Lying About Being Sick
jampc
22 Posts
We have an employee who called in sick and was later seen by another employee at a bar drinking. I met with the employee who denied this happened. In order to discipline her, I feel like I must have the employee who reported the incident meet with us before proceeding with disciplinary action, otherwise she could refute the allegations. She has requested to meet with the individual who reported the incident. The employee is willing to meet with us. Would it be possible to write her up without this meeting, which could jeopardize the working relationship between the two employees.
Comments
"When an employee calls in 'too ill for work', the employee must stay at home, may not do any activities other than lay in bed. After all, if the employee is well enough to get out, then he or she is well enough to work."
If your sick leave policy actually requires an employee to stay in bed or not go out of the house when the emplyee calls in ill, then you may have some basis to continue. But if your policy doesn't speak to the employee being restrictd to home, then you have "no place to go." Being unable to perform one's duties doesn't mean that the employee is bedridden or can't do other life activities.
If your policy does restrict the "ill employee to home", then you may have a basis to investigate further. But how are you going to do that? As suggested, get a written statement from the other employee as to what he or she witnessed. By the way, what was that employee doing in a bar during work hours? Oh, it was lunch break. I see. So, what then is the problem with the "ill employee" going to a bar during the time that he or she would be on lunch break? You're not "technically" paying for the time.
To make this whole issue resolve itself quickly, if you don't believe that the employee was unable to perform his duties due to illness, then require in the future, medical verification, until the point that you are satisfied that the employee is calling in ill when he is unable to work due to illness or injury and verificaiton is no longer needed. Give him notice on expectations and requirements, deadlines, etc. I think you're going to have a hard time in justifying it, at this point, but in comparison to what you're trying to establish, it will be easier. If your sick leave policy doens't provide for rasking for verificaiton, then re-write your policy to allow that to occur and then deal with the employee.
Just pay him "sick" for the day and move on (and require verification if you can't trust him any more).
Anyway...no, do not put both of them into the same room. This will just cause a confrontational issue.
This is another example of "he said", "she said" type of deal where you will get nowhere. I would just advise the first employee that this had been reported to you, that he had denied it, that if it occurred, shame on him and if you hear of anything else like this occurring again while he is supposedly sick, then you will have to consider that it is more than likely fact.
Then move on to something else.