Is an employee entitled to time off to attend antenatal care appointments?
Under the statutory right to paternity leave, employees are not entitled to time off to accompany their partner at antenatal appointments (although pregnant employees do have the right to time off – see Maternity rights – a guide for employers and employees. What happens if an employer has their own paternity leave scheme? This guidance is about employees’ statutory rights under employment legislation. They cannot contract out of these rights. Those employees whose employment contracts give them entitlements to paternity leave may take advantage of those contractual rights or their statutory rights, depending on which are more favourable. Employees who believe they are not entitled to the statutory rights described here should check whether they are entitled to take leave under their contracts. What happens if an employer has their own paternity pay scheme? The employer must pay the SPP the employee is entitled to. If the employee is also entitled to contractual paternity pay for the s
