Mums on sick kids leave

MUMS are being forced to use annual leave to care for family members with a cold or flu because dads are not using their sick or carer’s leave to do it.

A third (33 per cent) of mums admit to feeling sad, guilty, stressed and anxious about deciding to stay home because of the effect it has on colleagues, research commissioned by Cenovis finds. Its 2017 Immunity Index shows the average family will encounter three bouts of cold and flu this winter and, in 90 per cent of cases, mum is expected to stay home to look after sick children.

That is despite almost one in five (18 per cent) of mums saying their husband or partner usually brings the illness into the home in the first place.

Among mothers, 11 per cent used up to 10 days of their annual leave to care for a sick relative last winter; a further 9 per cent used up to 14 days of sick leave as carer’s days.

The research also found 15 per cent of mums sent ill children to school because they did not have leave to use. MORE Queenslanders are now seeking help for cannabis abuse than for alcohol abuse.

The latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) data, released today, will show cannabis has overtaken booze as the main substance misused by people