AIBU to think working from home with chickenpox child is unfair?

You sound delightful. Sounds like your employer didn’t handle these things well.

My work suggest I can work from home if my child is unwell but I see it as a supportive measure. They don't expect me to neglect my child, or work solidly 9-5 or bring him to the office but rather do what I can to save me taking annual leave or unpaid leave.

Of course they don't expect you to take an ill child into work! If you can't manage, you say no.

95% chance no he/she/it isn't. But if they do, they won't answer the questions.

Of course you can. Don’t be ridiculous - it’s chicken pox not Ebola.

Youll be at 90% capacity, so what.

Otherwise take your annual leave

Are you ever coming back to actually explain what you DID want to happen?

I hope your boss reads this and suggests you take unpaid leave,

So were you actually requesting unpaid leave?

Given the nature of my job, this was my only option if I had an emergency relating to my caring duties. (I was once told that I could get my GP to sign me off, but I wasn’t unwell so that really wasn’t an option.)

I think next time word it very clearly

"Sorry I cannot work at all today, my sick child needs me. I will let you know when he is well enough for me to return to my duties"

I think you are over thinking

if your bosses ever had young children they know what it’s like
you do your best, should be ok to keep an eye on emails at least

however assuming dc will be off all week, you alternate with the child’s df as to who is working (at home or otherwise) and who is looking after dc.

fingers crossed your dc recovers quickly

Have you actually asked for emergency leave for a dependent or to use a day's annual leave for this?

What did you want them to do / say?

Take the day as annual leave or unpaid leave.

If you expect a day off and still get paid YABU.

But what did you want/expect to happen?
Did you ask for dependants leave? Or did you just Hope they would say ok no worries have a paid day off that doesn't come out of your AL?

At my work I've sometimes been at home with sick kids. I usually manage it by taking a half day AL and working on and off and "tending the patient" on and off. I could announce that I can't work and need dependants leave but (a) it is at employers discretion as to whether it's paid it not and (b) it messes up my workloads and targets to have time off when I'm not expecting it.
I totally agree wfh with kids isn't ideal but occasionally needs must.

Think about it this way, if you had no WFH capacity, you'd be stuck at home to doing no work with but possibly losing a week's pay!

This depends on the level and type of illness, age of child and what your job entails.

I regularly wfh when my children are sick. If they are severe with vomiting etc then no I book off as childcare but most other things (including chickenpox) are manageable.
But my job doesn't involve customers/clients etc and my works policy is basically line manager discretion. Most of us simply explain we have a ill child so may have more short breaks. It stops me getting behind with my case work.

Obviously it's not possible if they are under 18 months old as typically they just want to lie ontop of you!

What did you say when you phoned in? Did you say “I have a sick child and will need to take carers leave” and they made you wfh?
Or did you just leave them to decide and this is the outcome as they didn’t realise how unwell child is?

I think YABU. Some people who can’t wfh would be told to take annual leave or unpaid leave in this scenario. You are lucky you have the option to wfh (I am so thankful for being able to and never ever take wfh for granted)

Op it is hard but you’re lucky in another way, I’ve had managers that insisted I needed to come into work when my child was really sick. I got called in and given out to when I returned to work the following day (when he wasn’t even fully better but dh was back )

I don’t understand what you are wanting. Obviously they understand that you won’t be at full capacity and will need to spend some time dealing with your child but you try do what you can whilst they sleep/ watch tv and catch up some of it whilst they’ve gone to bed.

Whats the alternative- they make you go to the office, they make you take a days leave?

You need to reframe, they are being kind! Of course they know you won’t be as productive with a poorly child at home. I found when my child had it she was lethargic and just wanted to watch tv, I kept an eye on her, medicated her when needed and of course provided comfort. I wasn’t there to play with her, she needed rest to heal.

if you don’t want to, take leave, flexi if that is offered or unpaid carers leave. Your employer certainly shouldn’t be expected to be responsible to pay you for not working because your child is sick… they have given you the biggest compromise without you loosing leave.

id take that as a win

Children are not taken to work because they require a lot of attention all the time, which interferes with work, sick or healthy.

Obviously! But to interpret is 'others will do my work by adding to their workload', the employer will not lose out, it is the mugs that are colleagues who will pick up the slack.

Because you can.

This pretty much sums up my thoughts.

In a role where you can’t wfh then you’d need to take off unpaid or use annual leave. Most employers don’t give paid time off for caring for a sick child.

It really doesn’t sound like they have forced her to wfh.
I’d be very bemused to get an informal grievance if I’d been nice and offered wfh.
If an employee wants it off they tell me - x is ill I’ll need to take it as unpaid.
If they want to be allowed to wfh they usually tell me child ill and hope I offer wfh as they can’t demand it but it’s seen as a helpful solution. I do usually say something like are you ok to work from home but that’s not me advising them to wfh let alone demanding it. They are free to say they can’t work.
Obviously over time you get to know people’s preferences and set ups. One always takes it as unpaid. Another is very grateful to be able to wfh if child poorly (get impression couldn’t in previous job)

What would your company do if your role wasn’t viable working from home?

Im assuming your issue is if you were an office worker, you would get a perk (paid day off?) and you feel aggrieved that you’re not as you can WFH?