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AIBU?

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Original poster

having to take unpaid leave to pick a sick child up early from school?

108 replies

dalmationdotty · 17/10/2018 13:12

So last week at work, school call mid morning to say DS2 is poorly, they really feel he ought to go home. School usually are pretty robust at keeping kids in welfare and only really call if feel they need to go. DS2 was feeling sick and light headed. Anyway I tell my boss if I can leave at lunchtime after I do my mornings work. Its around 11am. get several more calls from school to say DS2 now being sick. Rush to try and finish off what am doing. Colleague says she will cover me for afternoon. Leave around midday. Anyway today boys says would i like to make up my hours for the afternoon taken off of take it as unpaid leave? I have never taken time off for kids illness before. I usually either bring child to work if not too unwell or have found cover. Also colleague that covered me was asked to invoice for her overtime but she said no its fine as we all cover each other in times of need and if she had to dash off she'd hope work would be fine with it. They tell her how admirable of you, thanks. So I am now making up the hours on my day off, that my colleague has covered free of charge???? Seems wrong?

OP posts:
NoTeaForMe · 17/10/2018 14:29

@shearwater I absolutely understand that. However, that wasn’t the case for the OP. She answered the phone (and therefore wasn’t in a meeting etc) and then continued to work. She was called several times and left work at least an hour after the first phone call.

Allegorical · 17/10/2018 14:29

I work for the nhs and have to take carers leave.
I am allowed two days paid carers leave ( only one episode though) in a rolling year. After that it’s unpaid leave. Check your trusts policy. It’s unusual to have no paid carers leave at all. Although if you can get some paid I would be tempted to save for when they are off sick for a few days.
It’s not on that they aren’t paying you overtime though. I would bring this up with hr. They can’t have it both ways. Or if if they expect you to use leave then bring up any recent overtime you have done.

Welshmaiden85 · 17/10/2018 14:30

I think it’s shortsighted and mean. The company hasn’t lost out. The only person who lost out was your colleague who you will presumably return the favour for at some point.

itswinetime · 17/10/2018 14:30

Sorry I'm stuck at

Basically I work in the NHS

And

I have never taken time off for kids illness before. I usually either bring child to work if not too unwell or have found cover

How is it appropriate to bring a child not well enough for school into any workplace let alone the NHS! But I digress.

Things are changing in the nhs there is no more give and take. They are perfectly entitled to make you work you contracted hours/ take unpaid leave. Just as you are perfectly entitled to make sure everyone knows the new system so no more free cover all done as overtime and leave/start on time and take your full breaks or if not possible due to safety issues ect start a time owing record so that you can claim it back when appropriate! The rules are there for both employers and employees!

MondayImInLove · 17/10/2018 14:33

Sorry OP but it doesn’t make sense.
If you regularly do overtime just say you’ll make up the time, log your overtime next week and job done.
What is the problem??

tenbob · 17/10/2018 14:42

Itswine

You know 'the NHS' doesn't just mean hospital wards, right?

itswinetime · 17/10/2018 14:45

tenbob yes intimately I did say I didn't think it was appropriate to bring a sick child into any work place in particular the nhs!

sharpstick · 17/10/2018 14:57

I was lost at the point where you had a phone call from the school to say your child was sick and you continued to work...

Completely understandable if you hadn’t heard your phone/got a message/you were involved in a life or death situation, but you weren’t. If my child was feeling poorly I’d hate for them to be anywhere other than at home, and as much as school sickness is an occupational hazard for teaching staff, it’s unfair on them and other children to leave a child with a contagious bug any longer than necessary at school.

I’m sorry but YABVU to even think that you should be paid. It’s inconvenient, but it’s life.

MakeAHouseAHome · 17/10/2018 15:17

If a boss can't let someone have a couple of hours off for a sick child without trying to claw back every minute they are a shit boss, don't understand how to run a happy business and are just spreading bad feeling.*

I have chosen NOT to have children. Can I just swan off when I like, for something else I consider a responsibility? I don't think so....

