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What are the rules for time off for sick kids?
By Sophie Cross
The minute my daughter complains of feeling sick or having a headache on a work day, I have to admit that my first reaction is to say: "You'll be fine. You can't be sick today, because I have lots of work on/a meeting. I really don't want to get a call to come and get you later either".
I'm not proud of this. It makes me feel mean and a bad mother every time, even if I suspect that said child is possibly putting it on or not quite as poorly as she is making out.
But there is this innate fear in everyone that having to take time off with sick children is going to affect your job, career and relationship with your colleagues or boss. It makes you feel guilty for being a parent. Which let's face it is utterly ridiculous.
Working mothers regularly send children to child care or school sick, because they don't feel able to take time off looking after them.
Researchers in a recent study found four out of 10 employed mums have sent their child to school when he or she wasn't feeling well, because they felt unable to take the day off.
Worryingly, the study also found around one in six mothers have been made to feel 'guilty' by their boss after taking time off to look after a poorly child. One in ten of the 2,000 working mums said they had even received a written warning.
Taking extra days off in term time can be a real struggle especially in the current economic climate when many parents are worried about their job security. It's bad enough when you have a partner to share the load with, but if you're single parent it's even harder.
Under Fair Work Laws, as a parent you are entitled to the following by law:
- The right to request flexible working arrangements to care for a child under school age, or a child (under 18) with a disability. Your employer must consider the request and can only refuse on reasonable business grounds.
- Ten days paid personal or carer's leave each year that carries over from year to year. You can use this leave when you're sick or when you need to care for a member of your immediate family or household.
- Two days paid compassionate leave when a member of your immediate family or household dies or is seriously ill. If you require more time off, you can take two additional days of unpaid carer's leave.
If your child falls ill you could take time off to go to the doctor and make care arrangements. Your employer may then ask you to take annual leave or parental leave if you want to look after your child for longer.
Tell your employer as soon as possible how much time you'll need so it can be agreed.
Compassionate leave
If you aren't given time off for dependants, your employer may allow you ‘compassionate leave' - this can be paid or unpaid leave for emergency situations. Check your employment contract, company handbook or intranet for details about compassionate leave.
More on Sick Days and Emergency Care and what to do with the kids
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| Sophie Cross is a public relations consultant and writer who has publicised and written about everything from makeup to The Muppets, child care to celebrity chefs and perfume to Partners in Population and Development! Originally from the UK and as a languages graduate she has worked around the world, living in Australia for the last 11 years where she runs, PR Chicks. Read Sophie's blog
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