The conditions are that the child has fallen ill suddenly and is under the age of 10. Parents working in a wellbeing services county or the municipal sector can take time off work to care for a child under the age of 12.
Additionally, some collective agreements stipulate that parents have the right to stay and care for their disabled children over the age of 10.
Both a parent who lives with the child (resident parent) and a parent who does not live in the same household as the child (non-resident parent) have the right to take temporary childcare leave.
Parents entitled to temporary childcare leave may not stay and care for a sick child at the same time. This also applies to situations where one parent is on the night shift and the other parent is on the morning shift.
Temporary childcare leave can usually only be granted when both parents are working outside the home. For example, if one parent is on study leave, the working parent is usually not entitled to temporary childcare leave. This means that only one parent at a time can take temporary childcare leave, but parents can take turns.
The right to temporary childcare leave usually only applies in situations where a child has fallen ill suddenly. A pre-arranged surgical operation or check-up does not usually entitle parents to temporary childcare leave. In this case, the employee must agree on their absence from work separately with the employer.
The employee must inform the employer of the temporary childcare leave and its estimated duration as soon as possible. On request, the employee must provide proof of the reason for the leave of absence, usually in the form of a medical certificate or a certificate issued by a nurse.
The employer may also request a statement about the other parent’s inability to stay at home to care for the sick child.
