If you have a doctor's note, and you're off work for three days (all excused by the doctor's note) can they write you up for it?
I have a coworker who does call off more than anyone else in the department, however, this last time she was sick she did have a doctor's note. A couple days ago they took her upstairs and wrote her up, which she refused to sign. I think the excuse given was because she didn't call in 2 hours in advance (she comes in EARLY in the morning so there are no managers there that early anyway, she called in an hour before her shift I think). We had someone on standby ready to come in early so the shift was covered, there was no problem with that at all. They just didn't like that a part timer ended up getting 40 hours for the week.
Anyway, they supposedly told her that the next time she calls in, she's getting a 1 day suspension. She said from now on she'll just come in sick and basically contaminate everyone.
Same situation is happening here. Chronic call-iner, occasionally has legitimate issues, but most of the time it's BS. This means management cracks down and uses any reason to discipline. Can they write you up if you have a dr's note? No, but they can write you up for "excessive absense/tardiness" or in her case, late call-ins. Just like with the situation here, this situation may be legitimate, but that does not legitimize the "excessive" & chronic part.
Sounds like she would have a good case to get it dropped. If I'm sick and have to be early I call in the night before. Easier that way. If your a constant sick caller management will try to get you. Word to the wise don't borrow coworkers troubles.
Even though she had a doctor's note she didn't call in 2 hours before her shift. If she's missed alot of days she should know by now to call in 2 hours before, not 1.
Well to be fair too, she's worked there for years. She has top seniority in my department.
Oh I forgot the part though where they put on the writeup that our union steward was aware of the situation. Afterwards, she talked to him, he didn't have a clue what she was talking about. So they did lie on her write up.
I got wrote up for the same stuff a year ago. Got sick in February and was out for 3 days with the flu. A few weeks later in March I got to hot with the same thing. After the second bout was over and I returned to work I had to go upstairs and the co-manager gave me a SIR for missing more than 3 days in a 30 day period. I asked "Am I supposed to come to work sick?" To which he responded "We have to come to work!"
I talked to a shop steward and he said a SIR isn't a real write up and not to worry about unless they have more to say and they were busting people for every little thing last year since it was a contract year.
They attempted to give me a SIR when I called out sick. (Refused to sign or even aknowledge.) The same SIR then turned into a write up. Up. (Again, refused to sign and aknowledge) I had my doc note so that overrode everything.
