Wife had to take time off work to care for sick Daughter

System

If its the case of taking time off to care for a dependent i think she can ask for flexible working which might help

more info here
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/basic_rights_at_work.htm#Time_off_work

Zara33

inspector monkfish nothing to really add re advice, as I think it's all ben said. However I wish you and your family luck and kiddo a speedy recovery.

AsknAnswer

kidcat wrote: »

My DS headteacher has been off for 9 months on sick leave - recently he was seen out shopping and when asked what was wrong he said his wife had been diagnosed with cancer and he was signed off as a result to look after her. I would therefore assume that sick leave to care for sick relatives for teaching staff is relatively common. (Especailly having heard of a local state nursery whose head is off sick to care for a sick husband)

I would infer that your wife will be able to continue to take the time she needs to care for your daughter.

Not by law.

I would suggest the OP's wife checks out her employers policy on caring for dependents, however policies can be set aside to accomodate the needs of the business

funguy

Well maybe sick notes should be issued by someone else and not the GP. Remember doctors act in the interest of their patient and that is one of the first points of the Oath! You cannot act on the interest of the patient but then make an impartial assessment of whether a person can attend work or not!...thats what occupational health systems are for!

nearlyrich

First and foremost best wishes to the OP's daughter for a speedy recovery.

I think the fact that many people struggle to juggle childcare with work makes it seem unfair when someone is being paid from public funds to be off with a sick child. I have been lucky enough to work for private sector employers who understand that supporting a hard working employee in times of stress lead to increased loyalty. I have no problem with the OP's wife being off with her sick child and feel her being paid is no worse than the numerous public servants who take their 20 paid sick days or whatever year on year at our expense when they are not sick,

AsknAnswer

What a broad generalisation!! Some public servants cannot take more than 9 days sick a year - if they do they are at risk of having their employment terminated, and it does happen.

I don't think anyone has an issue with the lady taking time to care for her child - and rightly so. People are simply pointing out what rights (or lack thereof) she has in the eyes of the law. This should really be in the employment forum as it's not benefit related really.

Macro_3

nearlyrich wrote: »

First and foremost best wishes to the OP's daughter for a speedy recovery.

I think the fact that many people struggle to juggle childcare with work makes it seem unfair when someone is being paid from public funds to be off with a sick child. I have been lucky enough to work for private sector employers who understand that supporting a hard working employee in times of stress lead to increased loyalty. I have no problem with the OP's wife being off with her sick child and feel her being paid is no worse than the numerous public servants who take their 20 paid sick days or whatever year on year at our expense when they are not sick,

That certainly isn't my experience of working for a public sector organisation. Sick leave is subject to sanction after three incidences or seven working days I think. Carers leave amounts to up to four days per year, no more than a single day at a time.

space_rider

I have a daughter with a chronic illness. Last winter it got very bad due to the cold weather. She had secondary raynauds and her toes went black. It was very painful and New Years eve was spent in casualty getting pain killers. They didn`t work and when her consultant came back a few days later, we went to see him. Her toes were that bad that she required 10 days of a drug in her vein which some days took 12 hours to go through. The pain was so bad that she ended up on morphine because her toes ulcerated. I found it very hard to see her in pain and not be able to do anything about it. There was no way I could cope with work and I could not leave her to be at the hospital by herself. My GP signed me off for 2 weeks with stress and believe me it was the worse time I have ever had emotionally. It took a very long time for the ulcers to heal so I ended up reducing my hours. My GP did tell me to come back if I needed longer but reducing my hours meant that I could take her and pick her up from school and cope with the extra hospital appointments.

It`s alright for both parents to go out to work or single parents to work but when a child is too ill to be at school then that is when you are stuck.

inspector_monkfish

krisskross wrote: »

Why does your wife not return to work and you arrange child care for your daughter for the days she cannot go to school? After all this is what millions of working parents do all the time. If your daughter is well enough to go to school albeit only a few days a week then I would think she is well enough for a childminder.

her condition is not something I would like to dump on the average childminder. Specialist training is required to look after her, which members of staff at her school are currently doing.

she does have a childminder that we have used before the operation, and she would probably be ok with her for the odd half hour before or after school, but not a full day.

kindly do not pass judgement on what my daughter is fit or not fit to do without knowing the facts. Besides she is not the issue here, my wife's work is.

inspector_monkfish

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

If teaching staff got annual leave as well as 13 weeks holiday, I might still be in the profession!

thought you would have been a teacher :cool: