Child sickness

[Beermonster]

I have an employee that works 2 days a week, 10 hours, out of the last 4 working days they haven’t worked 3 due to child illness, I can’t arrange cover because they don’t let me know until about 30 mins before start time, and if I do bring someone in just in case and they turn up, I’m paying for extra hands that aren’t needed.

I’ve got a feeling this is going to carry on going forward, their partner won’t share the burden and take time off, is there anything I can do?

 

[bodgitt&scarperLTD]

Usual question- how long have they worked for you?

 

[Beermonster]

They have been with us 2 years, the 2 days they are in are the time they are needed the most, I was thinking of changing their days with someone else, then if they are off it’s not as much of an issue, but I don’t know if I can do that and if I can it doesn’t mean they will want to change.

 

[Mark T Jones]

Just over or just under 2 years?

 

[Beermonster]

Just over 2 years

 

[Mr D]

May be worth tightening up your reporting procedures. Perhaps have a set time by which people have to let you know they are unable to come in?

Possibly sometimes that will still be ignored - sometimes emergencies crop up that don't fit into a schedule.
But hopefully usually be given more than half hour notice if you plan ahead.

 

[simon field]

Give them a warning

 

[Beermonster]

Give them a warning

for what? You can’t give someone a warning for having a sick child

 

[Newchodge]

Does the child have an ongoing condition or is it one-off sniffles, tummyache etc?

 

[Beermonster]

Just one off’s

 

[simon field]

for what? You can’t give someone a warning for having a sick child

Poor attendance

 

[Newchodge]

There is not a great deal you can do except request better notification. You can, of course, discuss whether she would be prepared to move to different days, explaining why it would be helpful. I assume you know that dependent leave does not have to be paid leave?

 

[fisicx]

I assume you know that dependent leave does not have to be paid leave?

Does this mean they can have time off to look after a sick child but they don’t get paid? Or if they do get paid it comes off their annual leave?

In this instance though, it seems the problem is more to do with their partner not helping out.

 

[intheTRADE]

In this instance though, it seems the problem is more to do with their partner not helping out.

Presuming they have a partner...

 

[fisicx]

Presuming they have a partner...

Indeed, but they did say:

I’ve got a feeling this is going to carry on going forward, their partner won’t share the burden and take time off

 

[Mr D]

Does this mean they can have time off to look after a sick child but they don’t get paid? Or if they do get paid it comes off their annual leave?

In this instance though, it seems the problem is more to do with their partner not helping out.

Could be partner earns more per day so not cost effective for them to take time off?
Or could simply be not willing to spend the day with ill child.

 

[Newchodge]

Does this mean they can have time off to look after a sick child but they don’t get paid? Or if they do get paid it comes off their annual leave?

In this instance though, it seems the problem is more to do with their partner not helping out.

A parent is entitled to leave to deal with an emergency involving a dependent. Failure of childcare is one such emergency, taking a child to a hospital appointment is not as it is booked and can be dealt with by booking annual leave. There is no limit on how much dependent leave can be taken as there is no limit on emergencies. However its purpose is not to provide the care the child neeeds, its purpose is to have time to arrange the care. The employer can offer paid dependent leave but does not have to. The employee can request that unpaid dependent leave become annual leave, the employer does not have to accept.

The partner making no effort is, unfortunately, common, and not something the employer can do anything about.

 

[Alison Moore]

She'd have to be making a decision quite early as to whether the child is well enough for school in order to get them up in time, so I'd say she needs to report in earlier to say she can't make it. It all depends on how early is realistic, but yes she needs to give more notice than 30 mins so you can arrange cover. It's definitely worth speaking to her about it, and come to an agreement as to what time is realistic for her to report in by. There's no point you setting a time, which is unrealistic for her. It's probably worth writing it into a new contracts too, so you don't have the same issue with any new employees.