Can my husband be penalised for taking time off to look after son?

[inapickle80]

On monday my H took the day off to look after our sick son who is developing asthma. I have started a new teaching job and we both felt it would be unprofessional for me to take time off so soon. Son has been sick alot and usually it is me who takes time off, this is the first case when my H takes time off for sons illness. On the Tuesday my H phoned work and said he couldnt come ine, 2o mins later the VP phoned ans asked why I was not taking the day off work and H said i had already left and i would take the next few days off if needs be. Again the school rang and asked H to leave his laptop into school! He said 1 he doesnt have access to a car and 2 he was not leaving to go anywhere as son was ill. Then he was told in another school phone call that a classroom assistant was calling up to the house to get the laptop!

Between one thing and anothe with sons illness which resulted in an overnight in hospital, the school has done nothing but add stress to the situation.

On wednesday the principal asked H why i did not take time off and H told him i was taking the rest of the week off to look after Ethan, principal has requested a meeting (probably a return to wokr interview) in the next day or so and also wants to discuss management issues...

we dont know whats going to be said or what to do, i have called teaching union but they wont discuss it with me, until H gets a chance to call them.

so advice - do we a leg to stand on, it is just me or are they being totally unprofessional and harrassing us.

[buildersmate]

Your husband is clearly a member of a teaching union, so I'm sure you'll get good advice there.
My opinion, for what it's worth, is that your husband's employer (which is assume to be a college?) is being unreasonable, if your husband doesn't make a habit of asking for short-notice time off.
Most employers allow for this - generally called 'domestic emergency' or some such similar phrase - because they appreciate that despite the best laid plans, things can crop up. Domestic emergency covers your situation, the washing machine flooding the house - that sort of thing.
Some employers put the clause formally in the employer's handbook, some allow it to be taken as holiday or unpaid leave, some (generous ones) might even allow it paid.

[bednobs]

in the NHS it's called carer's leave and you get about 5 days a year. i dont think it's unreasonable to get someone to come to the house to pick up the stuff they needed in he workplace.
When you say "do we have a leg to stand on" i don't really get it because they havent sanctioned him for taking leave and in fact have not even spoken to him about it yet. I'm not surprised the union can't advise you - the employer hasn't done anything yet, except let your H take leave when he needed!
By your own account you dont know whats going to be said so i personally would ait till you know more before asking for advice from the union