Help with employee relations issue!

Nrdgrrl

Background: 6 ee's, 1 supervisor and 1 mgr (me), all in HR.

One of the ee's calls out sick Friday and Monday and tells the supervisor it is for medical reasons.

Supervisor sees ee in the mall on Saturday shopping.

How would you handle? EE is very touchy about personal issues and we do not require a dr's note for every absence.

Parabeagle

Sometimes there are legitimate medical reasons for being out of the office, but not necessarily "sick;" for example, having to wait around all day for a series of tests. Granted, a trip to the mall between the call-ins does appear suspicious, but do you really want to address that issue? You might solicit more information than you want to know. Since your policy does not require a doctor's excuse for every absence, I think I would just tuck this little bit of information away in my head for future reference and let it drop.

Don D

I wouldn't. Deal with the issue at hand. Call her in and tell her point blank: "It's my understanding that you were ill on Friday and again on Monday and that you were in the mall on Saturday. Can you tell me how I should put this all together?"

Pork

NRDGRRL: Simple, do what you do for all employees caught in this situation ask for a medical excuse to support the claim, unless, however, you allow one to call in for a "stay at home sick day". Who knows maybe the call-in was for an upset stomach, or PMS, a migrain, and any other over the counter treated medical condition.

Additionally, I would have a discussion with my employee about the need for HR to be the trend and example setting unit. We have a higher standard for conduct and respect for the rule of law and policy.

This morning, I had this very discussion with my assistant. I had received rumors of wrong doing from three different sources, so before I jumped the gun I confront my assistant and ask how I could help? The end result was the rumors had some strength, so we talked about the need for our department to be clean to set the example for others to follow. My assistant assured me the concern would be put to rest! End of issue until the next time, if there will ever be a next time! I feel confident there want be a next time.

PORK

deniseE

Is Saturday a scheduled work day for this EE??

While I agree that it looks "bad" if Saturday is her day off...I don't think you can question what she's doing with it.

Hatchetman

You want to check out why an employee was at the mall on a regular day off and not lying in bed or in the hospital near death because she called in sick on that Friday and Monday?

Listen to yourself.

Move on. There is no issue here.

Nrdgrrl

One thing I didn't get across in my initial email is that she didn't call out. She scheduled these two sick days for a procedure and healing time.

LisaMN

So she wasn't really ill but had a procedure, if you don't know what what the procedure was (and you shouldn't necessarily unless she chose to share that with you) how do you know it wasn't appropriate for her to be shopping?

I'd leave this one alone, if she is going to have an attendance problem that will manifest itself soon enough.

Crout

Ah, the power of a great sale to heal people. It's touching, really. Are the expectations higher, lower or the same for HR folks in reagrd to following policy? In my view it should be higher since we are so often in the role of "policy police." I think that expectation should go with the job, and so I would probably address the issue much like Don suggested, but I might be a bit more like a coach and less confrontational.

marc

Abuse of absenteeism and tardiness is widespread. You MAY be dealing with an abuse here, but as others have said, don't jump to conclusions. Definitely, however, so some bit of investigating. Don's approach looks like a good start, and follow-up with the "higher duty" standard suggested by Pork, but definitely address the issue.

What would you do if a supervisor from another department came to you with the same set of circumstances for their staff?

Abuse of sick leave is one of the reasons we are considering a points based absenteeism and tardiness policy. Instead of implementing one of these, we are trying for a more company wide awareness of the issue and developing aspects of our culture that deal with this on a higher plane. I am skeptical, but wanted to try something positive before turning to more draconian measures.

If you tolerate it, it will grow. I say try to 'nip it in the bud.'

Nrdgrrl

Thanks so much for all of your suggestions! The supervisor that works for me will be asking her to explain, and mentioning the higher standard that HR should aspire to.

martman99

What are your policies surrounding calling off? Are they written? Did the employee call in "sick" or did they state they weren't coming in. Does your company allow for "personal" days off? However, despite what you have, the employee must be made aware of what is acceptable and what is not, so that even-handed dispensation of policies and procedures can be followed by ALL! This should then be communicated to ALL employees

Marty

mbeam

Would agree and would ask - what effect did this have on the individual who brought it to your attention? Why do they care? It could be she needed a break and wasn't able to work a full day.

We have PTO banks - they work great - eliminates the need (unless someone doesn't judiciously budget their time) for managers and HR to monitor them.

mwild31

I agree with Hatchetman - it's a non-issue. I don't think HR should aspire to any higher a position than any other employee - the rules should be the same for all. If this happened at my work, unless the employee was a 'problem' employee in regards to absences & going beyond their alloted balances, I would disregard - too many possibilities for the absence & then presence at the mall.

Hatchetman

I suspect the being "miffed" is that the eemplyee was seen at a mall. If she was seen on Sunday inh church, would you be questioning her?

"The employee called in sick on Friday and Monday, but on Sunday her supervisor saw her in church praying. Should we question her as to why she was able to go to church on Sunday and pray but not go to work on Friday and Monday? Or do you think it was okay for th eemplyee to go to church on Sunday. Your thoughts"

Don D

Years ago, an interviewer who worked for me was also a football referee. He called in sick with the flu on Friday and Friday nite was calling a football game 140 miles away. On Monday I called him in and charged him with a day without pay for the Friday. I don't know if he went to church or not. But I do think back then they all prayed before the games.

Whatever

Once had an employee who called in sick. I saw him that night at the movie theater and he boasted about the tan he acquired on the beach that day. It was an expensive tan (points + no pay for the day).

Nrdgrrl

The "miffed" employee that saw her in the mall was her direct supervisor, so no, I don't think there was a hidden agenda there.

HRsage

I've had an employee call in sick in the morning and then come into the store later that same day TO GO SHOPPING! Her excuse was she was feeling better and we were having a great sale!

Nrdgrrl, your situation is different. Your ee was spotted on a Saturday- I presume her own time- what does it matter where she was at for that day? If it was on the Friday or the Monday that she was spotted my advice would be different, but for this one I'd move on.

marc

You know what they say about the word "assume."

I am guilty of assuming that the EE called in sick for both days on Friday, and further, the EE was to sick to work; then seen shopping, I immediately ASSUMED this EE had just arranged a 4 day weekend using sick leave instead of any other leave, which in our shop takes a couple of weeks notice to get.

I saw abuse of sick leave, which is a bit of a problem at our shop, and immediately wanted to bust the abuser and send a message that this behavior is not tolerated and will be dealt with when discovered.

However, calling in sick for medical reasons could have included two seperate days of testing on days when the facilities were open for such things, and testing could mean some very scary or some very mundane medical happenings which do not have anything to do with shopping on saturday.

I applied my own prejudices to this situation and lept before looking.

Ok, I feel better, now on to my next bit of hasty advice...