Taking time off work for a sick child

sly666

Hi
Could anyone help.

I took yesterday off work as my 1 yr daughter was up all the previous night being sick, and would not have been able to attend nursery.

At work this morning was taken aside this and told i'm not to do it again as its my wifes job to look after our child and my job is more important than hers!
The fact is both my wife and i earn virtualy the same, and my wife had taken one week off work before Christmas unpaid when our daughter was last ill. We could not aford for her to take any more unpaid leave, so i took yesterday as holiday.

How do i stand legaly with taking emergency time off for my sick daughter (being taken as holdiay or not)?
I understand i am entitles unpaid parental leave, but i have to give my employer written notice, but are there any rules about taking emergency leave for a child sickness?

I have worked at my company for 8 years and never taken any time off like this in the past before.

Kind Regards.
Simon.

fawd1

first of all, I have to say that I'm appalled at the way your company have spoken to you. Surely it's absolutely none of their business whether it's you or your wife that looks after your child. Does your wife work at the same company as yourself? Anyway, check up on whether your company has what is known as dependancy leave. My husband had to take this a few weeks back as both myself and our one year old had swine flu, so not ideal in that I obviously couldn't really look after him properly myself. Check with your HR department, but I think it's a pretty standard thing. It's basically there for exactly these sorts of circumstances, and tell your boss to mind his own busness (in the nicest possible way) How dare he presume to tell you that it's your wifes job to look after your child!

Bobl

Have a look at this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2232659

Fly_Baby

I am 100% sure that if it were your wife working for this employer she would get the same attitude - so don't even look for a gender issue here. Been there, seen that...

sly666

fawd1 wrote: »

first of all, I have to say that I'm appalled at the way your company have spoken to you. Surely it's absolutely none of their business whether it's you or your wife that looks after your child. Does your wife work at the same company as yourself? Anyway, check up on whether your company has what is known as dependancy leave. My husband had to take this a few weeks back as both myself and our one year old had swine flu, so not ideal in that I obviously couldn't really look after him properly myself. Check with your HR department, but I think it's a pretty standard thing. It's basically there for exactly these sorts of circumstances, and tell your boss to mind his own busness (in the nicest possible way) How dare he presume to tell you that it's your wifes job to look after your child!

Bobl wrote: »

Have a look at this thread

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2232659

Arhh thanks! :T
The link in the recomended thread tells all.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10026555