You didn't work. You don't get paid. End of.

Disfordarkchocolate · 17/10/2018 15:20

My work has a policy on carers/dependents leave. A day or two of paid leave for emergencies such as this.

slimjemima · 17/10/2018 15:23

Lots of people missing the point!The colleague donated her time (ie doesn't want paying) to cover OPs absence AND employer wants OP to work it back.So employer is actually 'making' on the situation

slimjemima · 17/10/2018 15:26

You need to pick your sick child up straiht away - it's called being a parent.
Don't take her into your workplace, everybody else doesn't want her germs.I used to be steaming mad when DD2s Year 6 teacher used to bring her own DD in with her when she was off her school sick!

Glumglowworm · 17/10/2018 15:28

I don’t get why you’re taking annual leave rather than making up the hours, given you’ve said you always work extra hours anyway? Just document those extra hours over the next few weeks til you’ve officially made up the hours you took!

FiveGoMadInDorset · 17/10/2018 15:30

Don't you use TOIL sheets, I work for NHS and did, now bank.

tenbob · 17/10/2018 15:33

I have chosen NOT to have children. Can I just swan off when I like, for something else I consider a responsibility? I don't think so....

You must have a shit boss then

Every boss I've worked for has been happy for us to 'swan off' a few hours early for doctors appointments, dentist check ups, avoiding travel problems on days when there is a strike etc
Hell, sometimes I even leave early sometimes to use the gym when it is quiet

Only idiots confuse productivity with presenteeism
Aside from the sort of jobs which need rotas and fixed hours, most people can quite easily get their work done without needing to adhere to a strict 38 hours-to-the-minute working week
These sorts of clock watching work environments sound utterly miserable

(Also, saying 'end of' makes you sound like someone from UKIP)

RaeCJ82 · 17/10/2018 15:34

MakeAHouse, that's why this kind of leave is usually referred to as emergency leave, which can also be used for other domestic emergencies, involving dependants (including spouses/partners) and close relatives. Unexpected things happen in life and it's called being a good employer to provide employees with a little leeway in these kinds of situations.

MakeAHouseAHome · 17/10/2018 15:40

RaeC, yes I understand that and the employer let the OP go because obviously she needed to. But as I understand it you don't have to be paid for emergency leave.

RaeCJ82 · 17/10/2018 15:44

MakeAHouse, most decent employers will have a one or two occasion paid emergency leave policy.

BewareOfDragons · 17/10/2018 15:47

Tell your colleague to put in for overtime.

Tell you boss you'll make up the hours.

Other than making up the hours, work to rule strictly.

Weezol · 17/10/2018 15:48

From now on go by the book, record any overtime you work and then you can produce this as time worked if you ever need to do this again.

In future, if your boss refuses to accept this, it's time to work only your contacted hours.

CluedoAddict · 17/10/2018 15:49

It's perfectly normal to make your time up or take it unpaid. Why should you be paid when you weren't working? You have been very lucky in the past if you were never asked to before.

ProseccoThyme · 17/10/2018 15:49

I work for the NHS too & have NEVER been asked to make up the time, ever - in 10 years.

I'd be on the phone to HR or my union rep.

puzzledlady · 17/10/2018 15:55

Depends on your boss - my boss is very very relaxed and flexible - he doesn’t expect me to make up any hours for childcare as I regularly work extra/evenings etc. BUT - most places I know would ask you to make up the time.

AcrossthePond55 · 17/10/2018 16:03

Are you saying you feel you should be paid 'on the clock' for the time taken to care for a sick child? No, I disagree with that. 'On the clock' is pay for when you are actually doing your job.

We were given the option of taking sick, vacation, or unpaid leave to care for a sick child and I think that's a fair way to handle it.

Witchend · 17/10/2018 16:06

So I am now making up the hours on my day off, that my colleague has covered free of charge???

Reverse? Are you the colleague? If you're paid for what your colleague has done then surely your reaction is to offer to cover them for a the same time?