Antinatal appointments

Nicki22

My daughter is 23 weeks pregnant after losing a baby earlier this year her job is giving her grief over antinatal appointments they are telling her she can only have a set amount of time and are suggesting she could even be given lifts to gp so she can stay in the workplace for as long as possible one manager said it's a problem havin two part time staff pregnant my daughter has reduced her hours only a few weeks ago because of the stress caused she works in childcare she starts at 7 in the morning and always goes in to work before the visits but they want her back in a certain time and told her she can only go an hour before visit yet it would take an hour to get to hospital by bus any advice

davo10

Nicki22 wrote: »

My daughter is 23 weeks pregnant after losing a baby earlier this year her job is giving her grief over antinatal appointments they are telling her she can only have a set amount of time and are suggesting she could even be given lifts to gp so she can stay in the workplace for as long as possible one manager said it's a problem havin two part time staff pregnant my daughter has reduced her hours only a few weeks ago because of the stress caused she works in childcare she starts at 7 in the morning and always goes in to work before the visits but they want her back in a certain time and told her she can only go an hour before visit yet it would take an hour to get to hospital by bus any advice

To be fair they aren't stopping her from attending the classes she is entitled to attend (assuming she didn't attend a set during her previous pregnancy) they are only asking that she travel to and from them in the shortest time it takes, if it takes an hour to get there and an hour back, why would you think they are being unreasonable by allowing her that amount of time? She would be required to attend work before attending the classes if the class is scheduled at least an hour after her starting time. The links above give the relevant info about her entitlements.

Nicki22

davo10 wrote: »

To be fair they aren't stopping her from attending the classes she is entitled to attend (assuming she didn't attend a set during her previous pregnancy) they are only asking that she travel to and from them in the shortest time it takes, if it takes an hour to get there and an hour back, why would you think they are being unreasonable by allowing her that amount of time? She would be required to attend work before attending the classes if the class is scheduled at least an hour after her starting time. The links above give the relevant info about her entitlements.

It's not classes it her visits they are just at her and the comment about pregnant part time staff is a disgrace I'm on the employment rights there should be no time limits on antinatal visits not classes as I said your rights are protected as a pregnant girl up to citizens advice this morning

davo10

Nicki22 wrote: »

It's not classes it her visits they are just at her and the comment about pregnant part time staff is a disgrace I'm on the employment rights there should be no time limits on antinatal visits not classes as I said your rights are protected as a pregnant girl up to citizens advice this morning

Tread carefully, from the info you gave they don't seem to have done anything wrong so don't go shouting at her employer. Just because you feel it is wrong does not make it wrong, the employer is well within their rights to request that your daughter take only the time necessary to attend the appointment. I know she is your daughter and that stess levels are probably high considering the previous pregnancy but your daughter is well protected my employment law, but that does not mean she can take all day to go to a a GP appointment.

Nicki22

davo10 wrote: »

Tread carefully, from the info you gave they don't seem to have done anything wrong so don't go shouting at her employer. Just because you feel it is wrong does not make it wrong, the employer is well within their rights to request that your daughter take only the time necessary to attend the appointment. I know she is your daughter and that stess levels are probably high considering the previous pregnancy but your daughter is well protected my employment law, but that does not mean she can take all day to go to a a GP appointment.

I understand that fully but she is only taking the time she needs they just seem to never leave her alone making añ issue of it all the time even telling her they will get her a lift to gp visit so it cuts the time of her leaving the job she has never abused the time she's given but when you go the hospital there are maybe 400 other pregnant women there aswell I wouldn't bother shouting at the fools

Mrs OBumble

Hang on - you say they are offering to get her a lift to the hospital, making it easier for everyone, and this is still a problem???

Sounds to me like your adult daughter needs to manage her own situation here, and you need to butt out.

Nicki22

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Hang on - you say they are offering to get her a lift to the hospital, making it easier for everyone, and this is still a problem???

Sounds to me like your adult daughter needs to manage her own situation here, and you need to butt out.

Hang on I didn't say hospital and you nred to mind your own business my child is my child no matter how young or how old there are other issues but you are not even reading what's up so your reply is no use to me you must have a very lonely life my chidren are everything to me and as I said she lost a baby and is very stressed so thanks for your crap reply

beechwood55

So is she going to the GP or to the hospital? Or both?

seamus

She's entitled to reasonable time off for the visits. There is no maximum or minimum time allowable; basically she's entitled to whatever time is required to attend the appointment.

I don't see the issue with the company arranging a lift to the hospital for these visits. If it's quicker than an hour on the bus, why wouldn't she take it?

Miaireland

To be honest I think that you are over-reacting a bit. I agree they should not have said anything about pregnant part-time staff but in relation to them driving your daughter to her appointments I don't think that they are doing any harm. Indeed it would probably be more pleasant than being on a crowded bus for your daughter and more productive for the company.

Nicki22

I'm only looking for pregnancy laws I'm not intresting in smart reply from people thanks

beechwood55

Why have you asked the question then - you have already stated that you have been onto Employment Rights and Citizens Advice. Surely they can tell you what you want to know.

