Has anyone's boss spoken to you about missing too many days due to kid's snow closings?

[Anonymous]

There is a mom in my office has taken off every snow day, which has added up tremendously. If she worked from home or made up the work, I would be fine with it but she has not and has fallen behind. Not sure what the norm is.

I am also a mom of two and have 5 rounds of back up including teachers who would also be off for snow. I sometimes scramble for sick care but never for snow days or random school closings because I can plan for that.

What is your work policy? What do you do when you have to stay home for snow or other school closings?

Take vacation time? Make up work?

[Anonymous]

We have managed it too. Between my husband, me, and my parents, we've managed to avoid having to take any time off work, for any one of us. But it helps that I work part-time (everyday, but everyday from 8:30-1:00). When worst has come to worst, and we've exhausted every other option, I have brought DD (age 6) to work with me, put her in an empty office next to mine, closed the door, and we've brought a backpack of quiet activites for her to do (listen to Little House stories on audio-CD; paper dolls; puzzles; craft projects; etc.).

[Anonymous]

If it is a state of emergency (we live in Boston now) we get a free day off. Otherwise we take vacation time.

I think it is great that you have all that back up care, but for whatever reason, she does not. I can't tell if you are her boss or not but if you aren't, it would seem pretty petty for you to go to your boss to complain.

If you are her boss and don't have a clear policy on snow and vacation/whatever time, I think it would be pretty hard to reprimand her for taken the time she's earned for snow days.

[Anonymous]

I work at an extremely child friendly office, so if I'm home for a school closing, my boss would be home as well, as would many of my coworkers. We all work from home as best as we can. And nothing was compromised because of it.

However, I don't work in an extremely stressful environment.

[Anonymous]

sounds like she should be reprimanded and told to find backup childcare

[Anonymous]

For me, it has been a two-prong issue.

The first is the actual policy, which is that if the government is closed, we are closed and everyone gets admin leave. We follow the government automatically on the first day and then for subsequent days, the office manager makes the call about whether we're open or not. If the office is open and I can't come to work because DD's school is closed, I have to take PTO, which I am annoyed about but which I find reasonable anyway. I am not supposed to do extensive work from home, and wouldn't get a ton done while hanging out with a 4 year old anyway.

The other is the effects on the work load. Our clients don't stop needing things simply because the DC office is closed. I check my email at home and respond to things that are time sensitive, either answering the question or letting the asker know that the office is closed and that I will get back to them when it's open. It has been problematic to have so many closures, and I've not been able to stay home with DD for all of the closures and have made other arrangements for her.

As for your situation, not everyone has the back up care arrangements you have. I don't. It sounds like the issue is that she is not able to make up the work. This hasn't been a problem for me. I've never been able to catch up on something after a day back in the office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If it is a state of emergency (we live in Boston now) we get a free day off. Otherwise we take vacation time.

I think it is great that you have all that back up care, but for whatever reason, she does not. I can't tell if you are her boss or not but if you aren't, it would seem pretty petty for you to go to your boss to complain.

If you are her boss and don't have a clear policy on snow and vacation/whatever time, I think it would be pretty hard to reprimand her for taken the time she's earned for snow days.

I am her direct boss. I would not be petty unless all her work falls on me since I delegate work to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is a state of emergency (we live in Boston now) we get a free day off. Otherwise we take vacation time.

I think it is great that you have all that back up care, but for whatever reason, she does not. I can't tell if you are her boss or not but if you aren't, it would seem pretty petty for you to go to your boss to complain.

If you are her boss and don't have a clear policy on snow and vacation/whatever time, I think it would be pretty hard to reprimand her for taken the time she's earned for snow days.

I am her direct boss. I would not be petty unless all her work falls on me since I delegate work to her.

Also wanted to add that we are a small company and don't have a set policy.

[Anonymous]

We have to have childcare to work from home. What do you suggest she do, if your office has a similar policy? Should she work at home with her kids present, even if that violates your agreement?

