United Kingdom
No statutory right to time off for treatment. Pregnancy protection begins earlier than most employers realise, and two general rights changed in 2024 and 2026.
What the law gives you
Protection from pregnancy discrimination starts at embryo transfer, once your employer knows, and continues for two weeks after you are told a transfer has failed (Acas).
You never have to tell your employer. To rely on this protection you will need to, ideally in writing. Once a pregnancy is confirmed you also have the right to paid time off for antenatal care (gov.uk).
Penalising the person undergoing egg collection can be sex discrimination.
Refusing time off, or treating someone unfavourably, because they are having treatment such as egg collection can be sex discrimination before the pregnancy protections start (Working Families). It does not cover a partner or an intended parent.
Flexible working can be requested from day one (since 6 April 2024), twice a year, with a decision within two months.
A request can cover hours, days or place of work. Employers must deal with it in a reasonable manner (gov.uk).
Statutory sick pay is paid from the first day of absence (since 6 April 2026).
The waiting days and the lower earnings limit were removed by the Employment Rights Act 2025. The rate is £123.25 a week or 80% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (Acas).
Partners and intended parents through surrogacy can take unpaid time off for up to two antenatal appointments.
Up to six and a half hours each, unpaid (Acas). An intended parent who intends to apply for a parental order can qualify for statutory adoption leave and pay (gov.uk). There is no right to time off to attend treatment with a partner.
Acas: treat it like any other medical appointment.
Fertility appointments, and sickness arising from treatment, should be handled like any other appointment or sickness under your employer's policies.
What it does not
No statutory right to time off for treatment.
There is no right in Great Britain to time off, paid or unpaid, for fertility treatment (Acas). Appointments before transfer are not antenatal appointments. What you get depends on your contract and your employer's policy.
Before embryo transfer, nothing forces an employer to discount treatment absence.
Many policies keep treatment absence out of sickness trigger points (the absence totals that start a formal process); ask for it. After transfer, pregnancy-related sickness should be recorded separately and not counted towards them.
The Fertility Treatment (Employment Rights) Bill did not become law.
A Private Member's Bill to require employers to allow time off for fertility treatment appointments, introduced in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 sessions. No such Act exists on legislation.gov.uk.
Leave after pregnancy loss is legislated but not yet in force.
The Employment Rights Act 2025 creates at least one week of unpaid bereavement leave from day one, including pregnancy loss before 24 weeks; the government says it will take effect in 2027. The consultation, closed 15 January 2026, proposed including the unsuccessful transfer of an embryo in IVF. Whether failed transfers qualify is undecided until the regulations are made (gov.uk).
The Fertility Workplace Pledge is voluntary.
Signatories commit to workplace information, staff training and flexibility for people in treatment. Co-op, NatWest, Metro Bank and Channel 4 were reported as signatories in November 2022 (Progress Educational Trust). Ask whether yours has signed.
Using it
If you are past embryo transfer and are being treated unfavourably, you may be protected. Talk to Acas before deciding whether to raise it.
Ask for treatment absence to be recorded separately from ordinary sickness, and get the answer in writing before you need it.
Acas and Working Families both run free advice lines; use them before a disagreement hardens.
In Northern Ireland the law is similar but separate; contact the Labour Relations Agency. Its Workplace Information Service is on 03300 555 300.