parental leave when child is ill?

lbl

Can anyone tell me how this works, is there a statutory amount you are entitled to or is it based on employers choice? my little one is nearly three and I am having to take a few days off as nursery won't take him when he is not well so I have no choice but to stay home

Pee

Someone else will come along who knows more but where I work staff take time off if they have to if the little one is unwell and noone else can cover - other people seem to have good parents available - often taking work home and just even the hours out afterwards. That seems to work fine.

3onitsway

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Parentalleaveandflexibleworking/DG_10029416

How much parental leave can you take?

You can take a total of up 13 weeks' parental leave for each of your children up until their fifth birthday.
If your child is adopted, you can take a total of up to 13 weeks' parental leave until the fifth anniversary of their placement with you or until their 18th birthday, whichever comes first.
If your child is disabled (that is, getting disability living allowance) you have the right to take up to 18 weeks' parental leave until their 18th birthday.

Oldernotwiser

Are you asking about paid or unpaid leave?

galvanizersbaby

3onitsway wrote: »

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Parentalleaveandflexibleworking/DG_10029416

How much parental leave can you take?

You can take a total of up 13 weeks' parental leave for each of your children up until their fifth birthday.
If your child is adopted, you can take a total of up to 13 weeks' parental leave until the fifth anniversary of their placement with you or until their 18th birthday, whichever comes first.
If your child is disabled (that is, getting disability living allowance) you have the right to take up to 18 weeks' parental leave until their 18th birthday.

I'm confused so are you not entitled to take unpaid parental leave for children over 5 years then?

My employers give paid parental leave for sick children at their discretion otherwise they give unpaid.

kimmi_b

3onitsway wrote: »

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Moneyandworkentitlements/WorkAndFamilies/Parentalleaveandflexibleworking/DG_10029416

How much parental leave can you take?

You can take a total of up 13 weeks' parental leave for each of your children up until their fifth birthday.
If your child is adopted, you can take a total of up to 13 weeks' parental leave until the fifth anniversary of their placement with you or until their 18th birthday, whichever comes first.
If your child is disabled (that is, getting disability living allowance) you have the right to take up to 18 weeks' parental leave until their 18th birthday.

Just to point out that the parental leave referred to above must be taken in blocks of 1 week minimum and isn't intended for emergencies such as the odd day here and there for sickness. I have taken approx 5 individual days in the past 12 months to look after a poorly DD and have taken some of these days out of my annual holiday entitlement and the remaining as unpaid leave which my employer is happy for me to do.

zzzLazyDaisy

More info about parental leave here....

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/parental_leave

You can take statutory parental leave up until the child's 5th birthday, by arrangement with the employer. It is unpaid, and the employer can postpone the parental leave for up to six months if the business needs the employee to work.

In addition you can take time off for family emergencies, which includes a child being injured or ill. This is also unpaid and there is no age restriction on this. There is no fixed time allowed, but it is only for emergency situations that are not foreseeable, and limited to the time necessary to make arrangements for the child to be looked after so you can get back to work. So a couple of days would be okay but it wouldn't cover a long period off with a sick child aqs you would be expected to make other arrangements.

And yes, employers can always be more flexible and the good employers will try to work round these situations, but they are not legally obliged to do any more than the basic law requires of them.

liney

Emergency Leave for Dependents is what you are looking for. It's unpaid, it is only for emergency situations where events are unforseen, ie not because your childminder is on her annual holiday. It is for a "reasonable" time for you to make arrangments for your dependent - reasonable as far as most guides say is 1 to 2 days. Both parents should be sharing the responsibility of emergency childcare and the employer has the right to express you are taking too much time off for the business to cope, especially if only one parent is responsible and therefore only one business is shouldering the burden.

norbet

As others have suggested Emergency leave is there for such occasions, but it's limited - so don't think that this will cover you until such time as the child is well again (hopefully not too long).
If you cannot make other arrangements perhaps see if your employer is willing to allow you to use some of your annual leave (assuming you have some remaining).
Have you actually spoke to your employer?