Really worried about ringing up work in the morning because of this

[Hey9]

My DD has a temp and is poorly and I have no one who can look after her tomorrow at school. Work have just emailed about recent poor staff attendance as a whole and that basically they’re not happy and it’s effecting the business as a whole and impacting other staff members and that it can’t continue and that there will be incentives for good attendance. Personally my own attendance is fine but worried now about calling in after they’ve sent this. What would you do?

I would call in lovely. It can’t be helped that your child is unwell. It’s not as if you’re lying. I personally hate calling in sick, I feel so flakey and it’s only ever genuine when I do but still I dislike it. However, we all need to remember that to most employers we are just a number and they could care less about our wellbeing (not ALL but a lot!) whereas our children need us! They also can’t do anything as you’ve technically not done anything wrong. Hope your little one gets better soon!

If it makes you feel any better you could always ask for unpaid parental leave or make up the day at a different time? That’s what I’ve done previously. Xx

By law, anyone legally classed as an employee can take time off to help a dependant with an emergency. The law is the Employment Rights Act 1996
They can’t sack you based on this or you could take them to a tribunal.
Hope your daughter is better soon x

Thank you. I don’t like calling in. I’ve worked there only 5 months and had one sickness day. I think parental leave and snow days arnt facted into their attendance scoring. I just feel it looks bad as they’ve only just sent an email about staff being off. I’m usually off Thursdays so will say I can come in then x

Thank you, I didn’t know that. I feel like they won’t be too happy though as the email is so long about how staff attendance is having a knock on effect but it can’t be helped in this situation x

Can her Dad be off instead?

There have been a lot of articles in the press recently about how sick leave has gone up a lot in many countries since covid, and companies are doing a lot of head scratching about it. I think you just have to do what you need to do.

Is there any way of working from home or if they start being funny with you maybe suggesting you bring your DD in for the day and find somewhere quiet for her if they desperately need you. I’m sure they wouldn’t realistically make you do that. Although I work for family and have taken my DS to work a couple of times and used to go into work with my mum when I was ill as a child.

Just tell them that your DD is sick and unfortunately there is no one else available to take care of her, however you appreciate that this is inconvenient, and affects others, so plan to make up the time on Thursday, assuming that your DD doesn't get any worse.

Hope your little one is ok OP!! I’m still making up time from when the awful flu bug came over me and my little ones. I’ve worked every hour to make up the time and I’m exhausted! Can’t afford to take them as sick! Ah the logistics of being a working parent hey xx

You have to call in. Life happens, you work to live, not live to work. And forward any emails about not calling in sick to your private email. They shouldn’t be pressuring staff to not use their sick leave.

You don’t use sick leave, You are not sick. You use time off for dependants. It’s unpaid but you are legally entitled to the time off and can’t be penalised for it and it can’t be reasonably refused

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