Wife has COVID!

My wife came down with COVID-19. My company gives us special leave for when we have COVID-19, but not when a family member has it. They have asked me to use paid leave to stay home. This strikes me as illegal. Any thoughts?

15 comments
  1. Doesn’t sound illegal to me. It depends what’s written in your company rules. My wife’s company doesn’t permit using sick days for family members while mine does.

  2. Catch it from her as soon as possible would be my advice.

    If you test negative while living in close quarters with a positive case you have to isolate for even longer, 14 days if I remember correctly. This happened to me and my girlfriend but “luckily” she tested positive a few days later.

  3. You do not have to use your vacation days if you don’t want it. Sure, they will pressure you, but they cannot force you to use them. Just work remotely, or if god forbid they ask you to come to work, do so. If you spread covid, it’s not like you didn’t warn them and there wasn’t anything they could have done.

  4. If you’re worried about legality ask for it in writing.

    Do you need to take care of your wife? If not, you aren’t sick. Just go to work and stay home if you do get sick.

  5. They can ask you to do pretty much anything they want, they’re paying you a salary.They can’t FORCE you to do anything. You can try to fight it, but I don’t think it’s a winning battle.I would just email HR and ask, and if they insist you take time off, take time off.

  6. I was offered to use PV, or take as unpaid. I had the option to apply to the city hall for 60% of salary for days missed or something. I used PV.

  7. when my husband got Covid I was asked not to come to work and I was paid 60% of my daily wage.

    not sure if it’s just because of our work insurance but you might want to look into what they call kyugyo teate.

    i really dont fully understand how it works but that’s what’s written on the computation I was provided.

  8. It is required that all parties in close contact with an individual (family member) who has contracted COVID also quarantine themselves.

    I just worked from home when my wife caught COVID. I’m not sure what your profession is, so this may not be possible for you. You can opt to not use your personal vacation days and receive 60% of your salary through City Hall.

    They can’t force you to use your vacation days.

  9. Being a close contact to someone with Covid usually means mandatory quarantine for both parties. You can apply at your city hall for a kind of insurance that gives you 60% of your salary for the days you were not allowed to work. But if you want 100% salary, you need to use PV.

    Or if your company allows work from home, then fight for that. Some places do. Most don’t

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