Time off for appointments

[LittlePeanut]

All we all know being diabetic and pregant = lots of appointments. I am 11 weeks pregnant now and told work last week. I informed my boss I have my 12 week scan on monday and then the doctor on tuesday & diatician. The doctor is the same one that sees all pregnant ladies regardless of diabetes. My boss has said I can have time off for antenatal scans but specialists/dieticians I must use my conscience to make my time up..... should I be making this time up? I wouldnt be attending all these if I wasnt pregnant!!

 

[trophywench]

No you shouldn't. End of .....

 

[LittlePeanut]

I can understand his attitude to dieticians etc - but at the end of the day - if I am in rights - then he shouldnt be allowed to say 'use your conscience' I think he is pressuring me into making my time up. he has never had a diabetic pregnant person there - only normal pregnant ladies - of course I will have more care - I cant help this - I would rather not be diabetic anyday!

 

[margie]

Have you read this ?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents...ilies/Pregnancyandmaternityrights/DG_10026556

 

[LittlePeanut]

I have read this and have a leaflet from the doctors - I just needed to be certain this covers the diabetes specialist/optomotery/dietician also? as I wouldnt be seeing them if I wasnt pregnant.

 

[Copepod]

I agree, it's difficult to know how to view "extra" appointments from an employment point of view.

Sounds like the sort of issue where Diabetes UK Careline can give you a more informative answer, which is waht you need as soon as possible. see http://www.diabetes.org.uk/How_we_help/Careline/ for phone numbers, times & email addresses.

 

[Tezzz]

I'm sorry if you don't like this - this is what happens to me at work.

Employers must make reasonable adjustments for diabetics. Disability Discrimination Act.

Being able to make the time up is something you should seriously consider. If you are not prepared to make time up you can loose money - legally - as your employer has made the reasonable adjustment to let you attend the appointment.

I am fortunate I can get my days off or shifts moved around to let me go to diabetes related stuff if I have a letter to prove it. I need to go give plenty of notice as possible.

My manager told me that if I get my shift changed I can't be that picky with what I get instead. They scratch my back and I scratch theirs.

 

[StephenM]

It's a tricky one. As the years have passed I seem to have more appointments than when I was 20 (in my fifties now)! I tend to try to get an early or late appointment as I can balance out a few hours. The problem is I tend to find I get last minute letters of the type "Due to unforseen circumstances....." and end up with appointments at lunchtime. Some of theses I accept as annual leave now as there a re not a lot decent jobs out there at my age. It's funny how the NHS treat you as an OAP when you pass 50 but government want you to work ever longer! Hope you get it sorted.

 

[trophywench]

Exactly, you don't get any choice about appts, you have to go when they say else you've lost it and it's at least six months here before you can get another Diabetes clinic appt, so you just have to grab what is offered no matter what you do for a living. (I rang earlier this month to delay an August appt, November was the first one they had)

Surely if the appointment is necessary for the pregnancy they can't refuse, diabetic or not?

 

[rachelha]

You should definitely be given the time off for these appointments. The directgov website says

"Antenatal care may include relaxation or parent craft classes as well as medical examinations, if these are recommended by your doctor."

Specialists/dieticians are essential for the health of you and your baby. Could you get your Doctor to write a letter explaining this for your work. I wonder if you could speak to someone in HR about it too. It is really difficult to get appointments around your work, hospital staff only work 9-5 and can not be expected to rearrange all their appointments around all the patients jobs, that would be impossible.

I am angry on your behalf - grrr

 

[LittlePeanut]

I work 8:30 till 5pm - monday to friday so I wouldnt be able to anything apart from during my lunch hour - they dont mind me going for the appointments (well they cant deny me) but they want me to 'make up the time' - which after 2 appointments in 1 day plus commuting there and back would take me 4 days to make back up - god its bloody stupid! plus today my boss has been off with me several times over petty things everyone else gets away with...... been a rotten day - hormones and stress = I wanna cry!

 

[Northerner]

He sounds like a very insensitive person. Is there someone you can talk to who can explain that it's not possible to make up the time when the time to d so simply isn't available? It's not as though you're off on a holiday or having a lie in and missing work is it? Plus, you're having a baby for goodness sake! Perhaps you should ask him how he would expect you to work your hours up and what part of company policy requires this of you in your current circumstances.

 

[rachelha]

They should not be asking you to make up the time, you are allowed paid time off for appointments without having to make it up. Does your work have a staff handbook or anything like that which has the policies in it?

I am sure there is someone on this forum who works in personnel, but I can't think who it is.

 

[Northerner]

They should not be asking you to make up the time, you are allowed paid time off for appointments without having to make it up. Does your work have a staff handbook or anything like that which has the policies in it.

I am sure there is someone on this forum who works in personnel, but I can't think who it is.

I think it might be Lucy123 but she's away in Qatar at the moment!

 

[rachelha]

Hello, just wondering if you had managed to get anything sorted out with the time off for appointments, I hope it all got sorted out.

 

[hawalkden]

Hey I'm 24 week pregnant and I have to go every week to the diabetic team whilst they are in the antenatal ward.. because I had to go every week and I did have the right to have my antenatal time off; I though I didnt want to burn my bridges with work and make it feel like I'm taking the Michael!
So I took all the thursdays that I could as holidays, my workplace were okay with it and this monday just gone I told my manager I wanted to finish work and use the rest of the hoildays owed before my maternity pay kicked in!
Main reason for leaving so early, i'm not due till 10th december is because last three weeks i've been on the sick with cervicitis which was due to working to hard and stress of going to the hospital every week, so at least now I can have me time and catch up with friends before little one is here 🙂!

 

[Lizzzie]

Absolutely shocked by this. Show your boss the links to the relevant acts so it's clear you know what you're talking about and if that sort of comment comes up again, suggest (politely, firmly) that they should use their conscience to treat you, as an employee, with the responsibilities an employer is obliged to show.

If they insist that they are being fair, ask for this in writing. If they're not willing to put it in writing - why not? Are they afraid you'll show it to a court?

 

[Monkey]

As others have said, you're entitled to the time off.

However, in the interests of keeping a good working relationship (I was expecting to go thro redundany when pregnant, and did) I suggested that when I'd been to an appointment, I'd go home (hospital nearer home than work) and would check emails / do some planning / catch up on reading industry mags where I could.

I'd only work until my normal finishing time, and my company actually got more working hours from me than they would have done if I'd travelled back into the office, iyswim?