I have an 18 month old granddaughter who I look after two days a week and the rest of the week she attends nursery. Last week I had flu badly and was unable to have her, she also had a virus and has been really poorly - too poorly to go to nursery. Normally I would have looked after her while her mum and dad worked but because I was ill my daughter, her mum, had to take time off. On Thursday my daughter was called in to work to deal with a crisis which meant taking her child with her despite her being really ill. The employers have tonight said that they are not paying for the time my daughter took off work to look after her child. Is this correct can they do this - does anybody know what the rules are please.
2007-02-21 07:25:42 · 16 answers · asked by Diane 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Toddler & Preschooler
By law i am certain they do not have to pay you for time off and also by law they cannot stop you taking time off when your child is sick. But, in reality they make it very difficult!
I have 2 children (1 yr & 2.5 yr) - i went back to work in July and everytime my children have been ill i have had to suffer nasty comments, been ignored etc.
Click on the link below this details the laws surrounding time-off for dependants:-
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkAndFamilies/DG_10026555
Hope this helps x
2007-02-22 01:50:43 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunatly they could. These are things mothers have to ctake into considertation when they decide to work.
If the mother has sick days she can use these, most businesses will give you a number of paid sick days. I don't think there is any reason why she couldn't use those days for her child as well.
Also if she has paid vacation soemtimes those can be used, but not always as a lot of places you have to put in advance that you want those days off.
If she doens't have any paid sick days left then there is no reason why the would have to pay her for her days off.
And while it seems mean, for all they know she could jsut be taking the day off to go to the zoo.
If she does have paid sick days left perhaps a note from her pediatrician would help if they are not listening. If she has sick days and they STILL won't listen I do believe it is illegal to tell someone they cannot use their sick days if a member of their family is sick and I suggest you contact a lawyer. Most will give you free advice/consultation over the phone when you call.
2007-02-21 07:34:35 · answer #2 · answered by slawsayssss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately most companies are not parent-friendly and will not pay you for time off when your child is sick.
Like a previous answer, I used to say I was ill when my kids were poorly. I learned the hard way by having to use my meagre annual leave as my son had chicken pox so no one could step in to look after him but my boss was not very sympathetic being a bachelor with no experience of kids. I was working for the nhs at the time - one of the worst companies in the UK for sickness amongst employees!
So, unless they allow her to take annual leave for the time off then I'm afraid they are quite within their rights not to pay her! She should check her company sickness policy - her contract of employment won't say much about this though unless she has something specifically written into it with regard to childcare.
2007-02-21 07:38:59 · answer #3 · answered by kaznaid 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's unfortunate because often you have to stay at home caring for your children when they are ill and lose out on pay, then when they are better and you have come down with it companies are far less sympathetic than they would have originally been! I worked for the local council through an agency and they sacked me for looking after my daughter when she was very ill. 2 weeks before xmas in fact! Even having discussed the fact that I was a single mother with no support network to rely on. They took me on with false pretences then sacked me!!! Why do we bother mums?!!
2007-02-21 07:41:01 · answer #4 · answered by supated 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was a family leave requirement adopted under the Clinton Administration, provided your daughter is in the US. She should ask about this. I do not know the way this works, but I remember that it sounded right. She could call her state's employment rules office. I do not know the exact name of the office, since that would vary state to state. It is disgusting that employers are still discriminating against motherhood.
2007-02-21 07:37:47 · answer #5 · answered by Susan M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It depends on what company your daughter works for and what thier policies are. Not all companies pay for sick time and some that do only pay if you personally are the one who is sick. I would advise your daughter to look for a job with a company that is more compassionate towards mothers.
2007-02-21 07:34:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tell her to check with the HR department - like the first answer said each company is different - my employer allows us to take 2 weeks a year off for dependants on full pay
2007-02-21 07:31:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Every company is different and if they don't want to pay her for being at home with a sick child they don't have to. Where I work if I want to get paid to stay home with my sick kids I have to use some of my paid vacation time.
2007-02-21 07:35:08 · answer #8 · answered by Steph 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is different for every company. The company I work for, a national delivery company, won't pay it's employees to stay home with a sick child. If we need to stay home we have to lie and say WE are sick, not the child.
2007-02-21 07:29:01 · answer #9 · answered by kelsey 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive never heard of a company policy that pays you for staying home with sick children, though gooduns will unofficially pay you, if it doesnt happen regular..
2007-02-21 07:34:39 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