Where do I stand?

[happymum24]

If my childcare - who happens to be a family member- tests positive for covid, am I within my rights to take time off work. We don’t have a “back up” childcare plan.

It's irrelevant that its a family member and it's irrelevant that the reason is covid related. There's lots of reasons why childcare falls through sometimes.

What you have a right to is to take unpaid leave for long enough to make alternative arrangements. Emergency childcare services exist but are very expensive.

You definitely do not have the right to additional paid leave. Your employer may allow you to use annual leave.

Some employers might kindly agree to let you have a longer period of unpaid leave. They are not obliged to do this.

Having robust childcare in place with backup plans for when the nornal plan falls over should be part and parcel of any parent's planning for balancing family and work. If you can't do this then employers are not obliged to employ you.

Depending on your or your ohs HR policy, they may allow a day's paid leave for you to find and make alternative arrangements. Luckily, you may only need two days this week and two days next, so worst case you'd have to take 2 days each.