To not have emergency childcare

[TwittleBee]

Morning

I received a final warning for my absence at work this morning and was told I should have emergency childcare for my child or be a SAHM.

For context I've only had 2.5 days off this year due to DS (he is 1 years old) and I have either used holiday to make it up or worked late. I'm also always in 1 hour early everyday and often stay late too.

My employer has told me it's unacceptable for me to have a day off to care for DS when he is ill (by ill I mean proper sickness bug or an anaphylactic reaction) and I should have emergency childcare in place. AIBU to not have this? I'm not even sure what this would be?

I'm sure you're allowed so many days parental leave?

By law you are entitled to reasonable time off to deal with emergencies involving a dependant, although this can be unpaid.

I don't have emergency childcare. There is nobody I can ask!

If my DS is ill I have to take time off, touch wood it's not a regular occurrence and my work are fine with it.

Parental leave is for planned circumstances, I was assuming I was covered by dependent leave:

www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants

www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=3235

Yes, dependent leave is unpaid which is why I used holiday to cover 1.5 days and then 1 day I took as unpaid but I still made up the hours (even though I wasn't being paid) to ensure my workload wasn't hit.

Seems harsh from your employer. How long have you worked their?
I have had to take emergency leave for the step children once as my partner's back injury was too severe to look after them. My manager was very supportive.
Have you spoken to hr?

Do you share time off for illnesss with his Dad?

Is there HR?

I’d cut down to doing what you’re paid for and start looking for a job somewhere else.

Sounds harsh, most employers would be happy for you to use holiday.
Unless you are lucky enough to have a family member who would help, you obviously can't send an ill/contagious child to childcare.

You are entitled to have time off to to deal with an emergency childcare situation and you're not allowed to be dismissed because of it.

If there's no HR then it may be that you just need to send your employer a link to the site you've linked above.

Does sound harsh. Wtf are you supposed to do leave him at home with the tv on and a packet of crisps?

Is there anyway you can work from home?

Spanglyprincess1 only since January to be fair. This has come from HR.

anotherangel2 Yes, his sickness bug lasted a while and we had to give 48 hours too before DS could go back to childcare so DH took a few days off too. Unfortunately his employer as been the same as mine and we are now on final warnings.

TestingTestingWonTooFree This has come from HR! and I think I shall do!

halcyondays this is why I was wondering what on earth Emergency Childcare is?

underneaththeash I shall certainly raise it with them

Goldmonday cannot work from home as we aren't allowed access to emails outside of the office

I use annual leave.

Sounds quite harsh, do you have a lot of sickness for yourself? I would stop going in early and staying late. Compromise is a to way street.

My emergency childcare is my mum, my aunty, best friend, brother, dcs other grandparents - so hopefully one of the above would be free in an emergency.

Are you in a probationary period at work? Although 2.5 days isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, 2.5 days during probabtion could impact the way they view how you would be as an employee moving forward (not saying that is right at all, or that this should be allowed)

Try speaking to CAB or asking HR why you are on a warning given the link above states you are entitled to it.

Travis1 only 1 sickness from me, caught the bloomin sickness bug off DS.

Wow that seems really harsh. I employ a number of parents and as King as they aren't taking the piss an Work flexible hours to cover childcare issues. I do it for staff morale, staff retention, recruitment and because it's the right thing to do.

Ie they make up the time another time (which it sounds like you're doing anyway). Are HR aware you've made up time as well as taking leave?

*king!! I meant long. Sorry at home recovering from op and brain not functioning properly.

It does seem pretty unreasonable/harsh. I’d send your employer the link posted above and tell them that as you believe you fall into this category you look forward to your warning being rescinded.

HOWEVER while I think you’ve been treated harshly now the right to time off for dependants is not unlimited and if it looks like your LO is going to suffer health problems that might mean you are going to be off frequently it may no longer be covered by emergency dependants leave. Is there a family member who could step in for example in an emergency? If so, it might be worth trying to get a contingency plan in place.

That's harsh. If your child is ill what are you meant to do?

I try to share with my husband. I take annual leave.

If you've only been there since January you're still on Probation, but they still shouldn't be discriminating against you because your child is ill.

As there's no good will I'd certainly stop going in early and finishing late - it goes both ways.

And I'd be looking for another job...

How ridiculous. Employers seem to think that there are people queueing up to look after sick kids. Plus sick kids don't want a grandparent, they usually want their mums. I'm sorry your employer is so horrible OP

t might be worth trying to get a contingency plan in place.

This.

You need to have plans in place - you can't have it that you both get warnings every time the kid is ill....

Your employer is harsh. But I thought legally you are entitled to emergency leave while you arrange something else. So some could see this as 1 day, and then you have care for other 1.5 day.
This unfortunately is why some parents send their kids to school ill.