Time off for birthing classes

[Jobos]

My wife and I are expecting our first baby in August and it’s time to start attending birthing classes. I know dads get 2 weeks paternity leave when the baby is born but the birthing classes are in the day I will need to take time now to attend them. Are dads allowed time off for these classes like mums are or will it be counted as unpaid leave?

[superfletch]

Depends really on your employer - most are quite good when it comes to family stuff.

I didn't go to any birthing classes but my employer let me go to both scans which were in the afternoon without using annual leave.

[witch]

I found this on a government website:
"WHAT THE LAW SAYS
Fathers do not have a legal right to time off to accompany their
partners to antenatal appointments as the right to paid time off
only applies to pregnant employees1. However, a father’s
involvement with his child starts before the birth and many
men will want to be at some of the antenatal appointments to
support their partner and to find out what is happening with
their baby. Many employers recognise how important a time
this is and let their employees either take paid time off or make
up the time later." http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file20795.pdf

So it seems you are not automatically allowed to attend the classes, I'm afraid