Time Off To Accompany Partner To Antenatal Appointments

A right for eligible employees and agency workers to accompany their wives, partners or expectant mothers to antenatal appointments is to be introduced from 1 October 2014. Qualifying individuals will be allowed to take unpaid leave to accompany a pregnant woman to two antenatal appointments, for up to a maximum of six and a half hours for each appointment.

Employers will not be entitled to ask to see the actual appointment card or letter, but can ask the employee for a signed declaration stating the details of the appointment, how the employee is eligible to attend and confirming the time off is for the purpose of attending the ante-natal appointment which has been made following medical advice.

The following employees and agency workers are eligible to attend:

• the baby's father;
• the expectant mother's spouse, her civil partner, or partner (of either sex) in an enduring relationship;
• orintended parents of a child in a surrogacy arrangement if they expect to be entitled to and intend to apply for a parental order in respect of that child.

Any employees or agency workers who seek to exercise this new statutory right are protected in law from any detriment arising from the exercise of that right. If an employee is dismissed as a result of exercising or seeking to exercise this right then the dismissal is automatically unfair.

Employers will need to ensure that their maternity policies are updated to take into account these new changes and also that their managers are aware of the new right and the information they can ask the employee for.

Published: September 2014

Contact us:

For further advice on your employment issues contact Gillian Reid on 01904 716050.

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