Regular Appointments during work hours.

silly_dancer

Hi I am hoping someone might be able to help me out here. I am due to start a treatment through the HSE. I have been waiting a long time for it but the Appointments will happen during my work hours. I don't want to go into detail with my work about where I am going, can it be excused with a doctor's note and are they obligated to give me the time off. I'm only new in this job but don't want to miss out on treatment.

echo beach

The only entitlement to time off is for antenatal appointments but most employers are accommodating of doctor's appointments and don't expect, or want, to know about your medical conditions unless it is something that would directly affect your employment, e.g if you are driving or using heavy machinery and your performance could be impaired leading to a danger to yourself or others.
Just say you have an appointment and ask for the time off. They aren't obliged to give it to you but it would be unusual to be refused. See if there is anything in your employee handbook about this and what your employer's policy is. It may not be paid and will have to be taken from your annual leave or made up at another time.

Stheno

How often and how long will the appointments be?

caviardreams

When I have had appointments like this e.g. once a fortnight for a few months, I have used annual leave. There isn't a legal entitlement as such to paid sick leave/appointments but if you don't want to use annual leave, you may be able to work out some sort of arrangement in terms of unpaid leave or working extra hours to make up the time - the latter might be the best way to approach it with your employer?

silly_dancer

Thank you for your replies. It will be an hour every week but I can probably arrange to go every 2 weeks. I don't mind using annual leave though.