Should you have to give your employer proof of antenatal appointments?

lulu_92

Pregnant employees have 4 main legal rights:

• paid time off for antenatal care
• maternity leave
• maternity pay or maternity allowance
• protection against unfair treatment, discrimination or dismissal

‘Antenatal care’ isn’t just medical appointments - it can also include antenatal or parenting classes if they’ve been recommended by a doctor or midwife.
Employers can’t change a pregnant employee’s contract terms and conditions without agreement - if they do they are in breach of contract.
Employers must give pregnant employees time off for antenatal care and pay their normal rate for this time off. The father or pregnant woman’s partner has the right to unpaid time off work to go to 2 antenatal appointments.

Do you think pregnant women should have to provide proof of these appointments, or to prove they are advised by a medical professional?

ETA - I totally think you should have to provide proof. I know someone who totally abuses the system and for people like myself who don't it is a real pain. I have offered to bring in letter and my pregnancy notes to show them of my appointments but work said it wasn't necessary. I feel guilty as I'm high risk so I have appointments quite often, but no where near as much as this other person!

I posted here as there are 3 pregnancy threads on this board.

Alter_ego

Yes, to prevent abuse of the system.

Person_one

You'd probably be better off asking in the 'employment' bit of the board

PasturesNew

Yes, otherwise it could just be made up.

Lioness_Twinkletoes

Of course.

MandM90

Yes. How hard is it to bring an appointment confirmation letter in when you let them know you'll be gone?

My current manager doesn't ask for proof of anything, he knows I'll get what I need to done (even though it's often in the evening outside of work time). I think it's wonderful when you have a team that all trust each other, but if he said he needed letters then I wouldn't feel put out having to provide them.

Georgiegirl256

Of course. Why? Do you think that you shouldn't?

rpc

Any paid leave should be justified, otherwise people will milk the system.

The suggestion that pregnant women should be entitled to paid time off work at their own say-so is ludicrous.

lulu_92

rpc wrote: »

Any paid leave should be justified, otherwise people will milk the system.

The suggestion that pregnant women should be entitled to paid time off work at their own say-so is ludicrous.

Definitely!

I've edited the OP to show how I actually feel on the matter, as I appreciate it sounded as though I thought it was unfair to be expected to provide proof!

NotBothered

Of course. One pregnant lady who works in my office went off for a "scan" and came back with a new hairstyle!!!! Takes the absolute @@$£. Out of principal I always scan my hospital appointment letters (not pregnant) and add it to my "appointments" and "invite" my colleagues and line manager so that they can see very clearly where I am going in the middle of the day!

You would be surprised at how many of my colleagues get narky about it as they are scared that my routine will become the standard and they will also have to follow that procedure!!!!! LOL

Darksparkle

Absolutely.

However recently I heard someone have an argument with the receptionist in the hospital because they refused to provide them a letter confirming time/dates of antenatal classes and they needed it for work.

I get a letter for scans and midwife appointments but for antenatal and breastfeeding workshop, I was only given a bit of paper with times and dates on it (and they were wrong!).