Time off for partner's medical appointments?

[HettyMeg]

I manage someone who is asking for time off to accompany their partner to medical appointments - not antenatal. Has anyone any experience of this? Our company doesn't have any policy relating to time off for medical appointments. I have always managed my own by working around it - ie making up the time later - as have colleagues. Bit worried this could become an issue if they start asking for more time and it's not even their own appointment.

Is it for something like cancer? Or any other disability? Are they a carer?

I am very shocked that you have to make up time for your own medical appointments. While it is legal, I’ve never come across it.

No they're not a carer. I'm not aware if it's a serious issue as they haven't disclosed anything

It depends on what the appointments are for. I would expect a partner to go for cancer related appointments, but I wouldn’t ask for time off to join DH at the GP for his asthma review (nor would I give it to an employee)…

If they want the time, I would expect them to disclose the reasons why. If their partner is likely to be receiving difficult news and treatments then fair enough. If it’s just because they want the company, then no.

My company has just introduced a carer and dependents policy.
we have to give notice of appointments and can have 5 full days or 10 half days paid leave per rolling 12 months.
we have to complete a form and it’s approved by management.

If the appointment/leave isn’t requested in advance or is an urgent appointment it would be unpaid leave or make the time up.

as a manager I’m still trying to get my head around it.

Do you mean paid or unpaid? If they are not vital on a daily basis let them have leave

Are your colleagues able to request compassionate leave for these circumstances? I imagine that the appointment is about treatment for a serious/potentially life-threatening illness and I can understand that this person wants to keep the details confidential.

if they want time off they use their holiday end of. Partner is a grown up and even those of us with cancer treatments and appointments manage to go by ourselves and don’t need hand holding

My DH has health anxiety and I need to attend appointments with him. That said, a gp appointment I would always arrange out of my working hours (and the gp surgery are really good about it)

Or their partner is typical male and can’t drive or do anything on their own without their partner behaving like a mum replacement

I would have thought hand holding is literally what some people need at difficult medical appointments

I'd double check your company policy and with hr...

As an employee I'd expect to use paid annual leave or unpaid leave and be reasonably accommodated.

I have to go with DH to his eye appointments because there’s no feasible public transport and they usually dilate his pupils so he can’t drive afterwards. Just about everyone in the eye clinic has someone with them.
i worked part time (just retired) so didn’t need time off as such but had to miss various meetings - no problem at all, my managers understand priorities. That’s one of the reasons I stayed with them for decades!

A colleague’s husband is living with terminal cancer. She regularly accompanies him to appointments and just makes up the time.

Really, it’s one of those where reliable and hardworking employees are given that flexibility but people are more reluctant to be flexible with employees who take the piss.

I’d give them the time, as a one off, any more and they can make it up. If it was something serious I’d be more accommodating.

Shocked ? I work for the nhs and we are expected to take leave or make the time up ...

Surprised there isn’t a policy covering this. I’d take advice from HR to ensure you’re treating this person fairly and lawfully. From ACAS:

‘Employees are entitled to 'time off for dependants'. They can take time off to help a family member or someone who depends on them when there's an emergency.’

www.acas.org.uk/time-off-for-medical-appointments

Our policy is its not allowed, unless it's a child , and if you want time off it comes out of your AL holiday allowance, we do provide some flexibility allowing say a pick up from hospital after procedure where person has to be supervised, we have a policy that allows if suitable working from home for this situation, or other flexible arrangements like making up time later. Policy includes accompanying for a one off consultation with specialist -but to be frank this may depend on time of appointment, ie if 10 am and your going to be gone all day then holiday leave, if its say afternoon different story ( but generally even this you would be expected to try make up some of the time by working through lunch)

If it's a few hours off, and a one-off then I'd let them take it and make up the time.
But if it's a whole day or will likely be multiple appointments, I'd let them take paid annual leave.

I find it very odd if they were looking for paid time off not deducted from their annual leave for a partners medical appointment... unless the person is literally dying. If dying I'd consult the compassionate leave policy.

My husband had many appointments for cancer in 2024. I went with him for them all. I was allowed and paid for this time off, but then we don’t have ‘policies’ in the company I work for, we have ‘humanity’. No one has ever taken the piss.

As a manager I would be kind about it of course, but for parity I'd use compassionate or annual leave for this time off. I wouldn't want to get in some sort of competition about who has the saddest situation or have to make a judgement about different sorts of medical treatments - just an easy and fair solution for everyone.

Really? Unless the partner has learning difficulties, dementia or similar, I think the answer has to be "no".
A competent adult us able to go to appointments on their own, as most of us do.

It’s a legal entitlement to have time off to help a dependent in an emergency. I wouldn’t stay working for an employer that begrudges me taking a parent to Alzheimer’s or cancer appointments tbh.

Or has a GA, or stitches or a cast or an eye procedure that means they can’t drive or easily get on public transport.

I think it depends on what it is and they should give you more information. They don't need to give exact details but there needs to be a bit of background as to why.
If it's just a transport issue they should be getting a taxi.
If it's a general anaesthetic then they definitely need to be collected or some other treatment which means they have to be accompanied afterwards and therefore the partner should be able to take time off.

There's not enough information really. You need to consult your time off policy or compassionate leave policy and also find out a bit more about what is going on with the partner, how often these appointments are likely to be and over what period of time and then you can decide what to do.