Sick from Child Care?
Posted March 11th, 2010 by Katie BethellWhen Ashley’s son started going to child care, he started bringing home more than macaroni art and cute little scribble pictures. He also brought home colds, the flu, pink eye, and a weird unidentifiable rash — all things that meant Ashley needed to miss work to care for him.
“I didn’t realize that child care was such a petri dish! It’s pretty ironic that my son goes to child care so I can work, but then he gets sick so often and I have to stay home with him anyhow (and then I get sick too).” Ashley explains. “It all starts with just one sick kid. I know that sick kids are coming to child care sometimes because their parents can’t take time off work, but when they do, we all end up getting sick and missing work.”
Today, according to a just released study by the Joint Economic Committee, more than a third of working women in establishments with more than 15 employees have no paid sick leave. That means they lose needed income, and could risk losing their jobs, if they stay home to keep a sick child out of child care or school, or for their own illness. This problem isn’t limited to just moms: Conservative estimates are that 40% of the entire private sector doesn’t have any paid sick days.
But that could change! Right now, Congress is considering a bill called the Healthy Families Act, which would give 13.3 million women–for a total of over 30 million people–the ability to earn paid sick days at work.
This is a law whose time has come. Join us in telling Congress that parents need paid sick days to keep everyone healthier.
The Healthy Families Act would do more than help make sure working women have access to paid sick days. The bill would guarantee that workers in the United States at firms that employ at least 15 employees would be able to earn at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. That’s a big deal. Right now conservative estimates are that 40% of the private sector doesn’t have any paid sick days. The Healthy Families Act would ensure paid sick days for over 30 million more people.
Child care offers just one example of how paid sick time policies can affect us all. Industries that have high contact with the public, like restaurant and child care employees, are the least likely to have paid sick days policies. Just 28 percent of child care workers in establishments of 15 or more employees can earn paid sick leave today, so it’s likely more than just kids who are going to child care sick.
Tell Congress today: We need paid sick days for healthier kids, parents, and communities.
6 Comments
We have been very lucky with our kid, but one of my friends have had a lot of situations where their kid got sick. I am surprised at the numbers you shared, paid sick days for kids are really a must.
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March 12, 2010 at 1:30 am by Cara HughesEntrepreneurship is great for women, but this is one problem area. As a small business owner I do not get paid for the time I must leave work to pick my child up early at daycare if she has a fever or the law here in NJ that says she can’t come back to the daycare for over 24 hours after she showed a fever even if she doesn’t have a fever and isn’t sick. My child can have a slight low grade teething fever at 2 p.m on a Tuesday and not be allowed back into daycare until Thursday leaving me to fend for myself on Tuesday and all day Wednesday and no refunds are issued so the week of child care is already paid for. I think this 24 hour policy should be revisited b/c I don’t think it really reflects when children are most contagious. My daughter is 16-months old and it is not that easy to find another childcare provide she knows and loves.
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March 11, 2010 at 11:09 pm by StephanieCaring for a sick child is a challenge even when working for an employer that allows you to use your sick time to care for a child and pays for it. Regardless how understanding your employer is, taking unscheduled time off can effect your overall performance.
With two kids in day care, the sick time really adds up. My children are great at sharing, especially when it comes to sharing germs! They take turns getting sick, therefore, causing me and my spouse to take off many days of work. The first year of day care is the worst. I call it the “initiation” into daycare. I don’t think my one year old has been at day care a full month since starting 7 months ago.
I feel guilty taking time off, even though my employer is understanding. I also feel guilty making my husband stay home or, even worse, asking my Mom to drive 4 hours to take care of our children. Even though I’m a working Mom, I’ve held on strong to my traditional views of parenting. A conflict I’m sure many Mom’s have.
I’m not whining, because I’m grateful for what I have. I can’t imagine having the extra layer of stress of not getting paid for time off. This is such an important issue. It’s not just a woman’s issue but a family issue.
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March 11, 2010 at 2:08 pm by Katie BethellWendy great point — many folks can’t use their sick time to take care of sick kids. And, many folks who actually have sick time “on paper” are discourged by employers or even punished for using it! That’s why a minimum standard of paid sick days (and standards for how people can use them) is so important.
Paid FMLA leave is critical too. There is a proposal right now out of the president’s budget to give states grant funds to start paid FMLA programs. This would be a great step forward. You can sign on in support of that proposal here.
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March 11, 2010 at 1:03 pm by Wendy DaileyIt’s not just that we don’t have access to sick time, MOST employers do not allow you to utilize that sick time to care for a sick family member. I have to utilize vacation time to care for my daughter when she is ill. I’m also fortunate enough that I can work from home on occasion and my husband and I can share the care duties as he also has flexibility.
What we need is paid FMLA leave, separate from sick time and vacation time. I will have to utilize all of my sick and vacation time to take a partial maternity leave this summer, but will be left with ZERO paid time after that (until I accrue more) to care for my child once he/she is in the petri dish that is daycare.
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Kathy Sandru Reply:
March 11th, 2010 at 2:06 pm
@Wendy Dailey, I agree with you & would like to add that larger companies are not as sympathetic either! I was working for a large insurance company that had in-house childcare. I thought it was excellent, except for 2 things: 1) They did not subsidize the care partially or fully – we had to pay $1,000 per month for one child. But the kicker was I would not bring my child to daycare sick, but other people did. Of course, your child gets sick, or perhaps there is a suspicious “abrasion” on your child’s face that could be impetigo (sp?) & you have to pick them up in one hour. Then before returning to the center, you have to show proof the child is not contagious (pediatrician’s note). Of course when I told my boss that I had to pick up my child, I was told “no problem; family is more important”, but then I got slapped with verbal & written warnings which threatened me to become fired. Just as I was on my final written warning, I got pregnant. Then a whole host of new problems occurred! So don’t assume that in-house childcare is a plus!
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