Nicola Harrington
Monica called this morning:
“Nicole, could you do me a favour? Gwendal has a temperature and severe earache, I have an appointment with the doctor at 8.45. Could you let Marie (his teacher) know?”
“Of course, I call round later to see how he is.”
This afternoon, I called in to see Monica (she is the only French woman I know who is truly passionate about Earl Grey tea… but that is another story!!). Gwendal has antibiotics and has to be off school for 2 more days.
“But you have to work tomorrow” I say.”Gwendal can stay with me, I’m desk bound tomorrow”, I offer.
“Thanks, but I have a certificate from the doctor. Yann will take the day off to look after Gwendal”.
I look puzzled.
Every mother and father has the right to take ten days off work, paid, to look after a sick child as long as they have a certificate from the doctor.
“Wow, that’s brilliant”.
“C’est normal”.
That system certainly didn’t exist when I worked in the UK… but maybe things have changed…
