AM I ENTITLED TO TIME OFF WORK IF MY CHILD IS SICK?

AM I ENTITLED TO TIME OFF WORK IF MY CHILD IS SICK?

As a result of the sudden drop in temperature on the Gold Coast, you may have noticed that the health of your family has also taken a turn for the worst.

Unfortunately, this often means that busy parents need to take time off work in order to care for their sick child.

You may find yourself faced with an employer who is less than empathetic when it comes to taking time off.

Employees certainly have a right to care for their children. Workplace laws provide working parents with at least 10 days’ paid sick or carer’s leave each year, this can be taken to care for immediate family members, or members of your household, who are sick, injured or who have suffered an unexpected emergency.

Leave entitlements accumulate from year to year, however, if you have exhausted all of your sick leave, you are entitled to an additional two days of unpaid carer’s leave each time a child is ill.

The current Fair Work laws are in place in order to provide working parents with flexible arrangements to assist with juggling their multiple responsibilities.

If you think that your employer has made a mistake in calculating your sick leave entitlements, or if you need advice on how to resolve a workplace issue, please contact one of our friendly Gold Coast lawyers for a consultation on 07 5563 8970.