Baby poorly & work

[2023NEWMUM2023]

What do people do work wise when children are ill? My 1year old has had a high temp and unwell over weekend. We were up multiple times last night and again so far tonight. I want to take him to GP tm. Do I ring in sick or should I say baby is ill. I know AIBU not having checked this policy with work before fin mat leave but havent had this situation before. Thank you

Are you allowed emergancy dependents leave? This may be paid or unpaid. Use that

Be honest and say your baby is ill

I wouldn't lie re you being sick. Do you have dependants leave?

You're not sick.
Dependants leave (which may be unpaid)

Say baby poorly, hopefully you will have some dependents leave, my work allows 5 days paid a year, then it’s unpaid

Dependants leave or a days holiday. You are not sick.

Wishing your baby well

Don't say you are sick. You'll get fired if you're found out.

You are entitled to leave to deal with emergency care if a dependant - www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants#:~:text=As%20an%20employee%20you're,depends%20on%20you%20for%20care.

In my workplace, "emergency" means you didn't know about it before the day of work. So in your case, it wouldn't be emergency leave as you've known all weekend and could have organised alternative care (don't shoot me - I totally get that most people don't have any care they can use when kiddo is ill! But that's the official line in most work places). I would therefore phrase it as child has got worse on Monday morning and now needs GP - now it unforeseen "worse" and falls under emergency leave.

Otherwise, annual leave or unpaid leave.

If you've only just returned from maternity leave, you're likely to have quite a few baby illnesses as they settle in to childcare. It's really important that your DH takes his share of the illness days - your employer would rightly be very annoyed to learn they are carrying all the costs of dependants leave. This applies even if your DH's job is "more important". No job is more important that the welfare of his baby, and he needs to demonstrate that to himself, you, your child and his employer.