Options to help with job and school flexibility

The end of the last school year was tough for parents, learning to balance work and schooling for their kids.

As we get closer to the first day of school for this year, there's still a lot that could change.

PARENTS, LEARNINGTO BALANCE WORKAND SCHOOLING FORTHEIR KIDS...AND AS WE GETCLOSER TO THE FIRSTDAY OF SCHOOL FORTHIS YEAR... THERE'SSTILL A LOT THATCOULD CHANGE.AS MANY DISTRICTSWORK BETWEENVIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON LEARNING...WHAT DOES THATMEAN FOR YOUR JOB?N-B-C 26'S ABIGAILHANTKE IS INNEWSROOM WITHMORE.

ABIGAIL?MAYBE YOUR KIDSAREN'T OLD ENOUGHTO STAY HOME BYTHEMSELVES YET,BUT YOU STILL HAVETO GO TO WORK ANDTHEY CAN'T GO TOSCHOOL...THE STATE SAYS...YOUDO HAVE A LITTLEWIGGLE ROOM IF YOUNEED TO STAYHOME....BECAUSE OF THEVIRUS...WHAT YOUUSE YOUR SICK LEAVEFOR HAS CHANGED...THE WISCONSINDIVISION OFPERSONNELMANAGEMENT SAYSAN EMERGENCYADMINISTRATIVE RULEWAS ADDED THISYEAR...ALLOWING PEOPLE TOUSE THEIR SICKLEAVE FOR MORETHAN JUST BEINGSICK...YOU CAN NOW USE ITFOR PROVIDING CAREFOR FAMILYMEMBERS...INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY CHILDCARE DUE TO SCHOOLCLOSURES....BUT THAT'S NOT THEONLY THING YOU CANCONISDER....IN A STATEMENT FROMHIS OFFICE,DEPARTMENT OFWORKFORCEDEVELOPMENTSECRETARY CALEBFROSTMAN ISENCOURAGINGEMPLOYERS TOREMAIN FLEXIBLE...ADDING, WE ARE ALLIN THIS TOGETHERAND WHILE WE TRY TOIDENTIFY STRATEGIESTO DEAL WITH THECHALLENGES WEFACE DAILY DUE TOCOVID-19...SUCH ASFINDING A NEW WORKLIFE BALANCE,RETAINING TRAINEDEMPLOYEES IS OFUTMOST IMPORTANCEFOR WISCONSINEMPLOYERS...ANDREMAINING JOBATTACHED ISSIGNIFICANT FORWISCONSIN'SWORKING FAMILIES....NOW THEEMERGENCY RULINGFOR USING YOUR SICKLEAVE FOR OTHERTHAN BEING SICKEXPIRES ON OCTOBER8TH OF THIS YEAR....SO IF YOU HAVE USEDMOST OR ALL OFYOUR COVEREDLEAVE, EXPERTS SAYTO HAVE ACONVERSATION WITHYOUR BOSS TO TALKABOUT A MOREFLEXIBLE WORKSCHEDULE...BUT DO SO WITH APLAN...EXPLAININGHOW YOU CANBALANCE BOTH,WHILE STILL MEETINGTHE NEEDS OF YOURFAMILY AND YOURJOB.IN THE NEWSROOM,ABIGAIL HANTKE, NBC26ONE OF THEBIGGESTCHALLENGES F