Right To Accompany A Pregnant Woman To Antenatal Appointments

From 1^st October an employee or an agency worker (who has worked on an assignment for 12 continuous calendar weeks) who has a qualifying relationship with a pregnant woman or her expected child will be entitled to be permitted by his or her employer to take time off (up to 6 ½ hours in one day) on up to 2 occasions for a single pregnancy during the employee's working hours in order that he or she may accompany the woman when she attends by appointment at any place for the purpose of receiving ante-natal care.

The employer can request a signed declaration from the employee confirming the date & time of the appointment that the time off is to attend an antenatal appointment which has been arranged on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or registered nurse and that the employee has a qualifying relationship with a pregnant woman or her expected child.

A qualifying relationship is either a husband or civil partner, or long-term cohabitee of the pregnant woman, or the father of the expected child.

If someone is refused time off, the employee can make a claim to an Employment Tribunal and the Tribunal will award compensation equivalent to twice the pay they would receive for the equivalent amount of time they requested as time off.

It will also be unlawful to dismiss an employee or subject them to a detriment for seeking to exercise this right.

The legislation was brought in by the Children & Families Act 2014 and amends the Employment Rights Act 1996 (click here).

Time off to accompany a pregnant woman to ante-natal appointments - Employers Guide - September 2014

Published: August 2014 (updated Sept 2014)

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