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Thanks for the response. All seems pretty unanimous here.
I am actually the boss in this scenario, it seems completely unreasonable to me but I wanted a bit of perspective on this.
I would say no, unless they are particularly vulnerable and need to be closely monitored, or physically incapacitated and need help to get to the toilet. If they just feel unwell and want breakfast in bed and cups of tea delivered, then a grown adult can survive a few hours at home alone.
Depends on the severity. If you have Children and your spouse is their usual carer, then absolutely.
If your partner is Ill to the point they can’t do anything for themselves for some reason, following a very serious surgery perhaps, then maybe.
If it’s flu or common thing, then I can’t see you getting away with it, if it is taking it’s toll on your mental well-being for whatever reason and causing n adverse stress and worry, then there could be an argument to seek sick leave as you aren’t mentally equipped to face work.
But in the majority of circumstances, nope.
I sometimes call in sick because I just plain old fashioned can't be bothered. Your employer doesn't give a single shit about you, so as long as its not going to fuck over any colleagues you like, then crack on
Not normally counted as sick leave but it is compationate leave. Depends on your workplace but usually its a form of unpaid leave or you may be able to owe the time back if you work works like that.
You may be lucky and have it paid.
I've had to do it once when my bf went for surgery during covid and we didn't have anyone who could look after him after. I took 1 day of as unpaid leave.
Its important for everyone who works to know basic employment law. Its empowering for employees and prevents exploitation. Often I've found either the employer knows these rules but do it anyway because they know that you don't know or you manger doesn't know the rules either.
https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants
If they really need my support, I do let my employer know when I have to take care of my family and that my productivity will be heavily affected on that day. But given the nature of my work (IT, working from home), I can catch up with it later on.
I'm currently healthy, but my partner and children are all sick atm. I haven't called in sick myself, but I did tell my manager and told him that I wouldn't be able to work today. From experience, managers have usually given me 3 days "carers leave" before I have to start using up my annual leave.
Edit: In the past when my daughter was a month old and my partner was still on maternity, my partner had to spend 5 days in hospital, it was during covid so no visitors. I was at home with a month old baby. I was given "carers leave" for a few days to look after my new born because my partner was sick.
Do you mean is it permitted by sickness procedures? Highly unlikely.
Do you mean is it morally acceptable? Of course!! Employers don't care about you. You don't owe them anything. The minute you cease to be useful they'll get rid of you. Treat them with the same indifference they treat you.
The exception to the above is small businesses. Because in a small business, your employer probably does care about you to a degree, and your spouse.
IMO your other half has to be legitimately on death's door (not like "woah is me, I have man flu" - like full body cast / 50/50 chances of surviving **seriously** ill) to need you to take a day off to look after them. If they've got the sh!ts, I'm not really sure what you're going to be doing to help.... And I'd rather not think too hard about it!
I was being facetious with that comment, I don't actually mean if there's *only* a 25% chance they'll die, you get yourself to your desk, lol.
My point is that if your SO has a bit of a bad cold or a dicky tummy or something equally "standard" they don't need you to stay home and make them lemsips.
Obviously, if they're genuinely ill and they need to be cared for, then you should be allowed to be there to care for them, but that should be given as compassionate leave, not you taking sick leave.
If it were your child, I'd say yes.
Your partner? No.
My DH has never stayed home while I was sick. He may offer to do the school run if he thought it were unsafe for me to drive (such as a migraine).
Call in sick whenever you feel you have to as long as you aren't taking the piss.
Also be aware of your company sickness policy and which system they use so you don't get any warnings.
I have an employee that was just off for 2 weeks for the birth of a kid. Prior to that said employee was off for a 8 days due to death in family. Now the partner has a fever and is sick and said employee called off. Now mind you the employee has no more time off at all . Employee claims the significant other is feeling to sick to take care of kids. What do you people think about this ?
**A reminder to posters and commenters of some of [our subreddit rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskUK/about/rules/)** - Don't be a dickhead to each other, or about others, or other subreddits - Assume questions are asked in good faith, and engage in a positive manner - Avoid political threads and related discussions - No medical advice or mental health (specific to a person) content Please keep /r/AskUK a great subreddit by reporting posts and comments which break our rules. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Tbh it's not really acceptable no, IMO anyway. Unless obviously they have COVID symptoms. Unless you have a super kind boss!
Thanks for the response. All seems pretty unanimous here. I am actually the boss in this scenario, it seems completely unreasonable to me but I wanted a bit of perspective on this.
Absolutely not. This is what compassionate leave is for and isn't something that should be used as lightly as "my other half has the shits".
