It must be so frustrating for both parties. One person has to drag themselves to the Dr. When they are already feeling too sick to go to work. And the Dr. has to go through the motions for a minor issue that does not require intervention. Just so an employer is satisfied that the employee isn’t lying and god forbid enjoying their day.
There is no enjoying a sick day like when you were a kid if you need a note. What is the #1 thing that doctors recommend for minor illness? Rest (and fluids). What am I not doing if I’m calling my PCP to see if i can make a day-of appointment, or checking the nearest urgent cares to see if they have any slots available, and driving or taking public transit to said appointment, and waiting up to 4 hours for my name to be called, and then waiting for the provider to come to the room, and then making the trek home. Go on, guess. I’ve got time. I’m just sitting here listening attentively for my name.
You really, as a sick person, need get up early to get a head start at the urgent care just so you can get home at a reasonable hour to do the thing that will make you healthy enough to work the next day.
This is a weird one to me; in my entire life, I have never been in a situation where a doctor’s note was required. Makes me feel like I’m on the advantaged side of a double standard in our society.
Has anyone else ever needed an actual doctor’s note for something?
Never in 30 years. I think some companies want it as approval to come back to work after 3days off so the company is off the hook if employee came to work too sick and thus a danger to themselves and thus a liability
To not use up an e-day (emergency leave day) I need to get a doctor’s note to miss a shift. Having no doctor I show up sick and breathe on management until they go home or they send me home.
When I was doing shift work, I used to just call in sick if I was sick, and the supervisor called up someone else to cover. I was generally the first responder to pick up other people’s shifts, so nobody complained.
Now I have a certain number of sick days per year, and anything over that comes off holiday pay or would go onto long term disability, which would require a doctor’s note, but is significantly more serious than a sick day.
Have I been missing out on a third option all these years where a doctor can write me a note and my work is put on hold until I’m better without accruing sick leave days?
Yes. Most retail jobs have required sick notes. Which is more bad, because most of them are part time and don’t have health insurance here in the states. It’s stupid.
