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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
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Lately many staff in my department are calling in sick on Friday or Monday...just one day at a time, which makes it difficult to ask for doctors notes. This is impairing our productivity, and it also
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Forums » Topic Forums » Benefits & Compensation » Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 3/8/2010 6:17 AM EST
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Posts: 9
First: 5/6/2009 Last: 9/16/2010 |
Lately many staff in my department are calling in sick on Friday or Monday...just one day at a time, which makes it difficult to ask for doctors notes. This is impairing our productivity, and it also seems suspicious (long weekends, anyone?)
So far, I've been checking in with staff when they return, asking how they feel, emphasizing they are missed when they are out, etc. It isn't solving the problem. Any suggestions on how to handle this better? |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 3/8/2010 2:36 PM EST
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Posts: 108
First: 2/1/2007 Last: 9/9/2010 |
Our sick policy states that we generally ask for sick notes for absences of 3 days or more, but we reserve the right to ask for notes if a pattern of abuse is suspected. We go on to list examples of "a pattern of abuse" which includes: a pattern of calling in sick on days preceding or following normal non-working days, sick days following or preceding a scheduled vacation or holiday and sick days taken on days that have already been denied. If you don't have a sick policy that allows you some flexibility, then you should consider revising your policy. |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 3/9/2010 5:53 PM EST
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Posts: 1047
First: 4/11/2002 Last: 9/14/2011 |
Limiting the total number of sick days or moving to a PTO bank could help. There are pros and cons to either option.
What type of department do you run? What metrics are you using to determine the impact on producitvity? |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 4/21/2010 9:34 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 4/21/2010 Last: 4/21/2010 |
If work isn't getting done that the people taking long weekends are accountable for completing and in a timely manner, my first step would be a performance discussion around their deliverables or a restructuring of their workload to be more deliverable/project focussed.
A Paid Time Off (PTO) policy/benefit usually helps to curb the long weekend sick days since a PTO pot of hours is fixed for any type of time off. For salaried employees, you might also want to consider flex schedules of 9-9 hour days with every other Friday off or 4- 10 hr days with every Friday off. However, if the fundamental issue is a performance issue, that needs to be addressed. I would also ask employees about their workloads and time off needs to find the win-win for the organiization and the employee. |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 4/21/2010 9:41 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 4/21/2010 Last: 4/21/2010 |
If it's the same employees frequently calling in sick on Fridays and/or Mondays, do your policies support counseling them for what appears to be "questionable" absences, and do your policies also state that you can ask for a doctor's note at any time for any illness/sick time related absence? |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 4/21/2010 9:53 AM EDT
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Posts: 1
First: 4/21/2010 Last: 4/21/2010 |
I would track their absences to see if there is a pattern, and if so then address that pattern in a coaching session. If the pattern continues, then I would start the disc process.
I would also address any work related issues the employee's absence creates. |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 4/21/2010 10:38 AM EDT
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Posts: 11
First: 6/16/1999 Last: 4/21/2010 |
I agree with the recommendations to move to a PTO policy however this does not necessarily address the issue of being able to ensure you have the right number of employees in every day to maintain productivity. Another approach is to insert language in your attendance/disciplinary policy which allows you to provide disciple when a Mon-Fri pattern exists in an employees attendance history. |
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Sick days taken Fridays and Mondays
posted at 4/21/2010 11:33 AM EDT
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Posts: 3
First: 12/21/2009 Last: 6/24/2010 |
I have dealt with my share of these exact issues. Allowing this to continue w/out taking action, maybe severe action, will result in this becoming a bigger issue. People will know they can get away with it and even good workers will have morale affected. My belief is that rarely should absenteeism be the sole reason for a performance discussion. Other issues impacted by absenteeism are the quantity/quality of work compared to others; impact absence has on others in the Depart/Company (time/hassle needed to shift load, added burden on others, morale of team members, etc). Those play a role. Provide warnings to people who have abused your policy and watch how everyone changes their behavior. If not then take your worst case or two, where you have the justification, and take action steps up to including termination. That will get a reaction. |
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