Nicki22

beechwood55 wrote: »

Why have you asked the question then - you have already stated that you have been onto Employment Rights and Citizens Advice. Surely they can tell you what you want to know.

Ah here get a life someone on this gave me the links to the pregnancy laws thanks for your reply

Ashbx

OP I took from your original post that the job were offering her a lift to the classes too. If that's not the case, maybe you should amend it to make it clearer what you really mean. Punctuation would be a great help. Are they asking her to ask friends/family for lifts?

In terms of classes, as far as I know its at the discretion of the employer. GP visits and hospital visits (i.e. consultants/midwives)....yes of course the employee is entitled to attend ALL of them no matter how long they take. However "classes" are optional so are a different story. My colleague was recently told to attend weekend antenatal classes and not one during the week so I think the employer is being very reasonable in your daughters case.

Technically, we cannot give "legal" advice as part of the Boards rules. So if I were you, I would get onto citizens advice for accurate legit advice. I have always found them extremely helpful.

davo10

Nicki22 wrote: »

I'm only looking for pregnancy laws I'm not intresting in smart reply from people thanks

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/28/enacted/en/html

All the answers to your questions are contained in this law, section 8.

The replies you have recieved so far are from smart people, in simple terms, your daughter is entitled to visit her GP, the employer must allow this visit, they give her as much time off as necessary to visit the GP, but no more. Offering to arrange a lift is not required, but neither is it prohibited, in fact it's damn nice of them rather than leaving your daughter to get a bus for an hour.

Mrs OBumble

davo10 wrote: »

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2004/act/28/enacted/en/html

All the answers to your questions are contained in this law, section 8.

The replies you have recieved so far are from smart people, in simple terms, your daughter is entitled to visit her GP, the employer must allow this visit, they give her as much time off as necessary to visit the GP, but no more. Offering to arrange a lift is not required, but neither is it prohibited, in fact it's damn nice of them rather than leaving your daughter to get a bus for an hour.

I think that the pregnant woman is also entitled to attend (during paid time) any pregnancy-related hospital visits, and one set of antenatal classes in her lifetime (ie not once per pregnancy).


The employer is under no obligation to discuss this with anyone except the employee, though - certainly they should not even entertain a discussion with the employee's mammy (no matter how well meaning they may be).

If the pregnant woman is stressed about the workplace situation, she should discuss it with her GP: in a job like childcare where the regular work in physically challenging and there is likely to be limited possible alternative duties (especially if there are multiple pregnant women in the workplace at the same time), it may be best to consider health and safety leave.

GalwayGrrrrrl

They should give her time off to attend hospital appointments as these are usually a fixed time. However if she works part time could she not make her GP appointments in her days off? I know she doesn't legally have to but if the employers see her making an effort to fit it in around her working hours then they may be more lenient over the travel time to the hospital.

Afroshack

Nicki22 wrote: »

Hang on I didn't say hospital and you nred to mind your own business my child is my child no matter how young or how old there are other issues but you are not even reading what's up so your reply is no use to me you must have a very lonely life my chidren are everything to me and as I said she lost a baby and is very stressed so thanks for your crap reply

If Mrs O Bumble needs to mind her own business, then why are you posting on a public forum looking for advice from people? Not liking her response is not an excuse for you to make personal digs. Grow up.

GalwayGrrrrrl

Mrs O Bumble takes a lot of care to kindly answer queries on this forum. I don't know her/him in real life but I feel she deserves a bit of respect.

livedadream

God time to close the thread me thinks while I get you don't like he answer your getting everyone is just trying to help you.
Telling someone to mind their own business when you've posted on a public forum asking for help is psychotic.

Tell your daughter to man up, tell her employer she requires the time off as needed but also tell her not to take the piss. Appointments can be scheduled outside of work time and taking an hour to get there an hour back and the An hour for the appointment is taking the piss. That's three hours out of a standard 8.5 hour work day minus a lunch break that only leaves her at work for 4.5 hours. It sounds like a mix between your daughter taking the piss and the employer maybe not understanding it's a legal requirement.

mirrorwall14

While I agree with much of the posts in response to the OP I will say that an hour for the appointment is not outrageous depending on where/what it entails. My prenatal visits were anything from 1-3+ hours as a public patient in a busy Dublin hospital and one epic one lasted 5.5hrs

Mrs OBumble

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

While I agree with much of the posts in response to the OP I will say that an hour for the appointment is not outrageous depending on where/what it entails. My prenatal visits were anything from 1-3+ hours as a public patient in a busy Dublin hospital and one epic one lasted 5.5hrs

An hour for an appointment isn't out of line at all.

But an hour to get there on the bus, 1-2 hours for the appointment, and then an hour back on the bus ... that is OTT for a part time worker, no matter what the law says.

Especially when the pregnant woman's mother says that the appointments are only with a GP. Switch to another GP who's not an hour away on the bus, ffs!

If the pregnancy really is risky, then the appointment would not be with a GP.

Mountain. Molehill. Much. Methinks.