Time off work to look after sick child

[sassypants72]

Hi, just wondering if any of you lovely mumsnetters have any advice on this.

I got a call from dd's school today asking if I would go and get her as she'd been sick. I was at work and immediately went to talk to my line manager and explain situation, she was really understanding of the fact that there's not much can be done in this situation, but management overheard us talking and called me into the office saying that I will probably get a disciplinary for time off as we are only allowed 3 child sick days a year and I've had a few over last 12 month (dd had flu)

I was a bit like wtf what am I meant to do with a sick child then ??? Both my patients and partners parents are in their 70s so wouldn't be fair to expect them to have her.

Tell me am I wrong in thinking this is outrageous only allowing 3 days a year for child sickness??

Does anybody know the law on this ??

Sorry about long rant / post

Has your partner taken any days off with your sick child. I think it's important that the impact of sick days are split. Can he take this day?

In my company, we’re allowed the first working day to deal with the emergency (sick child) and then any more time has to be taken as annual leave.

They can’t stop you taking time to look after a sick child but they don’t have to pay you for it.
Hope your DD is feeling a bit better

Google is always your friend.

Tell me am I wrong in thinking this is outrageous only allowing 3 days a year for child sickness??

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

Limits on time off

There are no limits on how many times you can take time off for dependants. Your employer may want to talk to you if they think time off is affecting your work.

What is an emergency?

If your child is involved in an incident during school time

You could get time off if your child has been:

involved in a fight
injured on a school trip
suspended from school

Problems when you take time off

Your employer musn’t:

treat you unfairly for taking time off, for example refusing you training or promotion
dismiss you or choose you for redundancy because you asked for time off for a dependant
refuse you reasonable time off

If you think you’ve been unfairly treated for taking time off for dependants, get advice from your staff or trade union representative or Acas.

Acas helpline
Telephone: 0300 123 11 00
Textphone: 18001 0300 123 1100
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 8am to 8pm
Tuesday and Friday, 8am to 6pm
Saturday, 9am to 1pm
Find out about call charges

Too many variables OP.

Do you take them unpaid or as annual leave?
The law allows a reasonable amount of time off to arrange alt childcare if it's a sick child in an emergency which could then formally transition to Parental Leave (www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants). That could be an afternoon or multiple days depending on what's wrong (child being sick Vs say a child bring hospitalised after an accident). It depends on so much.

Also probably depends on if you're shouldering all of child sick days... While some employers may be understanding, most will expect the father of the child to share responsibility, not all of the disruption fall on 1 employer...

Can you work from home (ie make up the hours after DD is asleep/settled on sofa with TV)? Or say you’ll take a day’s unpaid leave?

I will probably get a disciplinary for time off as we are only allowed 3 child sick days a year and I've had a few over last 12 month (dd had flu)

How long have you had off really? Flu usually lasts for at least two weeks, how many incidents of illness have there been? Have you been paid for taking the time off?

Emergency leave, when you look at it more deeply usually gives you the day of the emergency plus one day to make arrangements. You exist to facilitate the needs of the business, the business does not exist to facilitate your domestic problems. After the initial 48 hours you should have back up plans in place, be that a family member or childminder, or you use your annual leave. .

Personally, 3 days for sick children seems plenty unless there are ongoing, chronic health issues. 9 yr old DS has never had a day off sick and DD who is 7 has had 1.5 days off since starting nursery at 3.

Is her dad also taking his share of time off?

I work in the care industry part time and haven't taken an excessive amount of time off. The days I have had to take were only when I've had no other cover when grandparents or friends couldn't help out.

No my partner hasn't had any time off with her, but he works away and overseas a lot so is often not here.

I've been with the company I work for about 3 years now (large national company) and have never had any issues until we recently got a new manager

I have had 4 days off since December with my ill DD, DH has also done 3. Unlucky with her asthma and then chicken pox, never had time off with her previously.
I use holiday, my boss gave one day as an emergency day when Nursery called to collect her.
As long as you are using leave for it then I don’t see the issue. There isn’t much you can do. I would see an issue if I was being paid and not using leave as it’s unfair on colleagues and the company.
I would speak with your HR department to clarify the companies policy. If a manager is contradicting it I would speak with HR.

Three times off for a child in 12 months actually does seem a lot. Are you paid for it?

In my workplace (teaching) there is no annual leave and if we are off for a child’s illness, it is unpaid.

Three days in 12 months is a lot?

Just out of interest Holiday what do you expect a parent to do when their child is ill?

We have no family near by, friends all work or have kids of their own. I’m always staggered by this, I suppose you will tell me you think Mums and Dads should be able to get back to work while saying this is too much time off.....

And just to clarify I take unpaid leave or use holiday. I’m not asking for a freebie here!

It's unpaid leave, not sure if I'm allowed to use holiday, that hasn't been mentioned

@holiday has correctly explained that in teaching you aren't prevented from taking the time off, you just have to have it unpaid. I think our LA will pay three days in a 12 month period for childcare issues though.

Speak to your HR to see where you stand.

Nope, it's definitely a total of 3 days unpaid for a sick child

edwinbear you have been very lucky! In the last 10 days alone I have had 2 days in hospital with DS (bad injury) and DD has been floored with D&V since Thursday night. Luckily I am able to share care with DH, but even still DH had to take a day and a half off.

I’m not disputing Holiday’s accuracy in what happpens in the teaching world. Just the judgement that 3 days in a year is too much.

If you are taking it unpaid I would speak with HR regarding this, it is (from the decription) a reasonable amount of time. You could call ACAS for guidance also.

3 days unpaid leave doesnt sound a lot to me. Not sure how they could start disciplinary proceedings though, does your work have a Parental leave Policy?

Are you planning on being in work tomorrow? Assuming you work a Tuesday that is.

I think everywhere has to legally offer parental leave, but it has to be taken in a minimum of 1 week blocks

Check your Time off Work policy. If it is a large company I am sure you'd be able to find it online.

Can you make the time off up? Can you take as annual leave?

I am a teacher. I can have three paid days off a year for sick kids. As it stands I’ve had 4 days off this year as my sons have had a rough time, D&V, cracked head open (one each child) both done at nursery/school.

I just took the fourth day unpaid.

Mine is all unpaid, but a total of 3 days unpaid before going to disciplinary apparently

I have a 9yo and it never occurred to me to take looking after sick child as anything other than annual leave or flexi. Its good to know that it is possible to not have to use holiday!