Employment law - caring for sick child, forced to use vacation allowance.

[Unregistered]

When my child is sick and I have to stay home to care for it, my employer insists that I use up my vacation days to do so. Is this legal? Do I have no right to care for a sick child without having to use up all my vacation allowance?

[Marta]

According the ' Estatuto de trabajadores' you have the right to absent yourself from work ( receiving your wages) up to a maximum of two days in the case of a child's illness which requires hospitalization or an intervention without hospitalization requiring rest at home. In the case of illnesses such as flu, colds, etc, if your boss does not allow you to take these days off then you will need to use up your vacation allowance.