Parents Struggle as Fall Illnesses Strain Limited Sick Child Leave
PARIS – as the school year begins,a surge in childhood illnesses is leaving French parents scrambling and highlighting the inadequacy of current sick child leave policies,according to interviews with working parents. Many are forced to rely on already-burdened family members, deplete limited leave days, or sacrifice income to care for sick children.
Current French law provides a maximum of five days of paid sick child leave per year for children under one year old, a figure many parents find insufficient. Lucas,a father benefiting from a more generous collective agreement offering six days annually (compared to his partner’s three),described the situation as unequal and quickly tired. “When our children cannot go to daycare, this is our first solution. But, it’s true that we are not equal with my partner. I have six a year,she has three,and that’s clearly not enough. There, we have already used everything,” he said. He recently had to ask his still-working parents for help.
The situation is particularly dire for self-employed workers like Céline, who have no access to paid sick child leave. “I pray that they don’t get sick, because when I don’t work, I don’t get paid. Not to mention the competition I have to prepare for,” she stated.
Even those with employer-provided leave face challenges. Lucas noted the need to balance sick child leave with the five weeks annually required when crèches are closed. Marion, a self-employed mother, manages by working evenings, but acknowledges a “very important moral impact.” “Instead of resting when my child sleeps, I have to catch up on work. It’s a bit of a double whammy, especially since no one sleeps well when there is a sick child.”
Parents also report feeling pressure and guilt when professional obligations are impacted. “Even though I have understanding superiors, I still feel pressure,” Lucas admitted.”In October, I didn’t do a single full week at work.”
All three parents interviewed advocate for an extension and standardization of sick child leave, with Marion stating, “Two or three days a year is clearly not enough.” While a project to address the issue remains stalled, parents are hoping for a change – or, as Lucas optimistically put it, “With a little luck, within a few months, the children will have super immunity and we will be at peace.”
