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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Antenatal appts while on annual leave?

23 replies

YummJeelyPiece · 14/04/2021 22:09

I had requested a day off of annual leave for next Friday as I am also a student and need time off to work on a paper I have to submit by the end of the month. Now, two days ago I finally received my NHS letter for my 20 week scan and it is on that same friday I had requested off.

Does anyone know if I have a right to still have that as paid time off to go to my appointment, meaning I can save that day of annual leave for the following week, for example? Obviously I won't be able to work on my paper now that I have the scan booked and it seems unfair that I'll have to waste that annual leave to go for an appointment...

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

sylbunny · 14/04/2021 22:17

You'll have to check your contract I think but I wouldn't think so. I know that if you're sick on annual leave, most companies state in the contract that you can't swap your day to sick.

Elouera · 14/04/2021 22:19

Agree, you need to check your contract or speak to HR. I doubt it. A scan doesn't take up the entire day.

Justmuddlingalong · 14/04/2021 22:20

You would be entitled to time off for your appointment, but not a whole day. Can you cancel your AL day and have the whole Friday off the following week?

HunterHearstHelmsley · 14/04/2021 22:20

What time is your appointment and how long will it take you to travel there and back? You'll be expected to work around the scan.

drpet49 · 14/04/2021 22:20

Seriously?

cherrypiepie · 14/04/2021 22:34

Can you not ring and re arrange your scan?!
as you need to study and have plans that day that you can't move. They may be able to bring to forward a day. Just ring ASAP. The Monday morning would be lovely ☺️

Les awkward than cancelling and rebooking leave.

GoToSleepBabyPlease · 14/04/2021 22:37

You can have the time off for the scan but it won't be a full day. I used to take a morning or afternoon depending on scan times because that's of long it took to get there and have the scan.

See if they'll let you cancel your leave but don't expect to be able to take the whole day for the scan

RosieGuacamosie · 14/04/2021 22:39

Surely you can work on your paper around the scan? It won’t take the whole day

HoppingPavlova · 14/04/2021 22:40

Just as you don’t need the whole day for the scan and would need to work around it, could you not just do the same for your uni paper?

Planty13 · 14/04/2021 22:41

Please don’t ask as they will think you are a total piss taker.

You could cancel your AL but you will be expected to work your normal hours with the exception of travelling to and from your appointment + the appointment itself.

Surely you can do your assignment around the appointment the appointment won’t take all day.

BramStoker · 14/04/2021 22:42

It's just one of those things, bad luck I guess but asking to change your AL so you can have paid time off for the scan is taking the piss a bit imho

The scan will presumably only take an hour or so anyway

MeepleMe · 14/04/2021 22:43

Surely this is a good thing? I'd be feeling pleased that I didn't have to take time off work and put others under pressure by not being there. I always try to schedule appts on days off, thought most people did.

Lou98 · 14/04/2021 22:45

As others have said, most job contracts only allow time for the appointment itself, not the full day so in theory you could cancel your AL but it would mean you would have to go in to work before/after the appointment. I think it also depends how much notice the company require for cancelling AL, I'm not sure if this is something that varies?

Why can't you do your work around your appointment? The appointment itself only takes about 15mins and whatever your travel time is so surely can still do the work before/after the appointment?

SeaTurtles92 · 14/04/2021 22:51

I doubt it.
Yes for paid time off but you only get the appointment then come back depending on the time.
I used to get my scans for about 3pm so I didn't have to go back and it was just easier.

Original poster

YummJeelyPiece · 14/04/2021 23:54

Thanks for the replies.

I didn't het to choose the date or time of my scan, I was simply told a letter would come through. In the letter itself says that only reschedule in exceptional circumstances and it's fair enough, of course as the NHS is under a lot of pressure.

I work 7-3pm and appt is at 10.50am. It takes around 35 mins travel each way plus the appt is supposed to be 30 mins + bloods + waiting time (so far I've had to wait around for my appts one time about 30 mins). It's a bit of an awkward time. Also I didn't make it clear but I wasn't expecting to have the full day off as paid time off. Just the time needed for the appt and then work around it. Then take my leave another day to do my course work.

If I can of course do some of my uni work after my scan but the point being that I need more time than just the afternoon - reason why I asked for a holiday day in the first place. I also have 3 year old so I can't 'just do my uni work another time' - I need to use the time he's in childcare.

But I got the jist though so I'm all set for answers now. First time I actually used this platform and have to say I'm a bit surprised at the tone of some users

OP posts:

FrancesFlute · 15/04/2021 08:31

Noone gets to choose the date/time of scan. I would try and change it. I don't think changing one appt is going to mess anything up for anyone - they just give your old one to someone else and you get a new one. If they ask you just say you have studying commitments you can't change

sylbunny · 15/04/2021 08:33

As @FrancesFlute says ... everyone just gets a time but for some people that time won't work. Call them up and explain that you can't get the time off and they'll give you another slot.

RicStar · 15/04/2021 08:38

Unfortunately I think its just bad luck. I think legally you could probably cancel your leave and then book morning off for your appointment but most managers would be unimpressed with this, although they couldn't do anything about it, it just strikes one as an off thing to do - and so the replies support this. If you have a very understanding manager you could do it.

SummerHouse · 15/04/2021 08:42

If you normally start at 7 you might get a good three clear hours of study in before the scan. Then (although in fairness it's annoying) the scan will break up the day nicely and you can be back at it by 2 latest.

NailsNeedDoing · 15/04/2021 08:44

It’s worth calling to see if you can change the date of your scan, they might be able to offer you another appointment fairly easily.

You aren’t wasting annual leave though if you have the appointment on a day you have booked off, you are doing something that you need to do for your own benefit in your own time. It comes across as a bit cheeky to try and make your employer pay for you to go to your scan just because it happens to fall on a non working day for you.

KoalaOok · 15/04/2021 08:47

A lot of places ask you to try and book appointments for your days off/end or start of the day. It's a bit cheeky to cancel your leave just so you can be paid to have the time off for your appointment

MrBond · 15/04/2021 08:53

@KoalaOok

They can't do that with maternity appointments. It's a protected characteristic thing.

I don't like the English way expecting people to voluntarily disadvantage themselves to avoid inconveniencing their employers. You do what works for you, OP.

Peaplant20 · 15/04/2021 11:18

I would just try and work around the scan as you’d want a little break anyway. I’m a teacher and have arranged all of my appointments after school and both of my scans coincidentally fell out of school hours too. I always think I shouldn’t worry and just book my midwife appointments for the first slot they give me and take some time off work as we are entitled to it but my midwife knows I’m a teacher and she always offers me a post-3.30 time slot which is actually very thoughtful of her! I’m having to have an extra scan this week and it also happens to fall on a Saturday so no missing work either but overall I prefer this as don’t have to worry about requesting time off, sorting out cover work or timing how long in advance I should leave to make it in time etc etc. It’s annoying you booked the time off specifically to work on that stuff but personally I would just work around it and it will be a lovely break from the work getting to see little bubba xx

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