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Medical Appointments

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Songbird966

Member
Hi, I have a 1 hour commute to work so when I have to attend a medical appointment, my employer insists I take half a day's leave. Other members of staff are allowed to make the time up but my line manager insists that, as a receptionist, this is not possible. I have spoken with our HR Manager and she said there is nothing she can do. I'm just wondering where I stand legally, especially as I need to attend for a blood test before an appointment with a Diabetic doctor at my local hospital and I have no annual leave left.
 
I have not come across this - my blood tests and appointments are just part of time I am permitted off - are you the only receptionist - if not could you not cover each others shift? Just trying to think of how you could manage this, I certainly could not afford to give up half a days leave each time.
Hope others can give you more information.
 
In my last job, when I had appointments, I had to make them out of work time but I did to early and late shifts. If it was in work time, then I had to take annual leave or if I had no holiday left then had to take unpaid leave. I think it depends on your employer
 
I have worked for employers that allowed reasonable time off for all hospital appts and 1 that basically said --"if you are not in work you do not get paid -- take holiday "
there was no give and take there.

Unfortunately -- @Sparrow456 has defined it properly to the best of my knowledge
 
What everyone has said is true, but there is another part to your post, other people get to make up hours lost. It isn't your fault if you are the only receptionist, the company cannot allow one rule for ever other staff and not you.
Please contact ACAS they will be able to advise on what you can do
 
Songbird966 said:
Hi, I have a 1 hour commute to work so when I have to attend a medical appointment, my employer insists I take half a day's leave. Other members of staff are allowed to make the time up but my line manager insists that, as a receptionist, this is not possible. I have spoken with our HR Manager and she said there is nothing she can do. I'm just wondering where I stand legally, especially as I need to attend for a blood test before an appointment with a Diabetic doctor at my local hospital and I have no annual leave left.
Click to expand...

You are disabled under the equality act and so should get reasonable adjustments. The default position is that allowing paid time off for medical appointments for someone with a disability is a reasonable adjustment. However, there may be some specific circumstances where that adjustment just isn't reasonable and I don't know if your position might fall into one of those sorts of circumstances. If not paid, you should be able to take as unpaid leave instead so that you can actually make the appointment.

I think I'd be asking HR if they had considered reasonable adjustments under the equality act and if the adjustments arent reasonable, why not.

http://www.xperthr.co.uk/faq/where-...ppointment-should-the-time-off-be-paid/57196/
 
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