Sick children & work

[moomin35]

What do you do if your child is sick/unwell with regards to your job? Would you ring in and say you can't come in as your child is sick or do you pretend you're sick yourself or something else? Wondered how employers respond to you having time off for your children.

I've only had to do this once. It's classed where I work as a 'dependence day' and you are allowed a few of these as a last resort.

I am very lucky in that my mum will usually have them or DH can work from home but where I work, any leave for ill children is unpaid, so everyone claims to be sick themselves.

AFAIK, everyone is entitled to so many days "parental leave" to cover things like this

My boss is great and will switch my hours at a moments notice to cover child illness. I know I'm lucky with that though, not many people have that option

No, Parental leave has to be booked in blocks of one week, you need to give 21 days' notice of when you want it, child must be under 5 and it's unpaid. Employers can (and do) give over and above if they choose but that's what the "entitlement" is.

I would only do this if it was life and death, otherwise DH takes the day off as he can work from home more easily. My mum can also take the odd day off easily (flexi time) my dad is a driving instructor so he can rearrange his day in an emergency and MIL is retired. Only if all those options are exhausted and no goes would I consider ringing in. Just isn't the done thing where I work and would put a massive strain on others.

(I know I'm very lucky to have all those options btw!)

Employers have to let you have time of by law unpaid. . But only 24 hours in which time you are expected to find alternative childcare. In practice most employees let you have longer taken out of annual leave.

I can work from home, when they were both off with a sickness bug I couldn't get anything done so I just told my manager I was taking the day off. I always work extra hours for events and things so it isn't an issue. If I wasn't so lucky, I would phone myself in sick.

We mix and match between us, a mixture of holiday and making the time up. It is easier because I am part time, so on one of my half days I can go to work as normal while DH stays home then we swap at lunchtime. He then works a couple of long days to make up for it.