Increase in Rights for Fathers and Partners to Attend Ante-natal Care

Beginning this month, fathers and partners will be given access to unpaid time off work to accompany a woman at two ante-natal appointments. The right allows for up to sex and a half hours off per appointment and is extended to spouses, same-sex, civil and long-term partners with the child’s biological father being permitted the same rights. 

Employers are able to ask for a declaration from their employee confirming the reason for the absence and their eligibility to leave but will not have right to be furnished with a doctor’s note as it relates to another persons medical condition. 

Coming into effect on the 1^st October, the right is available from day one of an employees contract and for agency workers 12 weeks into their employment with other specific conditions needing to be satisfied. 

These measures endeavour to enable both mothers and fathers to maintain a strong link to the workplace, encourage fathers to play a more active role in the early stages of their child’s development and assist employers and their workers a greater flexibility in management of the work/life balance.