Make up the hours for a hospital appointment?

SarEl

Would it help at all if I said that I have never banged a drum about equal rights? I never thought it would work, and I still don't. I much prefer the direct approach in a court room - now that generally works a treat

alisonmeyers

Well I'm a mum, and an employee.

There is no way I would take, essentially, 50% of my paid hours and go to a medical appointment and expect still to get paid for them, over and above an emergency (i.e. can be planned for in advance). Absolutely no way. I would do everything within my power to avoid it.

And that includes re-arranging (and possibly paying for extra) childcare - longterm flexibility towards employer will give benefits to me in the long run (seen as not taking the !!!!, showing dedication, keeping them on my side to ensure future good relations), rather than the short term gain of just getting paid double what I was actually working for. It's very short sighted and could leave to your boss alienating you for an entirely preventable situation.

Of course, I do say this with some context in mind - my own employer has treated me fairly well, so I feel loyal to ensure I keep that relationship well. I may not feel the same way if I was already unhappy with work. This is also said as the OP works only 2 days a week. I'm sure if she worked fulltime, like me, then taking 20% of your workload for a pregnancy appointment.. I dunno, it just isn't quite the huge dent to the employer, is it?

I do think that 50% of your paid employment as paid leave for peganancy appointments is taking the !!!! in most situations, though. I really do.

I cringe at some of the things female colleagues try and get away with at work - this (in most, not all, cases) would firmly be under that category.

Sorry, OP.

michelle1506

I have absolutely NO IDEA why you are becomming so argumentative and defensive. Perhaps you just take matters to personally, or maybe you have something to hide??? Either way, I'm not getting into a ruck with you which seems to be is what you are seeking! Go find someone else to have a row with! :rotfl:

!!!!!! wrote: »

Yes isn't it? Unless we arrange a meeting then neither of us will find out. If you believe that I am hiding behind my keyboard (as you are with your assumptions, very brave of you to imply that I am cowardly when you are hiding behind YOUR keyboard) I am afraid that you will have quite a shock if we meet because I would stand by what I have written - Would you?

michelle1506

Not your fault, someone else has taken matters too personally I suspect! God you can't say very much on these forums without upsetting someone! They should get out a bit more! :rotfl:

SarEl wrote: »

Would it help at all if I said that I have never banged a drum about equal rights? I never thought it would work, and I still don't. I much prefer the direct approach in a court room - now that generally works a treat

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

wow - lots of replies. sorry if i miss anything.

Ok - Appointments. I'm under 2 specialists, plus midwife. I'll try and cover everything. I had a tumour and cyst removed from my thyroid (and the part of the thyroid they was wrapped around) and will now need dailys meds for life. The tumour stopped my thyroid from working - for at least 5 years, they cant be sure exactly when i got my tumour. It means I have a low bone density.

The hospital appointments are for the pregnancy but its because of my previous health. If I wasnt pregnant I would be able to just have my normal check ups at the doctors - They were the ones who referred me saying i needed the extra care. In past pregnancy they detected the tumour - My DD stopped growing and I ended up being monitored weekly at the very end of my pregnancy but all was fine (DD was small but not unhealthily) There's only two hospitals near us - the one i'm attending or the city one. the city one is far too away for me to have my care there

I cant change the nursery days BUT I could have DD in nursery as an extra day - which would cost me £35 on top of her bill (IYKWIM) PROVIDING that there is room on that day - there's no guarantee. I dont know how regular the appointments are as I havent been to any yet (first is on Tuesday) but the midwife believes they will be once a month (but she said it may end up being more towards the end) I dont think it comes under antenatal (?)

the appointment - if it is once a month - will not in any way slight make up 50% of my work lol If anything it will be half a day a month. I havent also said anything about it being paid leave - what i said was if i was full time they wouldnt make me make the hours up. I dont work 2 days - not sure where that has come from (?) I work 3. I generally DO book ANY appointments on my days off - I have/had 6 monthly check ups for thyroid, I have two weekly physio and also just recently hearing tests/appointments to fit hearing aid etc.

My work is always planned ahead, well in advance, and its extremely rare for something to "crop up" during the day. The only thing it may jepodise is my sale calls - and to be honest i've already spoken to boss about these. I'm meant to get some info - if they us/who they use. Then pass everything over to him for him to do the hard sell - He doesnt bother calling them up so its pretty pointless in me getting them. I do on average 300/400 calls a month (bear in mind, im only PT and have a lot other work to do) out of these, maybe only 6/7 need/want call backs (specific field, not an easy sell)

I'm not a slacker - I go out of my way doing tasks for my boss that are ridiculous but ive done them because hes asked (he once brought in a leaf to work and asked me to find out what plant it was from because he wanted some for the office!) but its annoying me because he knows that i dont have anyone for DD and he knows how expensive nursery is - He even once said the reason his wife doesnt work is because of the costs!

anamenottaken

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel wrote: »

- what i said was if i was full time they wouldnt make me make the hours up.

Was that more of a question than a statement?

