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

if your employer allows people who dont WFH paid time off and hasnt allowed you paid time off, then yes that is unfair. If however they have offered you an alternative to unpaid time off, then I dont think that's unfair. People who dont WFH may see it as unfair you get a different option.

@Wfhsucks Surely you'd need to take unpaid parental leave or paid annual leave?

If they're happy with that though, they're just giving you the option.

Mine and DHs jobs were essential during lockdown, but we had no childcare and had to both wfh with a baby and a toddler. I'm sure our employers were aware that productivity was down but there was no other option

I had to take a week of annual leave for dd1. She was 18 months and poorly.
I vaccinated next child!

Agree it's fine if an employer wants to offer that as part of their package, but it doesn't sound like OPs does? Because you'd surely open with that otherwise.

So did you just want paid leave for not being at work which wasn't deducted from your AL? I don't understand what you want from them tbh. I think they're being decent letting you WFH!

I am so glad I am no longer an employer

Yep!!!

Why does this thread feel like an anti work from home post.

Chicken pox lasts for ages. It's a bit tough right before all the spots come out but once you actually know it's chicken pox its just a matter of keeping the fluids up and letting them rest. Working from home sounds like a good idea.

Why not paid time off? I get 4 days paid time off for child sickness. That would help during the worst of the chickenpox if the child is needing a lot of care and attention, then either unpaid leave or wfh when feeling better but still contagious.

I'm assuming that this is either a reverse (a coworker is WFH with a sick child) or just a bashing of WFH. Nothing else makes the OP's posts into something reasonable (and explains lack of question answering).

As someone who regularly works from home with a sick child. It depends on how sick they are. When they aren’t actually that ill I find them the hardest to get work done. Often I’ll use my flexi and finish early or take a couple of hrs off in the afternoon.

If they are proper ill I find they are happy to curl up on the sofa next to me and watch films. I just balance my laptop on the arm and I can get loads of work done. Me tending to her, like making her a drink or cleaning up her sick, giving her some cuddles, getting medicine etc, is no different to having a chat to someone in the office for 5/10mins or grabbing a drink/coffee away from my desk.
if you don’t feel u can work then just tell them ur child is too unwell and u are taking time off.

Is your productivity low due to the poorly child? Or spending time posting on Mumsnet during workinghours?

They usually don’t as a regular arrangement

My DH company make all parents of under 5s who WFH show proof of arranged childcare after a few pisstakers.

But as your child is temporarily sick, not so sick he needs round the clock attention and of an age he can watch tv or play with toys, your employer would rather have you working with a slight understandable dip in productivity than absent for several days at no notice

If they are aware that you're going to be relatively unproductive compared with your usual performance and are happy to pay you for the full day anyway is that possibly better than having to take it from your annual leave entitlement or as an unpaid day off? DC being largely babysat by the TV while they're ill is not the end of the world. There's not much you can do with them when they have chicken pox anyway.

I thought most companies' policy was that you can't be considered to be able to work if there's a child at home?
But I think a bit of flexibility and common sense would go a long way here. If he's ill in the sense of largely asleep, and you just need to get him food and drinks and check on him every now and then, you can concentrate enough to work, can't you?(although admittedly I don't know what you do).
If he's awake, distressed, needs you most of the time, then I think I'd tell them you're taking the day off (as whatever your company allows: sick leave, dependant leave...)

Oh sweet lord - can you not see that your work is doing you a favour and working with you ? they are allowing you to stay at home get paid instead of taking unpaid of very preciouses annual leave - They know full well that you wont be as productive as normal but allowing you to do enough to cover your work so it doesn't slip too far behind. This is a good employee who trusts you. Sit your son on the sofa put on a film , then have laptop beside you so you can tip away on stuff you can do. Your workplace sounds amazing so may out there dont have this - Stop complaining

So surely in that case you just request unpaid leave?

Its unclear what your aim was here? Your employer is probably thinking you may be off several days I would rather have the option to work from home than be off unpaid you won't be going out anyway. I am a single parent and get 1 dependent day a year beyond that I don't get paid if my child is unwell

Why?

A 5 YO isn't a toddler that needs watching every minute of the day in case they stick a knife in a plug socket or run around screaming while you're on a call.

A 5 YO is likely to be fine dozing quietly in front of cartoons for a couple of hours or more at a time and will be able to understand if you tell them you're working so not to disturb you, but you'll make them a drink in an hour or two.

If you need to take time out, you could catch up in the evening after they've gone to bed, but otherwise, as a one off, it seems to be the best solution all around. It's not like it's a long term plan where you'll always be looking after them and working at the same time, which I agree isn't ideal, but while they're at home with chicken pox, it's a good solution.

Good God, take the day/week unpaid then whilst you have your child home for a week to recover then. Or waste your annual leave now and struggle when the school holidays arrive.

It’s people like you that are the reason working parents, particularly women of childbearing age, face discrimination when applying for jobs because employers know it’s a risk that there may be a hassle working around childcare needs.

They’re allowing you to work, and not miss out financially because of your child’s illness. If you’re not happy with that, take unpaid leave. It sounds like you’re after a paid leave break, which feeds into my point above about employers not wanting the risk.

So did you have an adult professional conversation with your line manager where you explained these things and asked for emergency leave?

Decline and take annual leave or unpaid dependents leave then? I don’t see the problem and wfh full time

Take some kind of leave then , I really can’t see what your issue is as it seems to me that your employer is trying to help you . I also can’t see what juggling there is with a 5 yo , even with chickenpox they can entertain themselves for an hour at a time whilst you work , quick check on them snack / drink , back to work .