Done a zillion and one times but time off for antenatal appointments

[manchestermummy]

I have a routine antenatal appointment next week in the middle of the day. Awkward, not least because I have tons of work to do, and would ideally be on one of my days off, but my mw's clinics are on this particular day. It involves a 20-mile round trip too.

Last week I got a lot of stick about it from a woman at work who organises our service desk rota. I'm fairly senior so do minimal hours on there anyway, and I'm actually only going to be unavailable for one two-hour session out of four. I sometimes have more meetings in a day than that! The session she's given me means that now I won't have any time for lunch by the time I get back from my appointment.

I was so upset that I am still seething. This woman isn't my line manager. What do I do? Remind her of my rights - which as she's not senior management, personnel or my line manager seems bizarre, or tell MY line manager - who's fine with it all, btw - and let her deal with it?

Tell your line manager.

Yes, I think that is probably what I should do.

I agree with telling your line manager, but I would also make sure your line manager is clear why the appointment is in the middle of the day, and that you normally try to schedule your appts on your days off.

I had looooooooooads of appointments during my pregnancy, but my line manager never gave me any problems as I let her know in advance an she knew I tried to rearrange everything I could.

Congratulations BTW!

It is normally what I try to do, but this appointment was only arranged a couple of weeks ago and she slotted me in, otherwise I'd have her first appointment of the day (we have flexi and provided my diary's empty I don't need to be in until 10).

Unfortunately this particular woman seems to excel in rubbing people up the wrong way (describing my weight gain in my last pregnancy as "disgusting" and telling my that my dd would probably be "backwards" after a bout of chickenpox) which makes me kind of want to make appointments at the most awkward times just to annoy her!

Wow, she sounds like a real joy to work with!

I would probably start having weekly appointments at 1pm!

Have you actually asked her to change it?

Have to say, if I was going to an appointment over lunchtime I wouldn't expect to then take time off to have lunch when I got back to work, I'd grab something while I was out and eat it in the car/train during the fairly long journey back. But maybe that's just me.

You're not going to lose out on pay as a result of this are you? Just in response to your comment about reminding her of your rights...

I may be misunderstanding you completely, but it does sound a bit as though you are fed up because you will effectively be taking this appointment during your lunchbreak - ie your time - rather than during your employer's time.

Sounds as though this woman is horrendous, but perhaps it's the other issues in terms of her general attitude/comments that are really the problem rather than having to have lunch in the car or whatever?

I need to leave at 11 and should be back by 1 (she always overruns), and I'm expected to cover the desk at 1. I don't mind eating in the car at all - I find myself having to do things like this quite frequently - but it's the whole principle of the thing! This woman never, ever misses lunches or breaks...