Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Work

Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.

Original poster

Boss asking me to try to make appointments relating to pregnancy out of work hours

144 replies

Workpregnant · 02/02/2023 08:59

I think ‘try to’ might be the sticking point here.

I work three days a week, and am pregnant. My next appointment is on a day I work and boss agreed to it but clearly reluctantly and asked me to ‘try’ to make appointments for days I don’t work.

I have no control over this at all though, so I don’t think it’s reasonable to ask. Or am I being over sensitive?

OP posts:
20viona · 03/02/2023 07:14

It's reasonable for you to try but then a simple, sorry they couldn't offer me another day might suffice. I had 15 scans and the last 10 were always on a Thursday when I was at work but they understood.

CleopatrasBeautifulNose · 03/02/2023 07:14

Surely you can't assume your boss knows how the appointments system works. It's not like you're boss dictated you must avoid a working day, so a little understanding would go a long way I imagine.
Bosses are only human. Can't you just explain that you don't get a choice and what you told us about your consultant's working days. Then it's not this unspoken problem and boss can accept it is out of your hands.

RichardHeed · 03/02/2023 07:23

But secondly - they are treating you differently as a part time worker, to your detriment.
Yes, this is what I thought too. Employers are not allowed to treat other employers less favourably than full time, this kind of attitude of “do it on your day off” wouldn’t be transferred to a FT staff member so, they are absolutely being unreasonable by doing so.

I hope PPs suggesting the same aren’t managers.

Blablablablaba · 03/02/2023 07:35

Well it doesn't work like that! I had a midwife that only worked 2 days a week and 1 of those was out in the community so my appointment was always on the same day which did happen to be a workday.

Just say Ul try where u can but obvs the midwives work certain days etc too so the appointments may have to be on a workday. I think it's quite cheeky of him to be honest. You are entitled to the time off!

LemonBounce · 03/02/2023 07:53

Ignore your boss they shouldn't be making you feel bad about attending medical appointments. Not on! Sorry you're having to deal with this

Beautiful3 · 03/02/2023 08:02

Legally they have to give you maternity appointments off work. I had no control over the dates and times, at all. My boss at the time didn't seem very happy but I just ignored her and carried on. The baby's and your health come first.

PurBal · 03/02/2023 08:14

With routine midwife appointments, routine scans, antenatal physio, and perinatal mental health I’ve got a crazy amount of appointments and it is disruptive. Next week I have 1 appointment on Wednesday afternoon and 2 on Thursday afternoon! I live an hour away from work, midwife is 25 minutes drive from me and 45 minutes from work, hospital is an hour from me but in a different town so 40 minutes from work. And I’ve also seen my GP for piles who’s in my own town. I work 4 days and have childcare arrangements that can’t be moved too. Some of my appointments are in the evening, some are on my day off. Routine appointments I have tried to arrange these at beginning or end of day. I have tried to reschedule some of the specialist ones but it doesn’t work: I either have to wait 3 or 4 weeks for a new one or they get changed anyway and the first I know is a letter. Yesterday my physio appointment was rescheduled for earlier in the day. I’ve had 3 appointments reschedule on the day (to be fair there very much “can you come in earlier?”). It sounds like you’re doing what you can. What more can you do?

JRWM · 03/02/2023 09:12

Carey on with your appointments which are convenient to you, you don’t need the added worry of what your employer might think whilst pregnant and working - teaching is stressful enough, as it trying to do-ordinate medical appointments which are liable to change at will and run exceedingly late. Cover / supply / staffing headaches and staffing costs are not for you to worry about - your manager is being paid to do that.

They should not be asking you to book in your own time, however worded. They have to give you appointment time off paid by law. I would also document these conversaruins.

I would book a call with my teachers union to reassure myself that I wasn’t being unreasonable and to make them aware of the situation and they will advise how to best handle it - that should give you some reassurance.

There is online advice available, I’ll pop a link below.

www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/ask-a-midwife/how-will-i-get-time-work-all-appointments

CleopatrasBeautifulNose · 03/02/2023 13:04

LemonBounce · 03/02/2023 07:53

Ignore your boss they shouldn't be making you feel bad about attending medical appointments. Not on! Sorry you're having to deal with this

Why ignore your boss? Why not communicate with your boss?
The question might be unfair technically and maybe they didn't think it through, but surely a better working atmosphere could be achieved by improved understanding?

Sugarplumfairy65 · 03/02/2023 17:35

Purpleturtle45 · 02/02/2023 20:15

I work 3 days a week and when I was pregnant could try and arrange as much as possible for my non working days however the midwife was always the same day of the week and obviously you do have control over hospital appointments so I would just do what you can. I don't think it's unreasonable of your boss to ask though.

Would it be reasonable for her employer to ask a full time member of staff to book antenatal appointments for evenings and weekends in their free time?

LisaRobin · 03/02/2023 17:47

Speak to your midwife. You are legally permitted to take time out of work for maternity appointments at any time of the day .

purplebunny2012 · 03/02/2023 17:56

Rosscameasdoody · 02/02/2023 20:20

It’s tricky because the employer is under no obligation to pay you for time off for medical appointments. If you can’t rearrange for your own time, you may find yourself out of pocket. It all depends on what’s agreed in your contract of employment, so start with that.

