Employers flexibility when baby is due...?

[Im a BusyBee]

My daughters baby is due soon. Her partner is a delivery driver and he has asked if he could work in the warehouse once the due date is here as his employers have said he would have to finish his daily run once he had left the yard and cannot come back immediately should she ring to say things have started ( he does go alot of miles away from home each day). His other option is to take 'a couple of days holiday' once the due date is here. I thought they had to be more understanding than this? his 'couple of days' could actually end up a couple of weeks if the baby happens to be very overdue. I have been trying to find out online if there are any rules and regulations about this but have not found anything. Would be really grateful if someone could tell me - they would have to be official guidelines or his employer wont want to know unfortunately. Thanks so much.

[bednobs]

don't think so BB. He is entitled to paternity leave (as is everyone). they just have to comply with the law, not be "understanding" i'm afraid

[Ellipsis]

> Her partner is a delivery driver

That says it all really. That's his job. If he wants to be paid for doing his job, then he needs to turn up each day and do it.

It's worth asking for flexibility as employers can be understanding but (as bednobs said) they don't have to be. Ultimately they have a business to run and (from their point of view) somebody not wanting to do his job can make that difficult!

On the bright side, there's an excellent chance that things will start while he's not at work...

[tigwig]

I wouldnt worry about it. Most labours take hours and hours, especially if it's a first so unless he is at the other side of the country he will more than likely make it in time! It would be very unpractical to book holiday as baby could arrive anytime, either weeks early or late. I was a week early with my first with established labour taking 7 hrs then 2 weeks with 2nd labour taking 6hrs.

[bednobs]

plus if he works say 8 hours a day, then there is a nearly 70% chance it'll happen when he's not at work!

[woofgang]

what employers have to do is consider the request...it sounds like they have considered and said its unworkable.

[LoftyLottie]

I am going to probably be disagreed with but I think employers, especially small employers, have a very hard time of it these days with maternity allowance and expectations from pregnant couples. The pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.

[redcrx]

as said, he can just see where he is and what employers say once his wife goes into labour.

I wouldnt recommend the "holiday at time of due date" as I myself went 17 days over my due date.

[woofgang]

Lottie, I agree.

[tigwig]

I totally agree Lottie. Every time I hear of extended paternity leave and how dads can now take of 6 mths or some other crap I just think yeah right, get with the real world! Unless you are loaded no one can afford to do that and it's not necessary in my opinion. We had to make do with around a week!
Sorry for going off topic Busy Bee!

[B00]

Besides, which sane woman wants her partner at home with her 24/7 for 6 months? They only get underfoot and whinge when you want to watch Jeremy Kyle. Let 'em have a week off, coo over the baby ,then pack 'em back off to work.

[LoftyLottie]

Mr LL had a week off (holiday) after I had a caesarian birth. I was grateful for his presence and probably could have done with another weeks help, but basically we needed his income and in those days paternity leave was non existent. How on earth are companies meant to survive these days. People are planning their pregnancies now around maternity/paternity leave. In my last job people were having two or three pregnancies with about a three month period at work between pregnancies. They were no use whatsoever to the company.

[bednobs]

the extend pat leave can only be taken at the expense of Mat leave - so if the mum wants to go back to work, the dad can take the remaining statutary Maternity leave. You wouldn't be off together