he will have to deal with, but you should try to be accommodating too. Give and take imo.

You don't have to make the time up, you get allowances for maternity appointments

I was asked to try to arrange appointments on my days off. I've since become a complicated pregnancy so have appointments every week, work have just had to suck it up. You are entitled to time off OP.

Agree with everyone else. I am a teacher but always got appointments where I could on my PPA time or after school- or before school
If I was quick. I think, personally- that's common curtesy however I understand this is not always possible. Xx

Thanks guys. I'm happy to try and make my appointments in the morning on my late shifts or at least try and make them 9am/5pm on my earlies. I've no intention to take the mick or anything. But I also don't want to have to swap my shifts and work till 8pm 3 days a week if the available appointments don't fit with my shifts is all.

It's all just a bit uncomfortable me having to disagree with my supervisor when he's telling me incorrect information and I'm a bit surprised by it. We're a big company with multiple offices across the UK and over 300 staff in my office. The kind of work I do means if I'm out for an hour it doesn't impact my colleagues and they don't have to pick up my workload or anything so I was just a bit taken aback by his responses.

I've emailed HR just asking them to clarify the position and basically said I don't want to get my super in trouble as he's always been great but could they also clarify the position with him as I'm the first pregnant employee on his team and he seems unsure too.

It’s not in the company handbook because it’s the law applied across the country!

I don’t think it’s unreasonable for them to ask you to book appointments outside of your planned shifts if you are able to, but if you can’t (and in my experience most appointments are just given and don’t have a wide range of options to swap to and from) you absolutely shouldn’t be asked to change your shifts to make your appointments not clash. That’s kinda the opposite of the point of the law.

Stand your ground. Are you in a union by the way?

That's bad that your manager didn't know about this.

TBF to him though I think a lot of women do try and schedule appointments outside of work hours if it's possible. I did but I didn't worry if I couldn't IYSWIM.
I worked four days a week so it was easy for me to schedule appoints for my day off particularly as they were non urgent appoints that were made a long time in future.

Agh sorry for posting twice

He doesn’t have the right to ask you to make appointments outside of work. All of the women who work full time, normal office hours of 9-5 have no choice but to take all of their appointments during work hours, as hospitals and clinics generally keep to office hours. Just because you work shifts doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to the same treatment.

He doesn’t have the right to ask you to make appointments outside of work

He has the right to ask, but not to insist.

He said he's checked the company handbook and it doesn't state that in there

Well it wouldn’t be, as it’s government legislation, not an internal company policy.

Why on earth is he winging it and giving you incorrect information instead of just checking with HR what he needs to know now he’s got a pregnant member of staff? This information is easily available on the .gov website as well, so he has no excuse.

Has he done a risk assessment with you?

Like pp said they cant make you make the time back.Also if you're off sick and its pregnancy related it cant be used against you,its a totally separate sickness record

Send your boss this link www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights
I’m surprised he doesn’t know this 🙄

If you get on ok with him it may be worth letting him know you've mentioned it to HR not in the way of 'I think you're wrong' but as 'as ante-natal appointments may be a regular feature and you want to make sure they're aware'.

It might be worth just emailing him the link to the government website that Longdistance has shared and just say something like-

“Hi, I know this is the first time anyone in the team has been pregnant. I’ve found this web page from the government really helpful on finding out what to expect with regards appointments and stuff while I’m at work. I thought it might be useful for us both to have it so we’re both singing off the same hymn sheet.”

And keep in touch with HR.

You shouldn’t have to spoon feed a manager this stuff, but sometimes needs must.

@LA89 is there an update? Did you speak to HR?