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

[Workpregnant]

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?

[purplebunny2012]

@Mandyjack

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.

These aren't medical appointments! They are pregnancy appointments that you don't book, they are given to you.
Think of it like a hospital waiting list. Do you book a procedure, or do you wait for an appointment to be made for you?

[restingbitchface30]

Nope, this is totally out of order. You are legally allowed paid time of for appointments regarding your pregnancy. It’s a big no no that this is happening to you. If they continue being an arse print off the information regarding this. And ignore peoples advice telling you to try and make the appointments on your days off. Your appointments are when they are end of. My twins are 6 month and with twin pregnancies come a lot of appointments. And I didn’t give a hoot when they were. If I had to leave work so be it.

[Leila2022]

This is exactly correct.

everyone in agreement or semi agreement with the employer is totally wrong and out of order.

A woman is entitled to time off to attend antennal appointments - regardless if she works full time of part time.

Reply in an email and involve HR - simply reply that you have no control over when your appointments are booked in and also advise that a pregnant woman is entitled to paid leave to attend any medical appointments relating to her pregnancy … that is sex discrimination and your boss could get your company into a lot of trouble for such remarks and behaviour towards you.

pls contact Maternity Action Helpline for some official guidance and advice !

Bang out of order and so are all the other posters sympathising or seeing where the boss is coming from !

[ImAvingOops]

When I was pregnant with my first child, I was teaching part time. I did my best to arrange appointments outside of work hours as much as I could. I didn't take time off for antenatal/yoga classes - they clashed with my GCSE classes and tbh I would have considered it a total piss take and unfair to my exam classes to leave those lessons with a cover teacher. Having the legal right to do something, doesn't mean you always should. It very much depends on what your job is and the responsibilities you have during the time these medical but not strictly necessary appointments take place.
Obviously, scans and medical check ups, you take when you can get them.
So I agree that you should tell your boss you will try, and should genuinely do so, but where essential appointments can't be changed, go without any guilt. But don't sign up for non essential classes on work days, just because you are legally allowed to.

[Gardeningpot]

To be honest, with the way things are you should just take the appointments whenever they're available. They are scheduled when you need them and I'm pretty sure it's a 'right' that your employment should cater for this.

😊

[eastegg]

@cavebaby

@MaggieMagpie357

How is it not? Do you expect women to make up the time for their appointments on their non-working days or not?

Part timers face these attitudes all the time. Generally people go part time for a reason, often caring responsibilities. Maybe they even work a second job on the other days It often isn't simple at all to 'just swap days'. And even if it is, why should they? Their working days were agreed by the company, just like those working Monday to Friday. If those working 5 days aren't expected to work on their day off to make up the time then nor should part timers.

I totally agree with this. I don’t like this pervasive idea that part-timers have lots of free time, that they’re on some sort of cushy number. Maybe the OP doesn’t have any free time in which she could ‘make up the time’.

[Dawbie]

@cavebaby

And should Monday-Friday full timers offer to come in over the weekend to make up time for their appointments?

Absolutely this! I completely agree that you shouldn’t be swapping your work days (I worked full time when I was pregnant and still do) - but the law is the law and you are entitled to it off so have it! All the best with your pregnancy xxx

[Andanotherone01]

@Toomuchtrouble4me

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!

Are you thick or deliberately goady?

[threatmatrix]

You only work 3 days a week but think it’s acceptable to take more time off. Ask to change your appointment.

[PennyToffee]

@threatmatrix

You only work 3 days a week but think it’s acceptable to take more time off. Ask to change your appointment.

Don't do this.

[Mamanyt]

Tell him, and quite truthfully, that you will certainly try to do so, but that you cannot guarantee that you can do so, being at the mercy of the doctor's schedule, and cannot safely wait several weeks for another availability.

[Snugglemonkey]

@LadyGaGasPokerFace

You have little to no control over when appointments are made. Would you be even able to change it?
www.gov.uk/working-when-pregnant-your-rights

I was able to change several appointments around my work commitments.

[RidingMyBike]

@threatmatrix

You only work 3 days a week but think it’s acceptable to take more time off. Ask to change your appointment.

So she only gets paid for 3 days a week?! Part time isn't some cushy deal it means working fewer hours for less pay. And most part timers are part time because they also have another part time job or have caring responsibilities so can't just swop days around.

[JFDIYOLO]

If you're given an appointment on a work day, could you work a different day that wee k?

[Blanketpolicy]

Because I worked FT, 25 miles away from home /where appointments were, I tried to get appointments early morning or as late as possible as it was less disruptive to both work and me.

Sometimes they were able to change them other times they couldnt, but they never minded me asking. There is nothing unreasonable with your boss asking you to try.

[Loobieloogold]

Good lord! no no no. HR Manager here. You have legal protection for pregnancy related appointments / anti natal. The majority of the time you cannot elect these app times, just like a general hospital app.

Go to ACAS website please OP. xx

[eastegg]

@JFDIYOLO

If you're given an appointment on a work day, could you work a different day that wee k?

OP has answered this already. Not that she should have to explain why she isn’t available on a day she doesn’t normally work and isn’t paid for.

[MarvellousMonsters]

@roarfeckingroarr

Legally they have to give you time off for appointments. With the NHS as it is, it's hard to pick and choose when your appointments take place.

Your boss is unreasonable. Bet it's a man.

Are you in a union? If you're not in a union, join one now. If your boss is unaware of your legal rights during pregnancy, I suspect they will be unaware of your rights as a new parent/breastfeeding mum etc, so a union rep will come in very useful.

[MrsRaspberry]

Most Midwives only work certain days of the week in the gp surgeries due to covering more than one part of the borough they work under therefore making it near on impossible to get an appointment on a different day. Your boss either needs to get you a shift swapped if possible or give you paid time off for antenatal appointments