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Covid

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Original poster

My son has covid- do I have to work?

73 replies

grace1991 · 14/01/2022 19:10

Hi just some advice please! My 18m old tested positive for covid after the childminders household had a case. He therefore cannot go to the childminder as she has closed.

I have to work tomorrow and my husband also does- what are we supposed to do?? An 18m old can't self isolate alone. Am I expected to isolate too and not work? Won't I get in trouble for it as it's not me whose tested positive ?
Thankyou ! Xx

OP posts:

stuntbubbles · 14/01/2022 20:15

Ah, bugger. Then annual leave/unpaid leave as others have said. It’s a pain in the bum – but that’s parenting!

eurochick · 14/01/2022 20:15

This is why we both had several days of leave left at the end of our last calendar year - we had saved it for just this eventuality.

Original poster

grace1991 · 14/01/2022 20:17

@stuntbubbles I thought we may have to. Thankyou! X

OP posts:

Xmasbaby11 · 14/01/2022 20:30

You and or DH take leave from work. It is hard - my DC are older now but we often had to take time off when they were ill and it's the same with isolating - you can't leave them with anyone else. Hope it isn't too stressful for you.

Pixies74 · 14/01/2022 20:39

Unfortunately, when DC are in childcare, they often get ill, particularly if they haven't been there long, and parents just have to take time off work.

I remember when my youngest started nursery in Aug 2019 and my eldest was also there.. In the six months before the first lockdown, me or DH were off work literally every single month with one of them.

Original poster

grace1991 · 14/01/2022 20:41

@Pixies74 it's just really unclear but it would go down as. My managers really don't want to help either

OP posts:

Pixies74 · 14/01/2022 20:42

We went through:

Norovirus (all of us 😷)
Chicken pox
Impetigo
Bad cough/cold/temperature X3
And a weird viral rash that covered DS head to toe

Pixies74 · 14/01/2022 20:48

It depends on the employer to be honest but as the household no longer has to isolate, it probably just falls under time off to care for a depedent.

When the whole household had to isolate, my employer had something specific to cover that, but since the rule changed, I think it just falls under dependent's leave. My employer offers the first day paid, but then unpaid after that.

shinynewapple22 · 14/01/2022 20:55

I'm guessing if he's your first DC and only 18 months old this hasn't come up before , but yes if your child is unwell or otherwise unable to go to the childminder you or your partner will need to stay home with them . Either holiday or unpaid . Obviously with the isolation rules your DC cannot go to grandparents . Your employers may not like this but this shouldn't be a surprise to them .

Original poster

grace1991 · 14/01/2022 21:00

@shinynewapple22 all types of leave has just been rejected as we are too short staffed. I'm baffled

OP posts:

Cakeandslippers · 14/01/2022 21:03

Quite a few harsh comments here! It's so hard isn't it, we recently had the same. For us it's really different to when they're properly poorly as my MIL or other family would normally step in but of course they can't in this case. We had to take annual leave, we split it. Far from ideal as its the second time and I've now used annual leave I needed for a family wedding. I don't know what the answer is but I agree there needs to be guidance in the case of children isolating as not all employers are very helpful! Hope you manage OK.

pompomsgalore · 14/01/2022 21:07

[quote grace1991]@shinynewapple22 all types of leave has just been rejected as we are too short staffed. I'm baffled [/quote]
When has this happened? Maybe contact HR?

Idontbelieveit14 · 14/01/2022 21:09

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

They can’t stop you from having time off with a poorly child (I know he isn’t poorly with it but these rights apply)

shinynewapple22 · 14/01/2022 23:23

[quote grace1991]@shinynewapple22 all types of leave has just been rejected as we are too short staffed. I'm baffled [/quote]
I'm guessing this applies to your partner as well? I guess you will need to speak either to your manager or HR and be really clear about the situation - what do they expect you to do other than take leave ? Even if it is unpaid . Any other resolution (ie breaking Covid guidelines or leaving your child home alone) is against the law! (Not too sure on the Covid thing but I think isolation is a legal thing isn't it?)

cherin · 15/01/2022 00:10

Yes it is! Isolation is a requirement and even if it wasn’t it would be the only responsible thing to do. Surely your employer can’t expect you to abandon a baby, you might have to decide if it makes sense to split the forthcoming week/10 days in work between you, or have one parent that goes to work and the other one that stays at home.
From a risk perspective (of spreading covid to colleagues and public if you have it asymptomatic and between tests) it would perhaps make more sense if only one goes out.

My previous enlightened boss would have said the following, nonetheless: you stay at home in sick pay (we have full paid leave). If the kid is sick and you can’t work, it’s as if you were sick.
(Male dominated industry, we were not that many ladies let alone mothers at the time, it was more affordable. We are now 50/50 split :-)

tappitytaptap · 15/01/2022 18:32

I'm not sure why people are saying it's the same as any other illness. For a start I have two kids, 3 and 5, been in nursery since they were under 1 and have barely had any days off - hand foot and mouth not excludable at our nursery, and they have had very rare sickness bugs. The longest thing I can think of is chicken pox waiting for them to scab over in perfectly 'well' children. My parents would normally step in, eg in case of chickenpox, they'd had it and so could do some of the childcare whilst we worked. It's not the same at all and can see why it's stressful for the OP. I can't really just 'walk away' from my job at the last minute, or take last minute time off. It's absolutely not the same and there is no need for the sarcasm from some posters.

Wfhquery · 15/01/2022 19:55

[quote grace1991]@SpottyBrolly but surely he has to isolate now till his lateral flows are negative. We have work every day !? There should be a bit more guidance on what to do when babies get it.[/quote]
What’s the diff if it’s a baby or slightly older child. You can’t leave children home alone either until much older so not sure why you think they’d be specific guidance for babies

FloatyBoaty · 15/01/2022 20:02

@grace1991

You will need to speak to HR if you and your husband are being denied any sort of leave. You of course also need to work out the best way to manage this.

Does one of you have a better manager? Does one of you have more leave/goodwill? Is one of you more senior? All of these may influence how you divide the childcare up- whether one of you does more or all &c (do NOT volunteer to do it all just because you’re the mother!)

If you both go to work it will have to be to arrest one another for child abandonment and neglect- have you tried explaining THAT to your managers?

Original poster

grace1991 · 15/01/2022 20:29

@tappitytaptap Thankyou. You're lovely.

OP posts:

Original poster

grace1991 · 15/01/2022 20:30

@FloatyBoaty well the whole game as changed as we have now all tested positive!!! So we are all off. Thankyou though. You're a lovely person with kind words xxxx

OP posts:

Mindymomo · 16/01/2022 09:51

Sorry to hear you’ve all tested positive. I was going to respond Friday, saying before you know it, you all may catch it. Hope you all stay well and can come out of isolation soon.

PrivateHall · 16/01/2022 10:04

Isn't it awful that it is a relief to be positive to get out of this stress - what a shitty situation!!!! Your work should have let you both take a few shifts each as carers leave by the way. Or found you something to do at home. Anyway too late now, take care

Frazzled2207 · 16/01/2022 10:10

Sorry to hear and it is indeed ridiculous that that at least makes it more straightforward with regards to your work.

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