I have a back up but she works. In fact, most of my friends in this area work. Asking them to watch my kids is asking them to take off work themselves.

[Anonymous]

Does she have the leave? If she does, then MYOB. Leave is not any more or less valid if you use it to stay home on a snow day or go to Tahiti. I'm sure she'd much rather have gone to Tahiti. It is appropriate that she takes leave. The work will still be there when she gets back - it always is.

But I guess I'm a loser because I only have two kinds of backup care in addition to my staying home, both of whi h are off the table when the roads are terrible. You sound like my friend's boss who has a rich husband and live-in MIL and then gets pissy if my friend has to juggle anything related to kids ("Well, I have a child and get here at 8am every day no matter what - why can't you?")

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is a state of emergency (we live in Boston now) we get a free day off. Otherwise we take vacation time.

I think it is great that you have all that back up care, but for whatever reason, she does not. I can't tell if you are her boss or not but if you aren't, it would seem pretty petty for you to go to your boss to complain.

If you are her boss and don't have a clear policy on snow and vacation/whatever time, I think it would be pretty hard to reprimand her for taken the time she's earned for snow days.

I am her direct boss. I would not be petty unless all her work falls on me since I delegate work to her.

How far behind is she with work? Is she the only one behind in the office (and I don't mean just from the snow days). Did she have the vacation time to use? I think it's fine to say she has to have her work caught up by X date but if you don't have a clear cut policy on snow days/working from home/making them up, etc. and she had the time off to use, I don't really see how you can reprimand her.

[Anonymous]

OP, please realize most people in this area do not have 5 back-up plans in case of snow days like you: you organization is highly commendable, but with only one winter out of three being really bad (if that!), it does not occur to everyone to be this prepared, especially financially strapped parents of young children with NO family in the area.

There was a thread last week about back-up plans for snow days, in which MANY parents complained they were in difficulties finding them.

I encourage you to be understanding for now. Create written guidelines for snow days and the like in the future.

[Anonymous]

5 levels of back up care is not the norm. Not sure how you have convinced teachers to provide back up care on snow days but I'd pay a fortune to find someone to watch my kids on snow days. I haven't been able to. You are very fortunate to have five back up care options. Lay off already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If it is a state of emergency (we live in Boston now) we get a free day off. Otherwise we take vacation time.

I think it is great that you have all that back up care, but for whatever reason, she does not. I can't tell if you are her boss or not but if you aren't, it would seem pretty petty for you to go to your boss to complain.

If you are her boss and don't have a clear policy on snow and vacation/whatever time, I think it would be pretty hard to reprimand her for taken the time she's earned for snow days.

I am her direct boss. I would not be petty unless all her work falls on me since I delegate work to her.

Also wanted to add that we are a small company and don't have a set policy.

If she had the leave and you have no set policy, don't reprimand her because she doesn't have all the back up care you have (how nice for you but as other PPs have pointed out, not everyone has that). My job is not flexible and I'm still expected to come in with snow. DH can be a bit more flexible and we have 3 different child care options lined up, but in the event of severe snow, all 3 of those go out the window for various reasons. So if she has the leave time and you have no set policy, you're stuck. Although now it is time to make a policy. If she doesn't have the leave time, then you can certainly talk to her about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does she have the leave? If she does, then MYOB. Leave is not any more or less valid if you use it to stay home on a snow day or go to Tahiti. I'm sure she'd much rather have gone to Tahiti. It is appropriate that she takes leave. The work will still be there when she gets back - it always is.

But I guess I'm a loser because I only have two kinds of backup care in addition to my staying home, both of whi h are off the table when the roads are terrible. You sound like my friend's boss who has a rich husband and live-in MIL and then gets pissy if my friend has to juggle anything related to kids ("Well, I have a child and get here at 8am every day no matter what - why can't you?")

I agree. OP sounds completely out of touch and one of those "well I'M a mom and I make it work so everyone should operate like I operate." I had a boss like that once and she was by far the worst boss I've ever had. My childless male boss is much more understanding of child care difficulties than she ever was.