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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think the Bradford scale is unfair on single parents

27 replies

Myusername101 · 09/12/2019 12:56

My work operates the Bradford scale, I'm a single mum and have very limited help and my child minder has norovirus. At the earliest my child minder will be available Thursday but I don't know how long it lasts normally.

It seems unfair because I have to be off when childminder is ill when I'm ill and when little one is ill (touch wood me and 2 year old don't get ill very often but still)

If you have a partner then they can share the sickness with you but on your own you have 3x sickness to account for.

My mum has got LO today and can have her Thursday but I have no one for Tuesday Wednesday Friday (if child minder not better).

On the Bradford scale it's worse for me to have Tuesday Wednesday and Friday off than it is to have Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and Friday which means I would have to lose 4 days pay not 3.

AIBU to say it's unfair on single mum's and they should give you leeway depending on circumstances.

OP posts:
Andysbestadventure · 09/12/2019 12:57

Child related sickness is not generally covered under your sickness record at work and shouldn't impact your score on the bradford factor.

MrsFionaCharming · 09/12/2019 12:58

Wouldn’t it be emergency Carers leave you need rather than sick leave? And so the Bradford scale shouldn’t apply.

RunningAwaywiththeCircus · 09/12/2019 12:58

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Andysbestadventure · 09/12/2019 12:59

Also look at a nursery instead of a childminder. As then you wont have to worry about your keyworker being sick as another will be in her place if she is.

Original poster
Myusername101 · 09/12/2019 13:00

I asked my work about it and they said all absences except AL will count towards it otherwise everyone would just say their child is ill not them and they said I cant book AL to cover emergency leave Sad

I will question it more though if that's not correct?

OP posts:
BarbedBloom · 09/12/2019 13:00

You are supposed to use annual leave or child related leave, not sick leave. But I do understand how difficult it must be for you

NeedAnExpert · 09/12/2019 13:01

You should t be ringing in sick because your child is sick, never mind your childminder!

There is emergency childcare for these sorts of situations, given this time your child is well.

MrsL2016 · 09/12/2019 13:01

As PP have said, any emergency dependents leave you take shouldn't be added to your sickness record. It is taken unpaid (usually) or you take AL.

AlexaShutUp · 09/12/2019 13:01

Surely any annual leave/unpaid parental leave wouldn't count towards your Bradford score? Or are you ringing in sick when you're actually looking after your dc? If so, yabu, that's not what sick leave is for.

Original poster
Myusername101 · 09/12/2019 13:02

andy i live very rurally and all the nurserys are full with 6month+ waiting lists and charge £50+ a day compared to my childminders £35, I can't afford a nursery otherwise I would. Thank you for taking time to respond though.

OP posts:
NeedAnExpert · 09/12/2019 13:02

You are legally entitled to a “reasonable” amount of tone off to deal with an emergency relating to a dependent. That would usually be unpaid and would cover a day or 2 at most, not a whole week

AlexaShutUp · 09/12/2019 13:03

That doesn't sound right at all, OP. Are you in a union, and if so, can you ask for advice?

KitKat1985 · 09/12/2019 13:03

Bradford scores are only supposed to cover personal sickness, not sickness of a dependent.

Original poster
Myusername101 · 09/12/2019 13:04

No I'm in today because my mum has her and I explained the situation and they just said you are allowed one day emergency cover every 12 months and the rest must be taken as sickness

OP posts:
NeedAnExpert · 09/12/2019 13:05

Check the policies. I’d be amazed if they actually say that.

MrsL2016 · 09/12/2019 13:05

I would check your companies policies. They should have sickness and other leave policies.

Littlecaf · 09/12/2019 13:06

I totally understand it’s harder for single parents. The thing is that time off work due to child sickness is a reality for any parent. It goes hand in hand for all of us. Employers need to be flexible full stop not just because you are a single parent.

Embracelife · 09/12/2019 13:07

Call working families

MrsL2016 · 09/12/2019 13:08

The government website says there is no limit to the number of times you can use emergency dependents leave. So they can't limit it to once every 12 months.

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

Embracelife · 09/12/2019 13:08

www.workingfamilies.org.uk/advice-information/

Squashpocket · 09/12/2019 13:09

Having a partner is no guarantee that you wouldn't have to take time off to care for your children.

My husband earns 4x what I do, so there is no way we're jeopardising his position at work when mine pays peanuts.

Unfortunately as my children go to nursery they are sick constantly - a new virus every week at the moment. And they tag team, so once one is better the other gets sick. Then I get sick. I've given up trying to work now - I'm off more often than I'm in.

goodwinter · 09/12/2019 13:09

As PP have pointed out, this shouldn't be accounted for in Bradford.

However I think it's a shit system for everyone, and for that YANBU

inwood · 09/12/2019 13:12

YABU. Quite frankly, childcare / parental status etc is not your employers problem.

You can't have one rule for one and not for the other.

Shit system, granted, but you can't expect to be exempt.

HamsterHolder · 09/12/2019 13:20

Ask for them to provide a copy of this policy in writing. It might make them reconsider it/it'll be escalated past your manager to someone whom says actually that's not the policy- Maybe they'll relax/update the policy or you'll have a copy in writing you can take to ACAS/citizens advice if you choose to.

Generally speaking though it's not always considered an emergency when you have 48 hours notice, you'd need to phone up on the morning "my child care has just fallen through and I obviously can't leave my child at home alone". It's normally classed as compassionate leave, they dont have to pay you but it shouldnt be used against you (but it obviously will be in your case).

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/work/rights-at-work/basic-rights-and-contracts/time-off-work-overview/

Canyousewcushions · 09/12/2019 13:23

You seem to have a lot parental support for covering days off- so I disagree that you have it harder as it appears that you do have someone to share the sickness days with you.

We are on our own- 2 parents but no grandparents available to help. As a result our kids go to nursery and after school club- we can't afford to rely on one person for our childcare

We use annual leave, special leave and unpaid special leave to cover the absences. Thankfully we have understanding employers who also know this is a phase everyone goes though when they have small children and we will be more reliable again as the kids get older.

I've never had the Bradford scale raised with me at work, but if they did I would explain that we try to make sure we're in as much as possible- for me, catching up with work on Tuesday and Thursday, so only missing one day at a time, would be much less disruptive than me being absent Mon-Wed inclusive and then in for 2 days. I can see it depends on your job role as to whether this would apply though- for a teacher I guess I would be better to take chunk rather than individual days, for example.

It's a scale that seems a bit unfair for anyone who is going through a difficult time in terms of having caring responsibilities.