Does a doctor's note excusing a student from school means excusing the student fom work also?

Question

I am a manager who is having issues with an employee. This past thursday night, I received a phone call from one of my employees stating that she has a doctor's note excusing her from work Friday and Saturday. I asked her to bring in the doctors not so that I can document and excused her absences.

When I realized that she also worked Sunday, I called to clarify that if her note states "Friday/Sat" only, than she has to work. Right when her shift started on Sunday, she came in with her doctor's note and it read:

please excuse ***** from School until November 20th. When I pointed it out that the note stated "school" instead of "work", she gave me a "wtf" look. Hence, I told her that accroding to complany policy, if she cannot produce a legitimate Doctor's note excusing her from work, than she may be terminated.

So my quesiton is: Just because the note says "school" does note mean that it relates to work, also, right? Keep in mind that the chit is 16.

thanks!

the drs appt had nothing to do with "Ill-ness".

I'm trying to be very fair. When she called me thursday, I asked her to bring in her note Friday after school, because she didn't we requested that she bring in her note on Saturday. Because she said the note ONLY excused her for Sunday, I told her that in order for an excuse to happen, she'll need to bring the note in Sunday.

She did not comply with any requests until 5 mins until work time. Her mother informed me that it had nothing to do with an illness or contagious disease.

Just wanted feedback

Answer 1

by labor laws in most states a minor who does not attend school on a normal school day due to illness can not work the same day. the weekend is different but if the Dr says no school it seems you should accept that. if your policy says you can terminate for an absence that is fine as long as you enforce it equally and fairly with every employee. you fire one person you must fire every one else who violates the policy regardless of circumstance. threatening to terminate is never a good option, it is your responsibility as an employer of youth to help teach them work skills and work ethic. this is an opportunity to make a better employee and to teach expectations of attendance. discipline is needed so this employee knows to call in early as possible, what is excessive absences, what steps you take as a manager to improve employee performance. this is your opportunity to show what kind of a manager you are and at the same time teach a young person how to be a better employee.

Answer 2

If the note was excusing the employee for 5 days (Thursday until Tuesday) from school, I would assume this meant from work also. I would need an explanation of the cause for missing school and work since it isn't illness or contagious disease. To continue employment, an employee has some responsibility to respond to employers concerns. At the least, the employee would get a stern warning.

Answer 3

For a teen school and work really depend on where their priorities lie. In most cases, school is more taxing, but work is also hard on students when they have to attend both school and their job. Even though your employee may have been wrong in their attitude and lack of informing you ahead of time, if a doctor says they are too sick to go to school then they should probably be excused from work as well.

However, it can depend on the illness they're being excused from. If the teen seems to be opting out for fun, then I'd give them a warning. If they seem genuinely sick, then I'd let it pass.

Regardless of theoretical siuations, this teen was probably acting out of order, and should have informed you specifically why they could not come to work.

Answer 4

If the employee is too ill to be in school, she is too ill to be at work. School is undoubtedly less physically stressful than any employment situation she might be in. Additionally, if she is contagious or injured, why the heck would you want her there? If contagious, your other workers will soon be ill, and if injured, you're going to be on the hook if having her work aggravates the injury.

If you don't accept the note, you are being unreasonable. She's 16, and obviously has more sense than you. If you're looking to fire her, find a better reason than the fact that she didn't ask for two notes.

Answer 5

I believe that you are making distinctions that dont exist. The Doctors note in my opinion covers her work situation , and given that there is no school saturday or sunday , I would take it as the full weekend rather than subject my customers to a possibly sick person .

You would be wise to clarify for all staff exactly what you require in cases of illness.

Answer 6

I work at the local hospital. Last year I was out for three days with a sinus infection. It was my weekend to be off. I get to work on Monday and was told that because I missed 5 days of work due to flu like symptoms I had to be cleared by employee health to return to work. I went and was told by them I needed a doctor's note saying I could return to work to be cleared. I go to the doctor and get the note and give it to the people in employee health. They told me the note didn't have the correct wording and I had to return to the doctor for the third time for one illness over this situation. I got the note with the exact wording I was told to get this time so that I could work the next day.

Now, I'm 30 and have bills to pay and understand I need my job to pay them. At 16, I doubt your employee has the sence of responsibility to go to that much effort. If you terminate her, you better make sure you are in the right to do so with your bosses, because if it were my daughter I'd sure call your bosses and be asking them what the heck was going on. Parents are protective of their children right or wrong. You will have to deal with them also.

The least painful solution is to be happy that they gave you some kind of note and not terminate them. When I managed restaurants staffed by adults one thing I did to discourage last minute call in situations was to take one of their work days away from them on the next schedule due to their not being dependable enough to make arrangements with me ahead of time to cover their shift. Nothing earth shattering, but I did have an employee fire themself that way. They started at 5 days and every week they called in one day. Instead of building back up they kept losing days until they had one day on the schedule and didn't show up for that. When that happened I let the store manager decide if they were terminated or not.

Answer 7

I generally agree with you here. If your company policy states that a doctor's note is required, it's reasonable that you insist the note be relevant to work, not school. There are circumstances where medical restrictions might apply to school and not work.

How you should respond to such an infraction is another matter, and again, company policy might be the best guide. If this were a "first offense," and I had some discretion on the matter, I might just let it go with a warning. Then again, that "wtf" look might persuade me not to be so lenient!

Answer 8

It seems to me that's something you need to clarify in your company's policies. School and work are completely separate entities. There's not law requiring a student to work.

I would personally give her a pass, had she furnished the note as soon as possibly after receipt. Given the fact that she waited a full two days, and only furnished any kind of note after you basically made her, I'd can her.

Answer 9

legally you have to abide with the doctors note.. just because it states school it would also mean any public contact. or any medical reasons.. good luck if the employee is a good worker then keep her but if you are in at will work state then you can terminate for any reason..

Answer 10

If the doctor feels that the child should not attend school, I would think the Doc also meant working. If my child didn't go to school, she sure as hell wouldn't go to work. If you need a note that also includes work then have her contact her doctors office. They will gladly give her another note for your files.