Enforcing rights to time off for antenatal care and adoption

A claim can be brought in the employment tribunal to enforce these rights. A tribunal can order the employer to pay the employee who is denied the time off their outstanding pay, even if the employer’s refusal meant that the employee worked and was paid during the time when the appointment should have occurred.

There is a tribunal issue fee of £160 and a hearing fee of £230 (2015). In many cases, the fee is likely to equal or exceed the value of the claim. Means-tested remission is available for some low paid workers. As with all claims, the first (now mandatory) step is to initiate Acas Early Conciliation (see Chapter 13 for information on Acas Early Conciliation and tribunal fees).