ALT-4 Call in Sick Dos and Donts
As with everything else in this life there are guidelines you should follow when calling in sick for work. The first is to actually be sick. If you call in and your employer sees you tanning on the beach you may be in for a bit of trouble when you attempt to go back to work.
COMPANY POLICIESMany companies today have things know as sick days that allow employees to miss so many days a year without a doctors' excuse. Some company's base sick days on how long you have been with the company and others give them to you from the start. Now how these days work.
There are companies that will let you call in right before your shift is scheduled to begin and others that will require as much as a full shifts notice that you won't be in to work that day. Make sure you know what your employer requires you to do as far as calling in to work.
-DOCTORDue to people abusing the privilege of calling in sick to work some companies have implemented very strict policies associated with calling in sick. These are in the form of excused and unexcused absences.
Doctor's excuses may be required for you to have an excused absence from work. Without a doctors excuse it will be unexcused and count against you job attendance; it could cost you a raise or promotion if your company does yearly evaluations. Some go on a point system with fewer points given for absences with doctors excuses provided. The points drop off after so long and you start over. Keeping track of your points is vital in these situations. Employers understand that not every one can afford doctors but they are tired of being taken advantage of.
DON'T FAKE AN EXCUSEFaking a doctors' excuse is never a good idea. These can be traced back to you. All your employer has to do is to call the doctor provided on your excuse and ask if you were there. It is a simple yes or no question. As long as none of your medical history is given to them they are well within their rights.
DON'T CALL IN SICK FOR A VACATIONWhen you call in sick you should not go on a trip or to the beach. Strange things happen all the time. You may think that you are safe if you go far enough away but you never know who you might run into on your outing.
Above all use common sense when you call in sick. If you call in sick once a week your employer will tire of you quickly. The goal is to be able to rest when you are under the weather and to keep your job as secure as possible.
