My supervisor won't let me take off work for a pregnancy check-up: Advice?

So my supervisor rejected my 16 weeks follow up appointment twice already stating that I have to have 24 hours of PTO in order for it to be approved however I won’t be able to accumulate those hours because of the upcoming holidays(I work in a clinic, and we have holidays off which they have to use my PTO)what do I do? And I feel like my future appointments will be rejected as well. I already sent a message to my OB in regard to this, but is there anything else that I can do?

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Wow, that’s really messed up.

Fmla but other than that appts are more important id call in.
Have you tried tellin them you can leave and come back ?

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I would just call out.

Get evenings or weekend apts.

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Also try scheduling your appointments either first thing or last

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Go tall to HR.
I don’t think that legal

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Wth it’s the law look it up they cant deny you getting medical care for your pregnancy

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A bit more information is needed. Are you asking for an entire day, or just an hour or so? Can you organize a different day/time with your OB? Depending on your state, you should be able to get a little time off for the appointment, as long as you bring in a dr note. It seems strange an appointment would be rejected, if it’s only for an hour or two, however I could see there my be an issue if requesting an entire day.

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My employer tried doing this with me too i took the day off anyway. I gave them the option to find coverage it was their choice to decline. I req every appt i had fpr baby pff and every time it was the same thing. Dpnt let them bully you into missing something thats important to you.

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I’m pretty sure it’s illegal for your employer to deny you time off for pregnancy appointments. Look on the better business bureau website

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Can you take it without pay?

Call out and go. Although im pretty sure what they’re doing is illegal

I don’t think they can legally do that to you, check with HR. My boss let me go to my doctors appt and i didnt use my pto, i took it with no pay. They cant force you to use your pto

Call in. Just get a doctor’s note saying u had an appt. Can’t put blame on ya there.

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Wow I had issues with cancer check ups finally I got so annoyed and told them to kick rocks …ex boss has made it impossible to find a new job… so yea I feel for you ,I’d go to HR and ask what you can do to keep your job and make appointments to make sure you and your baby are healthy.

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Call out and go
Your baby’s health and your health is 10x more important

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I’m pretty sure it’s illegal they have to by law give you time off for your doctor’s appointments and give you time that you need per request

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Pregnancy is a protected class like race or religion I would go to hr

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Look Into the laws for discrimination in your state and especially for pregnant people, because he is denying you and your baby prenatal care. When I was pregnant with my oldest my supervisor not so jokingly told me that he could throw me down some stairs and then I would not have to worry about my pregnancy anymore. I went and told my OB and he ordered light duty for me since he knew it would not be possible at my job. So due to his threat to my health and the baby they had to pay short term disability for me

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Are you asking for the whole day off?

You really don’t need the whole day for an appointment. I would just request to come in an hour or two late and schedule your appointments in the morning

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If you have been there a year Apply for fmla to take off for all future appointments and the birth. Go to HR and they will guide you on that.

You need to find out if you would qualify for FMLA

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Simple, you have to take the day off without pay. If rejected again it’s grounds for discrimination.

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This doesn’t make sense. Something is missing here.

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Schedule your appointments on your off day

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See if you can take a long lunch or come in late/early?

Can you take it unpaid? I would call out and go and like others are saying id go talk to HR. You can’t force them to pay you for the day off but I don’t think they can prevent or punish you for going.

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Make your appointments after work.

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illegal; contact an attorney that will take you on assignment; I am sure they need 24-48 notice maybe more but they have to let you go smh

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I’d get fired and collect unemployment till I found a new job

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Take the day off without pay!!

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I would go to HR. Go to the appt and bring a doctors note from them saying you were there.

Call in that’s what I had to do

Report him to your supervisor, or your HR!!

contact human resources

Obviously if you dont have PTO for it you will not be getting paid for the time you miss to go but it would be better to schedule it outside of work hours. They are probably preparing to get rid of you as you’re showing them that you will be missing work and are now unreliable as an employee.

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Yeah my old job was like that. If you wanted to take off you had to have time to take. Although I’m not sure why you need 24 hours of it since you should only need to take an hour or so. You will either have to go without pay or after work.

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Get a drs note stating that you need these appointments. Turn it into hr if they count these absences against you and or fire you I believe that is completely illegal and you could file lawsuit against them.

If they are treating pregnancy this way, they will not be family friendly at all. Time to find a new job.

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Go to HR. You only need enough accrued to cover the appointment.