Unless a full-time person can work only the fixed hours (eg 9 am to 5.30 pm and has to take precisely 60 minute lunch break), then it would not be possible to make up the time (but they could be asked to take the time off as holiday).

However, if they could be allowed to, in the above example of regular hours, start at 8.30 am or finish at 6 pm and only have 30 mins for their lunch, then I could well imagine an employer expecting the time to be made up.

Mimi_Arc_en_ciel

Sorry - not a question was a statement. There was a lady in our HO office who was able to have time off for pregnancy check ups and was paid - and didnt make the time up. When queried i was told it was different rules because she works in mainland europe and not the UK. She has also had a longer full paid maternity leave - again, i've been ttold its different as not UK

SarEl

Ah - now that all makes a difference. because we are not talking about pregnancy at all, which is entirely irrelevant. We are talking about a tumour - automatically covered under the DDA (as was then) and now the Eqiality Act from the day of diagnosis. Plus daily meds - without which I assume there will be some dire consequence which will impact on your ability to live a normal life.

Congratulations Mimi - you are not pregnant - you are disabled. And some people may be anguished to hear (but probably not you), that gives you a hell of a lot more protection :T

You need to inform your HR department that you are both pregnant and disabled, and require a referral to occupational health under the Equality Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, on the basis that they have not made a risk assessment and your disability is such that it may adversely impact on the health of you and your child. They need to acrry out an immediate risk assessment and, as reasonable adjustment, you need time off to attend vital monitoring of your disability and pregnancy. Explain that you cannot attend at any other time due the the specialist nature of the clinic and the fact that these are the only hours that they open.

Be aware that you may not get this time paid - I think in all honesty they ought to, but the time off is all you can reasonably demand.

And isn't it amazing - the OP doesn't need the time off because she is a pregnant woman, but because she is disabled, which can happen to anyone. Is anyone going to pipe up with "there's altogether too many disabled people demanding rights in the workplace"? Because that would be really low, wouldn't it?

LittleVoice

SarEl wrote: »

Ah - now that all makes a difference. because we are not talking about pregnancy at all, which is entirely irrelevant. We are talking about a tumour - automatically covered under the DDA (as was then) and now the Eqiality Act from the day of diagnosis. Plus daily meds - without which I assume there will be some dire consequence which will impact on your ability to live a normal life.

Congratulations Mimi - you are not pregnant - you are disabled. And some people may be anguished to hear (but probably not you), that gives you a hell of a lot more protection :T

You need to inform your HR department that you are both pregnant and disabled, and require a referral to occupational health under the Equality Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, on the basis that they have not made a risk assessment and your disability is such that it may adversely impact on the health of you and your child. They need to acrry out an immediate risk assessment and, as reasonable adjustment, you need time off to attend vital monitoring of your disability and pregnancy. Explain that you cannot attend at any other time due the the specialist nature of the clinic and the fact that these are the only hours that they open.

Be aware that you may not get this time paid - I think in all honesty they ought to, but the time off is all you can reasonably demand.

And isn't it amazing - the OP doesn't need the time off because she is a pregnant woman, but because she is disabled, which can happen to anyone. Is anyone going to pipe up with "there's altogether too many disabled people demanding rights in the workplace"? Because that would be really low, wouldn't it?

Tumour has been removed.

I'm taking daily medication for hypothyroidism (which is likely to be the case for the OP) as do a significant proportion of the older population (not that the OP is "older"). The doctor tells me the consequences of not taking them (and actually if you miss a day or two it doesn't matter) means you "slow down". I asked my GP whether this counted as being a disability under DDA (as then was) and she didn't think so. Personally I think it could stretch to that but the "slowing down" would have to be major.

Googlewhacker

SarEl wrote: »

Ah - now that all makes a difference. because we are not talking about pregnancy at all, which is entirely irrelevant. We are talking about a tumour - automatically covered under the DDA (as was then) and now the Eqiality Act from the day of diagnosis. Plus daily meds - without which I assume there will be some dire consequence which will impact on your ability to live a normal life.

Congratulations Mimi - you are not pregnant - you are disabled. And some people may be anguished to hear (but probably not you), that gives you a hell of a lot more protection :T

You need to inform your HR department that you are both pregnant and disabled, and require a referral to occupational health under the Equality Act and the Sex Discrimination Act, on the basis that they have not made a risk assessment and your disability is such that it may adversely impact on the health of you and your child. They need to acrry out an immediate risk assessment and, as reasonable adjustment, you need time off to attend vital monitoring of your disability and pregnancy. Explain that you cannot attend at any other time due the the specialist nature of the clinic and the fact that these are the only hours that they open.

Be aware that you may not get this time paid - I think in all honesty they ought to, but the time off is all you can reasonably demand.

And isn't it amazing - the OP doesn't need the time off because she is a pregnant woman, but because she is disabled, which can happen to anyone. Is anyone going to pipe up with "there's altogether too many disabled people demanding rights in the workplace"? Because that would be really low, wouldn't it?

I don't think time off is particularly the problem, it is that an employer should be forced to have to pay for someone to have time of for their disability which IMO isn't right on the employer and only encourages discrimination.