Time off for antenatal appointments...

[PDR]

I work for a very small company, no HR dept, no handbooks, no maternity policy etc.

I work for 2 mornings and 1 afternoon per week.

My doctor's surgery is in a small village and the midwife holds her appointments there on a Monday afternoon which is one of my working days.

The time from work to doctors is 30 mins drive each way.

I am the only person in the office on a Monday afternoon and I don't finish until 7pm so someone is going to have to come in for a couple of hours to cover for me whilst I attend the appointments.

One of my colleagues has suggested that I swap my shift with her to Monday morning but I have a DS who doesn't start nursery until 12pm on a Monday so I would end up having to arrange with the nursery to have him earlier which they would not be able to do on an ad-hoc basis as I doubt they even have a space and I would be massivley out of pocket as I would end up paying for the whole day

My colleague is over 50 so maybe she doesn't realise I am entitled to paid time off to attend the appointments?

What should I do?

I think you are entitled to time off, but first I'd find out if the same midwife does appointments elsewhere at a more suitable time. She might work out of a different surgery some days.

You are entitled to it but you should do everything you can to see if the midwife can see you another day imo.

Interesting - so I could perhaps see the midwife at another surgery? That sounds like a good idea! I will ask her at my next appointment! I wouldn't have thought of that!

You might be able to, I don't know for sure. But certainly worth asking!