Talk to higher up thats rediculiouse

File Fmla and you’re legally protected

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Schedule your appointment as early as possible and call your work and tell them you’ll be late that day

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Ask your OB if you can come in at the latest hour…and on that day take your lunch at that time…And report the boss

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This definitely isn’t legal. I didn’t ever ask, I told and I went - mine and my baby’s health was the priority.

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I’m confused so you have Holidays off but your employer also counts that as PTO?

Also, sadly your employer doesn’t have to accommodate your pregnancy. HR will tell you the same thing so either accumulate more PTO or call in.

Is there no one that can cover for you while you’re gone? What happens if you’re sick and have to miss work? I’d be looking for a new job…that sounds very stressful.

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I would think it would be against the law to deny your request off for medical care for your pregnancy!

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That’s illegal. It violates FMLA.

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They can’t legally stop you from going if you have a doctor’s note

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Ok here is what I would do. I would schedule my appointment at my lunch break. First call your Drs office explain you would need to get in when you got there. Then tell your boss you maybe late coming back from lunch and why and if you was not going to make it back you will call them. I know most ppl only get 30 mintues for lunch but at worst you may be gone 1hour over. If this isn’t a go make your appointment call in then bring in Drs note. Also do not think this is legal call the labor broad and if able file complaint. Good luck and God bless.

I’m no expert but I think the fmla trumps time off with PTO. Check with your HR Dept

Apply for FMLA. Then he can’t deny you, whether you have time or not.

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I think labour relations should hear about this . See if it’s legal .

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In California they legally they have to provide you half a day to see the dr. Whether its paid or not is up to them.

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Uhhhh they clearly are confused

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I’d be more worried about how they will accommodate your maternity leave if they can’t even cover your OB appointments :confused: do some research about what your office (state laws) us legally obligated to and hold them accountable.

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Next time tell them your going. And let them know as soon as possible it gives them time to c9ver your shift. They dont technically need to approve if you bring a doctors note for the appt after you go. And come back they cant fire you. Medically your covered basically what a doctors note is for if tou have a problem then also notify hr with the same note.

Wow that’s not right. You should be able to talk to someone else. Do you need the whole day for the appointment? Im asking because when I’m scheduled on a work day and can’t change it…I just let them know I’ll be a little late and bring my doctor excuse with me. My job is understanding to our appointments.

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Just take a day without pay…

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You do not have tk bave PTO to takr off work… Those hours are usually if you wish to take off for like weekends or weeks… They should allow you off for appts

Illegal call your city

Call your HR department. They will give you guidance. Good luck…

Sounds illegal to me.Start looking for another job or call.our sick

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I had a high-risk pregnancy and had more appointments than usual and my boss said “maybe you shouldn’t be working if you’re so high-risk” I said I will not be back. I quit. Best decision ever.

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It depends a lot on what state you’re in, whether you’re full or part time, and whether your company has FMLA/if you qualify for FMLA. Most states are at will so they can fire you for any reason including calling in. Unless you meet the requirements for FMLA (company has more than 15 employees, you’ve been there a year, etc) then using personal paid time off would be the only option I can see. If you don’t have any then it is just calling in for the time and would count against attendance. They cannot discriminate against you because you’re pregnant, however most states don’t have much in the way of protections for pregnancy because it is at best considered a short term disability and you’d have to have the proper paperwork filled out and approved. I never took the whole day off for appointments, but I don’t know your situation (ie how far away your OB is from your work, your transportation means, etc) so I don’t know if maybe your employee might be willing to allow you to take just 2-3 hours the days you have appointments and possibly make them up throughout the same pay period since you don’t have PTO but it might be worth asking.
Sorry, I am sympathetic of your predicament and don’t mean to be a Debby downer, but unless you can prove discrimination - which is hard, because if the same rule applies to everyone about not being able to take time off for doctors appointments without PTO then it’s “not” discrimination - then there aren’t really many things you can do about it.

Call in sick and bring a note. They can’t stop you from medically necessary appointments

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Go above your supervisor

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Don’t think they can legally deny medical care, especially with a pregnancy. Check with labor board. Your OB isn’t always going to have an appointment on your day off, and if you work mon-fri you have to be able to stay up on your visits.

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You can try to get a appointment with your doctor after work instead of during work hours or if you start work at 9 am try to get a doctor appointment at 8 or 830

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They should be able to work with your schedule or let you make up those hours for PTO that’s used. If they want to keep you as an employee, then they can make the adjustments or use FMLA and talk to your doctors office to get some kind of paperwork to show your company that you need the appointments and maybe they can let you leave an out or two early without pay.

