Time off for Anti-natal appointments

[dot.hawkes]

Hi, another manager has just phoned me asking me to ring HR tomorrow on her behalf, she is off after an accident and one of her staff, who has been with the company just over 3 months and is now pregnant, is refusing to do any lifting and carrying of stock to and from the stockrooms. This is one or two boxes of shoes, not a carton of 8 pairs or anything, just a couple of boxed pairs. Apparently this girl knows her rights when pregnant and she can refuse to carry out certain tasks. She also is telling the supervisor that she is allowed to attend her doctors appointments during working hours and get paid.

I've already told the manager that it's a load of twaddle but I will ring HR tomorrow for clarity. i think i am right that she has to arrange her appointments around the 16 hours a week she is required to work, (4 x 4 hr shifts) and she has to have a doctors note if she is unable to carry out her duties, so am I right?

[buildersmate]

Some general stuff here, Dot (from the TUC no less).
http://www.worksmart.org.uk/health/am_i_allowe d_time_off_work_to
Depends what the 'norm' is in your organisation but to me it sounds perfectly reasonable to expect 16hrs per week staff to fix appointments around to not interfere with working hours. There's another 152 hours in the week, damn it, to be able to fix these.

[dot.hawkes]

cheers mate, the trouble these days is that common sense isn't always the legal answer is it?

[TCL-MUMPING]

Sorry but it's not twaddle at all! You can ask for an appointment card or other evidence but the fact that she works part-time does not prevent her from asking for paid time off.

"Can an employer stipulate when an employee can take time off for antenatal care?

All pregnant employees have the right not to be unreasonably refused the time off work they need for antenatal care. An employer may ask a woman to try to arrange appointments in such a way as to minimise disruption at work if this is possible but may not refuse a woman the right to go on an appointment without good reason.

Most antenatal appointments have to be made during the working day. The employer should not assume that a woman is free to go to an appointment outside working hours even if she works part-time as clinic appointments are often inflexible"

[buildersmate]

Good answer, Corby, and reading mine again, more worthy of stars than mine. You are right and I was being a bit flippant. The trouble is that there are some folks in this world that just take, take take all the time in this world. And this lady starts to look like one of them.
The employment legislation to protect the rights of pregnent workers was a good thing but it has definitely shifted the balance in favour of those that take, take, take all the time. They then become hard work to manage out of the business without falling foul of the unfair dismissal legislation.
Can't pick up shoeboxes indeed. Pull the other one.

[dot.hawkes]

Hi TCL and buildermate, I've sorted this out now and firstly a risk assessment has to be done specifically on her behalf and working practises altered to accomodate her situation going forward and also as her contract is for 16hours over 7 days, she is going to be given 4 hour shifts on saturday, sunday and then 2 other days in the week after she brings in her appointment card to avoid the business clashing with her appointments. As the store trades 7 days a week I am sure an anti-natal appointment can be made to fit around the two 4 hour shifts she will do monday - friday instead of the business having to pay her and another person to cover her absence.
Thanks for your advice.

[angeldraws]

Ha - i bet that p'd her off!!!! Lol