Using leave time for Child's School Activities

[WDWBarb]

I'm blessed to have some flexibility with these types of things. I'm salaried, but also work 11-12 hours every day. So they're still getting their money's worth, even if I took an entire day off.

 

[kilee]

We'd have to take PTO time, which we can take in 15 minute increments. THOUGH--- I have made up as much as 10-12 hrs per week. A lot of times I'll schedule a whole day off in a week and still of worked over my budget by 9-10 hrs. They'd rather let me put the PTO time back in "my bank" than pay me overtime. So, I end up usually doubling my time off per year this way.

 

[flying_babyb]

I guess im blessed. Our boss will give us longer lunch breaks and then we make up hours latter in the week or we just loose hours. Like tommrow, Im working (subbing) since one employee needs a 4 hour break (for her little sisters concert or somthing). My boss is also really good about time off. I take a day here or there for my sisters. Im missing the big "Drop and shop" work event to attend Dsis birthday.

 

[Sherlee]

The School Conference and Activities Leave Law (Minn. Stat. §181.9412) entitles an employee to up to 16 hours of leave in any 12-month period to attend school conferences and “school-related activities” that cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. If the conference or activity can be scheduled in advance, the employer is entitled to receive reasonable notice of the need to be away from work.
The law does not guarantee that the time off be paid, but paid vacation or other paid leave time may be used.

 

[m&m's mom]

I work for a 10 billion dollar company and our policy changes all the time.
I prefer to take unpaid for things like this so I can keep my 5 weeks of vacation. Some months I can take unpaid, sometimes I have to use my personal time.
If it's just running over to a school party, since I work at home I can do it pretty easily over my lunch hour. If it is a field trip, I take the whole day.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

I have to account for 40 hours per week. If I am not in the office I have to use Personal or Vacation time. If it runs out, I can take unpaid time off but only so much before they would let me go. I've never had to take unpaid time because I'm so conservative with it. I used to do this: If I knew I had to take Friday off to stay home with kids, I would work an extra 2 hours Mon - Thurs, thereby ending up with 40 hours for the week and technically "saving" a full vacay day. Or if I came in an hour late I would just make it up that day. I can't do that now because DH works too far from home; he can't get to afterschool before they close so I always have to rush out the door at 5:00 to get there. Yeah, that's not a great career maker either. So I use an hour or two of Personal or Vacation time for each school event. It's nuts because there are so many throughout the year, in addition to the days off. I have 4 weeks of vacation time and except for a one week family trip, every minute of it is hoarded to accomodate the school calendar. I usually tell DH he has to take a day off here and there but he has less time than I do. Last year I ended up getting a sitter ($100 per day) for 3 days at the end of the year because I had run out of time when school was closed. Guess who volunteered to stay home on Columbus Day and Election Day this year? I guess hitting him in the wallet made him want to step up! Right now I am in an office full of recent college grads except for my manager, so they can't relate. But hey, some people have elderly parents or pets they need to get home to. Everyone has a life. Work / Life balance affects everyone. Some days I wish I could stay home, but it is what it is.

 

[flying_babyb]

. Everyone has a life. Work / Life balance affects everyone. Some days I wish I could stay home, but it is what it is.

THANK you so much for pointing out that people without kids have lives too! I get walked all over by the teachers with children. They think just since they have kids I should always stay late! I dont mind once and awile but there are days I just wanna go home to my kids, my furry kitty kids. Sorry a bit Ot but a needed vent.

 

[NHdisneylover]

DH is salary and he is allowed the flexibility to leave early, duck out for a few hours, etc to make a school event, Dr. appointment, etc. He more than makes up for it by often being at work very late when he is in town and he travels about 80% of the time. Most weeks he is gone Monday morning until late (8:00 or 9:00) Friday night. Sometimes he has to leave on Sunday or come home on Saturday. He misses a HUGE amount of school events, and has to put off follow up care at the doctor for high blood pressure, etc. because of the travel so his boss is very willing to be flexible to let him to what he needs to do in the short amount of time he is home.
When I worked as a librarian, I could generally take off whenever I needed/wanted UNPAID and only if I could get someone else to come in for me. We were all part time with busy lives and we al tried to cover for each otehr as much as possible. Often we were able to just trade days so that everyone still got a good paycheck as well.

 

[golfgal]

The School Conference and Activities Leave Law (Minn. Stat. §181.9412) entitles an employee to up to 16 hours of leave in any 12-month period to attend school conferences and “school-related activities” that cannot be scheduled during nonwork hours. If the conference or activity can be scheduled in advance, the employer is entitled to receive reasonable notice of the need to be away from work.
The law does not guarantee that the time off be paid, but paid vacation or other paid leave time may be used.

I did not know this, interesting. I work for myself so I can take whatever time off I need, when ever I want. Dh has always been salaried and works WAY more than he get paid for so he has always been able to take time off for kid stuff as needed.