S/O Telecommuting when your kids are sick

[Anonymous]

I work from home if my DD is sick or her daycare is closed. I will get up at 5 am and work until she wakes up - that usually gets me 3 - 4 hours of work. Then, I work off and on the rest of the day. She is almost three, so I can put in a video and get in almost 2 hours work that way. If DD naps, I work during that time. Any amount of time that I don't work, I then submit as sick leave. Usually it's only a couple of hours I have to submit.

[Anonymous]

I was home yesterday while DD was sick. She took a 3hr nap in the afternoon, I used 2 to work and 1 to do house stuff. Another 1hr once she went to bed. Charged 3hrs of work, 5 to sick leave.

I don't think this is the same as a standard teleworking option. It's more like when you take work at home at night or on the weekend. You count the time you actually work, not the rest of your day. My boss did not expect me to be reachable during the day, but was pleased that I was able to contribute at least a little bit.

[Anonymous]

No, my office prohibits it.

[Anonymous]

I have telecommuted occasionally with a sick kid, but only because my old boss expected it. i.e. "you can stay home with your sick kid, but you better be available if we need you on email or on the phone." Trust me, I'd much rather take the day off. old boss = douchebag.

I wouldn't bill for a whole day, maybe 2 hours tops.

[Anonymous]

As PP mentioned, my telework agreement prohibits working from home when you don't have childcare. My kids are both undre 3, so it would never work for me anyway.

But I do sometimes telework when I'm sick, but not deathbed sick. Better than spreading germs around at the office and I still get work done. Last week I had a stomach bug and instead of sitting in my cube running to the bathroom every 15 mins, I could sit in the comfort of my own home, on my own couch, work, and only have to run 10 feet to the loo. Still got more work done too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I work from home if my DD is sick or her daycare is closed. I will get up at 5 am and work until she wakes up - that usually gets me 3 - 4 hours of work. Then, I work off and on the rest of the day. She is almost three, so I can put in a video and get in almost 2 hours work that way. If DD naps, I work during that time. Any amount of time that I don't work, I then submit as sick leave. Usually it's only a couple of hours I have to submit.

I am the above poster. Our company has "official" telework arrangements in which you must have separate child care. However, the scenario I mentioned above is not part of an official arrangement. In our department, our managers are thrilled if you can get some work done instead of taking an entire day off. It's not required of course, but if you can get in some or even all of your hours (and you want to do that), why would they rather work wait until you come back into the office? Our company really stresses the work/life/family balance and this is one way that is helpful for me.

[Anonymous]

Two parents could probably pull it off pretty well. My kid normally naps 12-2:30 or so (longer when she's sick) so it would be entirely feasible for my husband to watch her while I work 6-2:30, and he could work 12-8:30. More likely we'd each just work six hours, but it's doable.

[Anonymous]

If I stay home with a sick kid and I have deadlines, I do what I can while she's asleep and charge that portion of the day to teleworking. (we can charge 0.25 hours if we want.) I charge the rest to sick time. My boss always knows that I have a sick kid at home. I also sometimes telework a few hours when I'm sick. Just because I'm sick doesn't mean people stop emailing me and expecting stuff and I'd rather work a few hours here and there than come back to the office to a sh*tstorm of work. this is the norm at my office for those of us with young kids. it's easy to park a sick 3-year-old in front of Yo Gabba Gabba and send out some reports.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the kid and the illness. For instance, we just kept DD (3.5) at home last Tuesday because of pink eye. I stayed with her and worked about three hours that day on my ipad while sitting next to her, answering e-mails, reviewing reports and taking phone calls from work.

DD played with paints and watched a movie while I did this.

I charged 3 hours to work and 5 to sick leave.

In contrast, we kept DS at home for an ear infection the week before and DH and I split the day since we know we cannot get anything done at home with him, he is crawling and gets into everything.

I don't work for the feds.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I do and have two children 18mos and 4.5. Never are they both sick at the same time.

The 4.5yr old watches a lot of TV and it is a juggle with the younger one.

However, I have a VERY family friendly small company. I'm not pretending to work a full day, nor does my boss expect me to use PTO. I get the essentials done. I'm also an early riser and when the kids are sick, turn the laptop on at 5am and power through a ton of work for 2.5hrs. Sick or not, I'm very productive in the early morning, way more so than at 3PM.

My employer is flexible with me because I am flexible with him. I take 8PM calls and often respone to email at 10PM. He pays it back in the form of a lot of flexibility.