Can Employees Use Sick Leave for Family Illness Over 10 Days with Doctor's Note?

Dear Professionals,

If an employee's family members are sick and admitted to the hospital, can the employee use their sick leave balance for a leave period exceeding 10 days? Can we adjust these leaves against the employee's sick leave balance after valid certification from a doctor? Please advise.

Thanks & regards,
Dinesh

Hi, in the absence of earned leave or privileged leave, sick leave can be granted to the employee.

Understanding Sick Leave

Sick leave, as I understand from the relevant provisions of various labor laws, simply refers to the leave of absence due to sudden and temporary illness of the applicant employee without any medical authentication. Therefore, it cannot be applied for the sickness of the employee's family members.

Of course, such a sanction can be subject to the employer's discretion in exceptional circumstances.

Dear Dinesh,

My reply is 'No'. The sick leave facility is intended for the employee's sickness, not for family members. I am not familiar with your establishment's leave policies. Generally, unused sick leaves are exhausted at the end of the calendar year. Your post mentions balance sick leaves, suggesting that your company allows the carry forward of leaves to the next calendar year. What will you do when an employee falls sick for more than 10 days? Your management might consider an adjustment as a special case by the CEO/MD upon representation by the employee. This is a unique and sensitive situation. To address such circumstances, your company needs to develop a policy for the welfare of the employee.

Absolutely not. The objective of sick leave is only to protect the employee's health and not that of their kith and kin. To take care of kith and kin, an employee may apply for casual leave. If it is more than 3 days, they may apply for earned leave or take a loss of pay leave.