Time off to ante-natal appointments

From 1 October 2014 expectant fathers, or the partner of a pregnant woman, will be entitled to take unpaid time off work to accompany the woman to up to 2 of her ante-natal appointments.

The core details:

• There is no qualifying period for the right for employees (agency workers have a 12 week qualifying period).
• The time limit is six and a half hours for each appointment (half the maximum working day under the Working Time Regulations).
• Whilst an employer is not entitled to ask for evidence of the appointment such as an appointment card, they can request an employee to provide a signed declaration containing details of the appointment.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills has produced a useful short guide for employers. It can be downloaded here: http://bit.ly/1sfHQVX

For further information or if you have any questions about employment contracts please contact our employment law team.