off sick with my child

leoniestacy

hi i work part time (3 daYs a week) last week my lo was really ill, so i rang up work and told them, when it came to the fourth day of me being off, they wanted me to changed my shift (which i couldnt do, as there was no one to look after lo and she was still sick) i dont have alot of family or friends to look after lo.
when im working she goes to nursery, but obv couldnt last week.
am i gonna get told off or a warn for not going in?

DUTR

Possibly, but as your child is most important in many cases, you will simply have to cross that bridge when you come to it.

Savvy_Sue

Could well do. How long have you been in this job?

I know it's tough, and when a little one is sick then your priorities tend not to be work, but work need a job doing, and that will always be their priority.

nannymiaow

Well technically, you are not off sick but are off with caring responsibilities. I think it might make a difference.

persa

leoniestacy wrote: »

there was no one to look after lo and she was still sick

The law gives you the right to take emergency leave to initially look after your LO and sort out alternative arrangements, but it doesn't give the right to take time off and care for her yourself for four days. This link might help you understand the position better: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10026555

Assuming your company policy isn't more generous than the law states it has to be, you may well get into trouble at work when you go back in. However, if this is the first time it's happened, they may let it slide, particularly if you seem apologetic and offer to make up the hours.

In future, I don't suppose it's possible for you to work from home for your job? I know people who used to work from home when their kids were ill - obviously they didn't work 9 to 5, more like all day long with loads of breaks in between to look after their children, but it was one option that met both their family needs and the business' needs.

As expensive as it might be getting a child minder for a few days at short notice, this may be something you're going to have to look into for the next time. (May not even be an option in your area, but certainly something to consider - I know many nurseries refuse to take kids when they have so much as a sniffle, but a child minder might be more flexible?)

mrsp80

leoniestacy wrote: »

hi i work part time (3 daYs a week) last week my lo was really ill, so i rang up work and told them, when it came to the fourth day of me being off, they wanted me to changed my shift (which i couldnt do, as there was no one to look after lo and she was still sick) i dont have alot of family or friends to look after lo.
when im working she goes to nursery, but obv couldnt last week.
am i gonna get told off or a warn for not going in?

You may qualify for a right to time off to care for dependants: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/Timeoffandholidays/DG_10026555. Your employer doesn't have to pay you, but they should allow you the time off in these instances.

heretolearn_2

yes, but as pointed out earlier, that doesn't cover taking several days off to care for a child yourself. The time off for dependants only covers the initial emergency. On the .gov site the example relating to a child's illness says you can take time off to take the child to the hospital and arrange for childcare. It then points out that a day or two should be enough for this, and that you can't take further time off to care for the child yourself.

OP, it really depends on how flexible your employers are, how well valued you are, and what you do in return. It's a shame you weren't able to change your shift as they suggested. Fingers crossed for you.

leoniestacy

thanks everyone, will just have to go and face the music

Bobl

As a manager I would be more inclined to be lenient if you offered to take the time as unpaid, it is then up to me if I impose that or not. If this is a genuine one off I would ignore it, if it was habitual then not. I always try to work with parents, it is give and take, but I have to be aware of the impact on the rest of the workforce and their morale. Parents need to have emergency plans in place (however hard that is).