Rubbish! These are maternity related appointments, as such protected under her rights.
I am also aghast at the pps suggesting she swap her days. Why should she? She has the same rights as a full time pregnant employee

flowerfairy6004 · 03/02/2023 18:13

@Workpregnant I suggest you email your boss and explain that the appointments are not in your control but that as far as you’re aware you are legally entitled to this time and maybe you both should contact the HR department to discuss this and obviously you should be informing your union representative to accompany you to this meeting. HR will very firmly instruct your boss that they’re liable to be sued for workplace discrimination against a pregnant employee which will be an absolute nightmare for the school. Your boss is trying it on - by politely and in writing informing them of your legal rights you are professionally holding your ground. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

celticprincess · 03/02/2023 18:19

Lots of replies are missing the point! Or several!

OP is legally entitled to paid time off for maternity appointments.

OP works as a teacher and someone else is paid and timetabled to work on her non working days. She can’t just swap her timetable and days off.

Many maternity appointments are given out and can’t be changed. Some clinics run on certain days. Some clinics will only book the next available consecutive appointment and no choice is given for time of day.

OP is being discriminated against due to already working part time. It she was full time she wouldn’t have other days to swap. And maternity clinics never run on weekends!!

Just wait until you have a child who needs medical appointments - ranging simple routine things to potentially major!! No rights to paid off time so gets harder. Orthodontist only offers weekday appointments for routine brace checks and generally between 9-3 as well where I am, cahms only sees children during school days and school hours….. the list goes on.

Toomuchtrouble4me · 03/02/2023 18:25

Why don’t you have control over it? Of course you do. Book your appointments on the days you aren’t working - of course! You only work 3/7!

momtoboys · 03/02/2023 18:26

MaggieMagpie357 · 02/02/2023 09:10

I can see both sides here. I would offer to swap my work day that week as a compromise.

I agree with Maggie

fetchacloth · 03/02/2023 19:16

MaggieMagpie357 · 02/02/2023 09:10

I can see both sides here. I would offer to swap my work day that week as a compromise.

I think this is mutually fair if it works for the available appointments.

T1Dmama · 03/02/2023 19:23

He can ask you to ‘try’ as much as he likes, however he has to give you the time
off and can’t discriminate against you because you’re pregnant …. Read up on some laws x good luck

T1Dmama · 03/02/2023 19:25

celticprincess · 03/02/2023 18:19

Lots of replies are missing the point! Or several!

OP is legally entitled to paid time off for maternity appointments.

OP works as a teacher and someone else is paid and timetabled to work on her non working days. She can’t just swap her timetable and days off.

Many maternity appointments are given out and can’t be changed. Some clinics run on certain days. Some clinics will only book the next available consecutive appointment and no choice is given for time of day.

OP is being discriminated against due to already working part time. It she was full time she wouldn’t have other days to swap. And maternity clinics never run on weekends!!

Just wait until you have a child who needs medical appointments - ranging simple routine things to potentially major!! No rights to paid off time so gets harder. Orthodontist only offers weekday appointments for routine brace checks and generally between 9-3 as well where I am, cahms only sees children during school days and school hours….. the list goes on.

This!!
everyone else needs to read up on the laws around discrimination

RidingMyBike · 03/02/2023 19:46

Toomuchtrouble4me · 03/02/2023 18:25

Why don’t you have control over it? Of course you do. Book your appointments on the days you aren’t working - of course! You only work 3/7!

Have you tried to book an appointment in the NHS? When I was pregnant (pre-pandemic) the midwife clinic was only available on Mondays and the specialist consultant clinic on Wednesdays. No choice over days at all. You could try for an early or late slot but obviously lots of others wanted them too.

Even my GP now just issues a text msg giving you an appt day and time without taking into account whether you're available or not then.

EdithWeston · 03/02/2023 19:57

I was asked to try to arrange mat appointments to least interruption to work (I was FT first time, so not PT discrimination) - ie to go first or last thing if poss (because of travel time if I had to go home and back, big chunk out of day for commuters)

But that was it - it was a request

Along the lines of "if you can do this, it would be really helpful, but of course it doesn't matter if you can't"

I don't think there's anything wrong in asking - what matters is how it's asked.

CelestiaNoctis · 03/02/2023 20:26

The hospital letters come, you show up. That's how it works. They're on a list and you're up next, there is no deciding. That's what you say. Choosing when you get an appointment, what old world shit is that, that's not the world we live in today I'm afraid.

turnipash · 03/02/2023 20:50

When i was pregnant, i found it was fairly easy to
Make scans/midwife early in the day. As in 8am . Just say you need first appt of the day

Original poster
Workpregnant · 03/02/2023 21:00

Thanks, all

I’ve never been given a choice with appointments but they are at the end of the day as that’s easier for me as well as work. However I do miss the last lesson of the day when they fall on a work day.

I think others have nailed it, it’s feeling a bit singled out as part time. Getting time off for anything is like getting blood from a stone though.

OP posts:
Mandyjack · 03/02/2023 21:11

Being part time I don't see it as unreasonable to try and ask for your appointments to be on non working days. When you book them you can ask. I work 4.5 days and try to get medical appointments out of work time.

Swipe left for the next trending thread