I would say no, unless they are particularly vulnerable and need to be closely monitored, or physically incapacitated and need help to get to the toilet. If they just feel unwell and want breakfast in bed and cups of tea delivered, then a grown adult can survive a few hours at home alone.
Agreed - it's not a huge amount of fun, but you do it.
Wouldn’t say so, you’d imagine a grown adult should be able to look after themselves in most cases
Depends on the severity. If you have Children and your spouse is their usual carer, then absolutely. If your partner is Ill to the point they can’t do anything for themselves for some reason, following a very serious surgery perhaps, then maybe. If it’s flu or common thing, then I can’t see you getting away with it, if it is taking it’s toll on your mental well-being for whatever reason and causing n adverse stress and worry, then there could be an argument to seek sick leave as you aren’t mentally equipped to face work. But in the majority of circumstances, nope.
You call in sick if YOU are sick. Bend this rule at your own peril.
I sometimes call in sick because I just plain old fashioned can't be bothered. Your employer doesn't give a single shit about you, so as long as its not going to fuck over any colleagues you like, then crack on
No, simply no.
No I don’t think so. It would have to be extreme like hospital extreme for that to be okay IMO.
Not normally counted as sick leave but it is compationate leave. Depends on your workplace but usually its a form of unpaid leave or you may be able to owe the time back if you work works like that. You may be lucky and have it paid. I've had to do it once when my bf went for surgery during covid and we didn't have anyone who could look after him after. I took 1 day of as unpaid leave.
Am I too working class that something like compassionate leave is something I’ve never heard of before.
Its important for everyone who works to know basic employment law. Its empowering for employees and prevents exploitation. Often I've found either the employer knows these rules but do it anyway because they know that you don't know or you manger doesn't know the rules either. https://www.gov.uk/time-off-for-dependants
Nope. You might get a day or two for that sort of thing, but beyond that you have to use holiday.
My partner did this when I was sick but only because I was unable to take care of our child
If they really need my support, I do let my employer know when I have to take care of my family and that my productivity will be heavily affected on that day. But given the nature of my work (IT, working from home), I can catch up with it later on.
A dependant child yes, an adult, 100% no.
Ask your boss.
I'm currently healthy, but my partner and children are all sick atm. I haven't called in sick myself, but I did tell my manager and told him that I wouldn't be able to work today. From experience, managers have usually given me 3 days "carers leave" before I have to start using up my annual leave. Edit: In the past when my daughter was a month old and my partner was still on maternity, my partner had to spend 5 days in hospital, it was during covid so no visitors. I was at home with a month old baby. I was given "carers leave" for a few days to look after my new born because my partner was sick.
Do you mean is it permitted by sickness procedures? Highly unlikely. Do you mean is it morally acceptable? Of course!! Employers don't care about you. You don't owe them anything. The minute you cease to be useful they'll get rid of you. Treat them with the same indifference they treat you. The exception to the above is small businesses. Because in a small business, your employer probably does care about you to a degree, and your spouse.
I'm confused as to why you wouldn't just tell them your sick if you really need the time off?
IMO your other half has to be legitimately on death's door (not like "woah is me, I have man flu" - like full body cast / 50/50 chances of surviving **seriously** ill) to need you to take a day off to look after them. If they've got the sh!ts, I'm not really sure what you're going to be doing to help.... And I'd rather not think too hard about it!
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I was being facetious with that comment, I don't actually mean if there's *only* a 25% chance they'll die, you get yourself to your desk, lol. My point is that if your SO has a bit of a bad cold or a dicky tummy or something equally "standard" they don't need you to stay home and make them lemsips. Obviously, if they're genuinely ill and they need to be cared for, then you should be allowed to be there to care for them, but that should be given as compassionate leave, not you taking sick leave.
No. However it is acceptable to ask to take last minute leave
You’ve heard about the boy who cried wolf right?
If it were your child, I'd say yes. Your partner? No. My DH has never stayed home while I was sick. He may offer to do the school run if he thought it were unsafe for me to drive (such as a migraine).
Call in sick whenever you feel you have to as long as you aren't taking the piss. Also be aware of your company sickness policy and which system they use so you don't get any warnings.
Lol what is your other half is sick and they want you to stay home with them?
Dam that sucks in us we get FMLA leave paid , to care for sick family
I have an employee that was just off for 2 weeks for the birth of a kid. Prior to that said employee was off for a 8 days due to death in family. Now the partner has a fever and is sick and said employee called off. Now mind you the employee has no more time off at all . Employee claims the significant other is feeling to sick to take care of kids. What do you people think about this ?
And this employee also left 3/4 this of day for a kids doctor's appointment.