New employment rights are set to come into force from October 1, 2014, that allow staff the chance to take time off work to accompany a pregnant woman to an ante-natal appointment.
Government guidance explains how an employee who has a qualifying relationship with a pregnant woman or her expected child is able to take unpaid time off during working hours.
The legislation allows staff to accompany the woman when she attends an ante-natal care appointment which is made on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, registered midwife or registered nurse.
This is limited to no more than two appointments, with the maximum time off during working hours for each appointment being no more than 6.5 hours.
An employer is not entitled to ask for any evidence of the ante-natal appointments, such as an appointment card, as this is the property of the expectant mother attending the appointment.
However, an employer is entitled to ask the employee for a declaration stating the date and time of the appointment, that the employee qualifies for the unpaid time off through his or her relationship with the mother or child.
And that the time off is for the purpose of attending an ante-natal appointment with the expectant mother that has been made on the advice of a registered medical practitioner, nurse or midwife.
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