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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think if your child is sick you take annual leave

82 replies

uptheauntie · 27/05/2014 20:13

I (or my partner) have always taken annual leave if DD is sick and cannot go to nursery.

AIBU to think that if your child is sick and cannot go to preschool/nursery you should take annual leave to look after them, rather than claim you are working from home? Especially if there is no issue with you having run out of annual leave etc.

I just couldn't do my work properly whilst looking after/dealing with a sickly child.

OP posts:

ThinkIveBeenHacked · 27/05/2014 20:14

I dont work from home as I cant, but I do take emergency (unpaid) leave.

Is there someone specific who you are directing your post at?

wheresthelight · 27/05/2014 20:14

It largely depends on what the companies rules are and whether there may be important work that needs to be carried out that can't be left.

Just because you can't imagine getting any work done doesn't mean that someone else couldn't work and look after the child.

MammaTJ · 27/05/2014 20:16

No, you phone and claim parental leave. I have done it, so has DP. Unpaid but useful and we manage.

Last time it was DP taking it as he had less on than me. He told work (but they already knew as his immediate boss s my friend on FB) that DS was in hospital and he had to stay with him.

Forgettable · 27/05/2014 20:16

If wfh is an option then that's cool

lotsofcheese · 27/05/2014 20:17

My employer (NHS)!gives carer's leave for the 1st day, in order to make alternative arrangements; thereafter it is annual leave. Working from home is not an option.

It's an unreasonable assumption that everyone should take annual leave, so YABU.

Bumply · 27/05/2014 20:18

Depends how sick the child is and whether you can make up for interruptions by working later into the evening.
I've sometimes compromised by taking half day as leave so I can work while child is asleep (which they tend to do more if poorly), but be able to respond when child needs attention.

Normalisavariantofcrazy · 27/05/2014 20:18

That winds me up in my place of work.

Senior management can work from home, they also get 10 days more AL than us mere mortals. So sick days, kids sick, deliveries etc are all taken as 'work from home' so they all have impeccable sickness records and can also use their AL to go on 3 week long holidays.

Then they have a go at us for taking short notice AL due to dc sickness or that out sickness record is dire...

Canus · 27/05/2014 20:19

My husband works from home if the children are ill.

No problem at all, in fact he gets more done as he cuts out a four hour commute.

WorraLiberty · 27/05/2014 20:19

What do you mean by 'claim' you are working from home?

How do you know they aren't?

Chocotrekkie · 27/05/2014 20:20

It depends how sick the child is and their age.

My 10 yr old had been sick a couple of times in the night. Come the next day she was ok just tired. So she lay sleeping or watching tv all day.

I worked from home - got loads done.

AnnoyingOrange · 27/05/2014 20:20

Depends on the age of the child and type of illness as to how much work could be done.

Also depends on the type of work that needs to be done

Cardinal · 27/05/2014 20:20

If I can work from home then I do when a child is sick. I can and do get work done, so it think it's fine.

If I wasn't working, I wouldn't do it. You absolutely can juggle work and a sick child. Mine have always tended to sleep through sick days anyway. No use me sitting there doing nothing.

Dragonlette · 27/05/2014 20:20

But if you manage to still complete your normal daily workload then you are working from home. It's not possible for me to work from home (teacher) but school are very good at giving a few days a year of parental leave to look after sick children.

Dp can and does work from home sometimes if dd2 is ill and can't go to cm/pre-school. He just has to work around her. Most of the time when she's ill she just wants to curl up on the sofa and watch tv, so that's what she does and he sits with his laptop in the same room and does his work. It takes him longer, so instead of finishing at 5 and coming home for an evening, he is still working later in the evening to get everything done that he normally would. His bosses would rather have that and have the work done instead of him taking a day of leave and then being late for a deadline.

DoJo · 27/05/2014 20:20

It depends on a lot of things - a child who's going to spend most of the day in bed doesn't need much attention other than a parent on hand when needed, but a child who is vomiting every five minutes probably won't be able to be left to carry on with work.

Is this someone you manage? Because surely you could have suggested that the person take annual leave instead of agreeing to let them work from home?

gamescompendium · 27/05/2014 20:21

When the kids were younger I would agree but now I've got school age kids if they are truly ill they spend the day in bed/on the sofa sleeping, reading or watching TV so I suspect it would be possible to work from home with a sick school child. The 18 month old? No chance!

SwedishEdith · 27/05/2014 20:21

Depends on what work you do and how sick the child is

ThatBloodyWoman · 27/05/2014 20:21

No you take unpaid emergency time off for dependents.

Backtobedlam · 27/05/2014 20:22

Generally when mine are sick they lie on the sofa and watch tv or sleep so I could easily work on my laptop with the odd break for drinks/cuddles etc. Depends entirely on the nature of the work you do and also what is wrong with the child.

springdrinks · 27/05/2014 20:22

When my DC are ill, I tuck them up in bed and work on my laptop- I occasionally give them drinks or soup.

There are a very few things I need to go into the office for but I'm a solicitor and can actually do a pretty much full day wfh so no, I won't take annual leave when I don't have to.

ThermoLobster · 27/05/2014 20:24

Depends if you have school age kids as well. If you do, then your whole allowance will be used up to cover school holidays probably. At which point, any illness will be covered via unpaid leave / carer leave / working from home or whatever other benefits you might have. Do you have a specific issue with someone or is it a general issue with working parents trying to make things work as best they can?

adoptmama · 27/05/2014 20:26

YABU and making sweeping statements generalisations as if everyone's home and work situation is the same. Bravo to you and your partner for taking AL - why should everyone else need to do this if there are other perfectly suitable options for them. Your use of the the word 'claim' is clearly meant to imply that those who say they are working from home when their child is sick and not doing this. Which is clearly bollocks since many people manage to.

ThatBloodyWoman · 27/05/2014 20:26

My annual leave is used primarily for planned pre booked childcare in the school holidays.
If I used a/l for childrens sickness I may find myself short for the holidays.
I first approach family if possible, but if not I use emergency time off for dependents in the way in which it was introduced to be used.
I wouldn't take a sick child to work.

BrianTheMole · 27/05/2014 20:27

I work from home if my children are sick. If the work is done, then then its a non issue. So yabvu.

TheAbominableWoman · 27/05/2014 20:27

I've done it. Get in a few hours on laptop while DC sleeps and then a few more once they've gone to bed in the evening. Without the interruptions I get in the office, I can easily get as much done in fewer hours at home.

Scholes34 · 27/05/2014 20:28

Give and take on both sides. If your employer shows some flexibility, then you will as an employee. It's really difficult and unpredictable when the children are little, but it's a period in your life that is quickly over and before long you'll be leaving an older primary school child in bed with a bucket by the side of the bed whilst you go to work and someone pops back at lunchtime and rings every hour . . . within reason, of course.

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