GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — The end of the last school year was tough for parents, learning to balance work and schooling for their kids. As we get closer to the first day of school for this year, there's still a lot that could change.
Many districts are still working between virtual and in-person learning, but what does that mean for your job? For some parents, their kids might not be old enough to stay home by themselves. But according to the state, parents having to decide between work and staying home with their kids may have a little wiggle room to stay home if needed.
Because of the virus, what you use your sick leave for has been adjusted to help parents with that work/life balance. The Wisconsin Division of Personnel Managementsaid an emergency administrative rule was added this year allowing people to use their sick leave for more than just being sick. The adjustment allows someone to now use it for providing care for family members, including specifically child care due to school closures.
But that's not the only thing you can consider. In a statement from his office, Department of Workforce Development Secretary Caleb Frostman is encouraging employers to remain flexible. The statement goes on to say: "We are all in this together and while we try to identify strategies to deal with the challenges we face daily due to COVID-19...such as finding a new work life balance, retaining trained employees is of utmost importance for Wisconsin employers...and remaining job attached is significant for Wisconsin’s working families."
The emergency ruling for using your sick leave for other than being sick expires October 8th of this year. So, if you have used most or all of your covered leave, experts say to have a conversation with your boss to talk about a more flexible work schedule, but do so with a plan. This way you can explain how you’ll be able to balance both, to still meet the needs of your family and your job.
