Ante-Natal appointments

bumpalert

Hi everyone,

I’m just wondering what we are entitled to regarding the first maternity appointment. I have mine soon and obviously I haven’t told work yet so I’ve asked for an annual leave day for the appointment. Once I tell my employer that I’m pregnant, am I entitled to take back the annual leave day used for the first maternity appointment as we are entitled to take the time for appointments? I would need the whole day anyway given the time of my appointment and the travel time between work and my appointment.

michellie

You're allowed a certain amount of time but I doubt they will pay out for the whole day.

It would be upto your employer whether they would give back your annual leave day or not.

Gatica

I've not known anyone who needed a whole day for a GP appointment. However, it's up to whatever arrangement you have with your employer. In our work guidelines you have to give 2 weeks notice (as in the legislation, in advance, not after), also this is after your pregnancy is confirmed (see here under medical visits) and we've to try to make them at a time that's going to least disrupt your day, e.g. before/after lunchtime, first-thing in the morning, etc... As the citizensinfo link says, there's no min/max time for it, but it does include travel. I don't think they're obliged to give you time back post factum, but if you're able to get it, then great. My direct manager was fairly relaxed and flexible, I usually verbally let him know of the next appointment and then sent an email reminder when I was putting it into calendar, not always 2 weeks in advance. I had most appointments after lunch, but if they gave me a different time, then it usually wasn't an issue.
I know that here when pregnant women had pregnancy related appointments, it would take 1.5hrs usually, sometimes 2-3. Mine were even shorter as I was at the MW clinic across the way from here. Again, same goes for appointment, you can probably agree how long you need off to attend each one, as your circumstances sound different from typical office workers. If you really need a half-day's travel to/from appointments, then they'll have to allow you that for future pregnancy related appointments. Btw, that won't include non-pregnancy related visits to GP, e.g. colds and flus, and the GP will likely also charge for them. I suppose though if your work doesn't ask to see your appointment card, they won't know when you're taking personal GP visits either.