Can they tell me I can't take this as a sick day?

[BatCave]

Saturday night my mum was rushed to ICU very poorly - we had a phone call at 02:30 and despite being exhausted (I had had 10 hours sleep in 3 days due to working nights and having to look after DD) I did the 45min drive to be with her. I also phoned in sick to work for Sunday morning - due to start at 07:30.

My boss phoned me Monday morning asking why I'd been off. I explained thoroughly. The next thing he says to me is "Oh so you weren't actually sick then" and proceeded to tell me I had to take it as a day off and make up the hours. I don't get a choice. I told him that I'd have hardly been fit for work (I'm a nurse in an NHS hospital) and he shrugged this off.

I'm close to breaking point, I'm 10 weeks pregnant and sick as a dog. My sickness record is impeccable (3 days off in 3 years including my previous pregnancy) I'm exhausted from working nights and not sleeping afterwards - instead I have no option but to look after my toddler. I do 20 hours a week and the thought of having to 'make up' these hours makes me feel sick. I want to discuss this with him but I don't know how much fight I have in me.

I just want to know, is he allowed to do this to me, is it worth my while trying to fight it? He is known to be 'difficult' when it comes to time off and has a bee in his bonnet about his employees taking maternity leave.

Secondtime - Am nearly certain that many less scrupulous people do exactly that (and it is their sickness record that will suffer), but think that I did not explain myself very well and was referring more to the OP's symptoms of being in the first trimester of pregnancy and the extra stress that she was under as being suitable reasons for taking sick leave.
But was simply trying to point out that the majority of NHS trusts has several policies referring to leave for emergencies and that she should check them.

Hope you get this sorted BatCave.

Thank you all for your help, I've checked through policies and cannot seem to find anything so I will talk to my manager and ask if there is special leave otherwise can I simply take it as unpaid and see what he says. It has been suggested by colleagues that my boss has been trying to save me from frequent informal sick days being a problem, however I'm not sure why he would think I would suddenly start taking them.

I fear I've shot myself in the foot by being too honest and expecting a bit of compassion.

Ironically, I am sick now, I have severe mastitis. Unlikely I'll miss any work though as I'm not due to work till Wednesday night!

Shoulddo- I am sure they do, hence the 'legitimately' in my comment . I would agree, that if the OP is unfit for work due to pregnancy, that's a different matter entirely.

Bat - any 'saving' you from sickness records would be totally unnecessary. Pregnancy related sickness cannot be counted against you. You could possibly use up all your sick pay entitlement (as that is whatever your normal policies provide for), but the actual pregnancy related absence cannot be used - even if you were off sick from the moment you peed on the stick.

Sorry to hear about the mastitis. Ouch.