If it were me, I WILL just take off and come back with my letter from the midwife. Your baby and health comes first. It’s super important for you to attend all your appointment s on time. And if your supervisor Has a problem with it. Then settle it at court.

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Make him aware that it is against the law to deny you going to a medical appointment

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Put in for an unpaid time off request.

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I would just flat out say “here are my appointments, day and times. I will not be here as my health and the health of my child are my number one priority right now. Feel free to mark it on your calendar.”

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Um i would look into few things.

  1. Having holidays off should not use pto. Either company pays or it doesn’t but it doesn’t use pto.
  2. I’d seek legal help and see what you can do about them denying you time off or hours for apts for your kids.
  3. Your company doesn’t seem to care for employee. Specially pregnancy ones. I would find better job.

I am not sure if it depends state by state, but that’s illegal. And if you bring in a doctors note to put in file you will be fine.

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Have you worked there for at least 26 weeks? If so they have to let you go because of the Family Medical Leave Act.

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Call HR. That’s absolutely illegal.

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That’s illegal he can’t do it. Remind him of that and tell him you are going to go above his head to whoever is above him if he refuses. You can go after them for that.

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Schedule before and after work hours. Go in an hour later or leave an hour before that way you’re not missing a whole day they can’t deny you prenatal care for a doctor’s appointment

Let them know that it’s against the law for them to deny your time off, if they fire you for missing the work it is discrimination.

That is illegal first off. Secondly I would go above her head. They can’t denied you medical time off for prenatal appts ect in pregnancy. Third I would be looking for a different job. I wouldn’t want to work for a company like that.

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Is the dilemma Paid time off or just time off??

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Take personal time for a couple of hours and return to work

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Go anyway and bring a note. They cant fire you if u have a note

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Have you talked with HR?

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Yup illegal and if you need the appointment just take a day without pto I’ve never had a job that did PTO save for vacation days but that alone isn’t enough for a year’s worth of sick days and holidays if the company pays holidays off that shouldn’t effect your personal pto

It’s really going to depend on the state.

I know where I’m at, employers can’t deny medical requirements, can’t request a doctors note unless they offer insurance, or pay for the appointment, but CAN fire you at will without reason.

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What are your days off? Can’t you just make appointments on them days?

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Make a complaint to your company on how you are being effected for yourself nd baby this is emotionally upsetting for you ect.

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I’m pretty sure denying a medical appointment is illegal, especially for pregnancy

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Are you asking for it paid? They do not have to pay you, but they have to let you go.

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Call in sick. (Cough cough)

They cant deny you the day off, you just won’t get paid for it.

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Depending on the rules at your individual workplace…

BUT with that said, if you qualify for FMLA, you can take it as intermittent leave during the pregnancy for appointments and then continuous for maternity leave itself.

But it is still only 12 weeks guaranteed, so you also have to make sure you don’t use too much for appointments so you have enough for maternity leave if your pregnancy only takes place during one calendar year

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Are you asking for the entire day off? Or just a few hours off to make the appointment? Also, did you put the reason for your the time off? I would contact HR. If you don’t have PTO. Than take the time off without pay.

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What u need to do is file for FMLA. That way when u have an appointment u will call off and say FMLA. Your employer can’t punish u or fire you . And the fact that your doctor and HR department hasn’t shared this info with u is completely shady and unprofessional

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This is actually legal-ish…depending on your state and how long you’ve been employed. There are NO FEDERAL laws requiring employers to let employees off for medical appointments UNLESS they qualify for and have FMLA. From there it varies by state.
So…

  1. Do you live in a hire at will state? If yes, this is 100% legal. Employers are allowed to set any stipulations they want for keeping you on.
  2. Are you still in your probationary period? If so this is similar to hire at will states (often in addition to), meaning that all rules/regulations are much stricter since you’re a new employee. You haven’t earned pto (because its earned) or anything yet.
  3. If you’re not in probationary period, have you worked long enough to qualify for FMLA?
  4. Does the place you work for meet the federal requirements for providing FMLA to you?
    If yes to the last two questions, then this is your best bet. Get the required paperwork, take it to your doctor and have them fill it out, and then bring it back to your employer. You’ll be allowed to take intermittent leave for your appointments (you will not get paid though) without reprecussions (you still have to bring a note in) however be aware…you only have 12 weeks. You can only use this for medical reasons.

If not then…
-try to schedule your doctors appointments around your work hours (plenty of people have to do this)
-if that’s not possible due to your work hours, then its either time to start looking for a new job or a new doctor.