A couple more maternity type questions!

[harassedandherbug]

I'm sorry, I know there are a lot of maternity posts at the moment but I can't find anything covers my questions!

I work part time (28 hours over 4 days a week), and on Tuesday I had to go and see the mw as had had much reduced movements. It took ages to get the traces they needed, and I was 2.5 hours late for work. So, my question is should I get paid for this? I know I paid leave for appointments but is there a time limit or should this be unpaid due to length of time and/or short notice? Nobody has said anything yet, I'm just pre-empting.

Secondly, I recently had 4 weeks off sick with pgp as I'm on crutches and in a lot of pain. The doc let me come back to work with a Fit to Work note with lots of conditions, the main one being that my desk needed moving downstairs which has been done. One of the conditions was for flexible working hours as I'm often in a lot of pain and can only take a certain amount of pain killers in a 24 hour period. Even with the pain killers I'm in pain pretty much 24/7, it's just degrees of pain! The flexible hours was to cover when the pain is really bad. So, should I be paid if I have to go home in pain? We don't normally get paid for short term sickness (3 days unpaid, and then up to 8 wks per 12mths on full pay), but should my wages be affected by this?

Thank you!! Oh and I'm 33 weeks today, ml planned for 37weeks (for works benefit not mine!).

Was it an ante-natal appointment or a general doctors visit? What is your normal sick pay policy on taking time off to visit the doctors.

With the MW visit if they say you need it it's covered under the ante natal paid for rights. If you turn up to the docs as an "emergency" or just because you fell something isn't right then it's a greyer area.

As for the going home sick no you probably won't get paid for it as it's standard sickness policy, you can't be disciplined for it as its ML related but there is no other rights to pay over and above standard as far as I'm aware.

Therefore lots of part days would not count towards the 3 day rule as you return to work when you get back. You could try to go off sick if it's really that bad as you'll get paid after 3 days.

But your employer could tell you to start ML from wk 35 if you go off sick with ML related problems after week 35. Just something to consider you may want to start your ML early.

It was with the mw, but I phoned at 8am (when they opened) due to reduced movements, and they said come in at 9. So it was an emergency appoinment, although everything was fine. It took a long time for them to get the heart & movement traces they wanted.

It was just a wishful hope with the paid time off!! I have some hols and am trying to hang it out, particularly as they still don't have any cover for me and it's quite a specialist industry which I need to do a good amount of training on. It's quite frustrating and stressful at the moment! I do have the option of going off sick if necessary as gp was happy to keep signing me off until ML kicked in. Will just see how I go really.

Normally for time off to see a doc we'd allow about an hour.

I think as long as you can prove you attended. It should be classed as antenatal appointment. Which should be covered. The consultation should be in your hand held notes if they question this. We all know NHS appointments take quite a time.Pleased all ok. If youre going to have lots of sicky days may be better to go off sick or take early maternity leave :)

It should be classed as an antenatal appt. All an care should be covered, not just the normal set routine ones. If you need more care then you need more care.

It's all in my notes, including the trace from the monitor.

liquorice without blowing my own trumpet iykwim, they'd rather I was here and taking sick days if needed than off completely, and I've already broached going on mat leave 1 week earlier and was asked not to.... It's quite a specialist field and we're very lucky to be manically busy so no else can really do the training at the moment. Although I will do if it gets too much for me tbh.

They can't stop you starting mat leave early - if you give them the right notice.