Leaving aside the debate about whether stress leave is a 'tactic' or a genuine medical need, there's a key financial mechanism at play here that often gets overlooked: how income during leave is calculated for support purposes.
If he is on a legitimate medical leave through his employer's benefits (like short-term or long-term disability), his income for support isn't automatically $0. The court will likely look at his actual income from the benefits, plus any income he is capable of earning (like the 'cash under the table' private training mentioned). If the leave is temporary, a Judge may 'impute' income to him based on what he could be earning if he was working, especially if the drop in income is self-induced or voluntary.
The bigger issue for you is the daycare costs. If he is home and certified as unable to work, a Judge may very well ask why he cannot increase his parenting time to reduce those specific Section 7 expenses. It’s worth discussing with your lawyer how his newfound availability interacts with the request for daycare contributions.
For anyone navigating how illness or leave impacts their financial plan, it helps to review critical illness policy details to understand how private coverage differs from relying solely on employer plans during a life disruption.
If he is on a legitimate medical leave through his employer's benefits (like short-term or long-term disability), his income for support isn't automatically $0. The court will likely look at his actual income from the benefits, plus any income he is capable of earning (like the 'cash under the table' private training mentioned). If the leave is temporary, a Judge may 'impute' income to him based on what he could be earning if he was working, especially if the drop in income is self-induced or voluntary.
The bigger issue for you is the daycare costs. If he is home and certified as unable to work, a Judge may very well ask why he cannot increase his parenting time to reduce those specific Section 7 expenses. It’s worth discussing with your lawyer how his newfound availability interacts with the request for daycare contributions.
For anyone navigating how illness or leave impacts their financial plan, it helps to review critical illness policy details to understand how private coverage differs from relying solely on employer plans during a life disruption.