How to deal with requests for time off for antenatal care

Author: Tina Elliott

Summary

Click on any of the hyperlinks to go to more detailed guidance below.

• Be aware that pregnant employees have the right to paid time off work for antenatal care.
• Take into account that you are entitled to ask for evidence that an employee is pregnant and to see their appointment card, except in the case of the first appointment.
• Although antenatal care is not expressly defined, take into account that the safest course would be to assume that relaxation and parentcraft classes are included within the definition.
• Do not ask the employee to make up the lost working time.
• Encourage part-timers to make antenatal appointments outside working hours but appreciate that employees cannot always control appointment times.
• Understand that the reasonableness of a refusal will be a question of fact in each case, depending on the amount of time off requested, the employee's health and whether or not they could have attended appointments outside working hours.
• Be aware that the time off includes the employee's travelling and waiting time.
• Be aware that an expectant father, the partner of a pregnant individual, and surrogacy parents are entitled to unpaid time off to accompany the pregnant individual to two antenatal appointments.
• Appreciate that an unreasonable refusal of paid time off for a pregnant employee could result in claims for the pay related to the time off, constructive unfair dismissal and sex discrimination.