I have a new employee who's supposed to work tomorrow (fifth or so day), but her son is sick. She wants to bring him and let him hang out in a corner. I have an "employee break area" but it's the one part of the bakery that isn't set up and it's still a pile of random stuff. Her son is around 8 years old. I'm not sure what he has (she just left a message). I'd like to have the kind of workplace where a parent doesn't need to miss work for a mildly sick kid. But it's a food production place, not an office. I'm not really worried about him getting into the production area (everything is pretty separate in the new place), but I think that she would keep getting called away to attend to him. But I don't have an 8 year old. Toddlers are a bit more demanding. I provide sick leave, but she hasn't built up enough time yet. I think that I can find other help for tomorrow if she can't come in. So I'm not sure what I should say when I call her back. Thoughts?
I would base the decision partially on if it's contagious or not. If he's sick with something contagious, I'd say no to the kid being there but if it's something like recovering from having teeth pulled or tonsils removed then I'd have less of an issue with it.
Assuming he's well behaved enough to sit quietly and keep himself entertained of course.
I guess laryngitis has gone through her house, so that might be what her son has. Given that I don't NEED her there tomorrow, I said that she should stay home tomorrow. I don't think that she loved that, but honestly, I don't want that around me, if I have the choice. I think that once I have a better "hang out" area and her kid doesn't have laryngitis, I think that we could make it work. Thanks guys for the feedback.
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