7 year old daughter just tested positive. Work being difficult

[Plumviolet]

My 7yo dd just got a positive corona result yesterday, I'm negative so far and I work full time in a retail environment but obviously can't now send her into childcare anymore so need to stay gone with her to look after her. My mum is vulnerable so I can't even ask her. My work are saying that I have to take unpaid leave to look after her but I am still having to pay the childminder and I can't pay her without a full pay check. What the hell do I do? Where do I stand?

Surely it is not in their interest to have an employee come in who is potentially (highly likely) positive but not officially on a test?

What do you normally do when she is unwell? If she had chicken pox or a sickness bug or something? How is this situation different?

Can her dad help out? If not, can you take some if it as annual leave?

Share her care with her father.

I hope she’s not too unwell.
What would you normally do when she is unwell? Is there an arrangement to take some form of parental leave in that situation?

Because contacts don't need to isolate anymore most businesses are treating it the same way they would do of a parent needed to look after a poorly child pre covid. If she had chicken pox or norovirus what would happen?

My DS & DP both tested positive (very close contact with both) - I didn’t test positive - so not necessarily highly likely. Double jabbed.

Can you not take some paid leave now instead of later?

You do the same as you would do if she were sick with any other illness.

It's not helpful to ask what would you normally do! Normally your child does not have stay off school for 10 days when they are not actually feeling poorly, which may well be the case here. Even my asthmatic DC never missed 10 days all at once, so I wouldn't normally have thought about how to cover it.

OP, I guess you dont have dependency leave but can you call in sick yourself and take paid sick leave?

@seaandsandcastles

You do the same as you would do if she were sick with any other illness.

Well, any other illness you might ask a relative to look after them. Stop being awkward.

@GalesThisMorning

It's not helpful to ask what would you normally do! Normally your child does not have stay off school for 10 days when they are not actually feeling poorly, which may well be the case here. Even my asthmatic DC never missed 10 days all at once, so I wouldn't normally have thought about how to cover it.

OP, I guess you dont have dependency leave but can you call in sick yourself and take paid sick leave?

Yeah , cos lying to your employer about being sick when you have already been denied time off will not cause a problem

OP, I guess you dont have dependency leave but can you call in sick yourself and take paid sick leave?

@GalesThisMorning No, because she’s not sick.

@Northernsoullover It’s not being awkward. Not everyone has grandparents they can use as childcare at the drop of a hat.

@Plumviolet could you say you’ve also tested positive?

Surely it is not in their interest to have an employee come in who is potentially (highly likely) positive but not officially on a test?

No but it’s also not in their interest to be paying every employee who ends up being a contact of a positive case (even within the household), given how many staff that might end up being.
That doesn’t make it any easier for you of course, but I don’t think they’re being that unreasonable. I can wfh but not while caring for a toddler so I’d probably have to try and get leave for half of it, and DH get leave for the rest. Can you take any as annual leave?

Okay then @anniegun what would you do?

you will probably have to take it unpaid. Bit you might be able to claim the £500 isolation grant depending on your circumstances.

www.gov.uk/test-and-trace-support-payment

[quote LowlyTheWorm]@Plumviolet could you say you’ve also tested positive?[/quote]
What would happen when she returns to work and then unfortunately tests positive for real?

Would you be eligible for the government grant for self isolating as a parent of someone self isolating?

Ask your work if you can bring her in with you, then…

I realky don't know the answer OP but think this will increasingky be a problem.

Are you on UC? They should at least up your payment for the month you earn less..

Have you any holidays left?

@Plumviolet

My 7yo dd just got a positive corona result yesterday, I'm negative so far and I work full time in a retail environment but obviously can't now send her into childcare anymore so need to stay gone with her to look after her. My mum is vulnerable so I can't even ask her. My work are saying that I have to take unpaid leave to look after her but I am still having to pay the childminder and I can't pay her without a full pay check. What the hell do I do? Where do I stand?

Surely it is not in their interest to have an employee come in who is potentially (highly likely) positive but not officially on a test?

Most of us with children are going to be in this position over the coming weeks.

More disruption.

Thanks Boris.

Great Policy.

Battering working parents again.

Wow, such little sympathy for the OP, who is in a really difficult situation! There aren't many childhood illnesses that involve 10 full days isolation and I completely understand why she wouldn't want to ask her mum to look after a covid positive child. OP, do you have any paid holiday you could take? Is dd's dad around and able to help?

[quote LowlyTheWorm]@Plumviolet could you say you’ve also tested positive?[/quote]
They will want proof.