Sick time

Once an ee has used up his/her sick days our company has always allowed ee's the choice of using vacation days or taking days as unpaid if they need more sick time (regular sick time, not STD etc ). We have an ee with excessive absences (about once a week, one day at a time, always a different excuse). She always takes the time as unpaid, so she doesnt use up her vacation time. As part of our discipline, can we force her to use her vacation time before taking the time as unpaid, to discourage her from taking the time off? Since we dont make other ee's do that, wasnt sure if we can enforce this 'rule' for one person as part of discipline.

Comments

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  • I imagine to be enforceable, this would have to be part of a written policy.

    What we have done, with a fair amount of success is implement a "leave restriction" policy. EE's are placed on leave restriction when we notice a pattern or the use becomes so excessive that we are concerned that they will not have any available PTO. Since our leave time accrues slowly with each paycheck, the restriction permits the ee to build up a healthy leave balance.

    Usually the ee is placed on for 3-6 months, depending on the severity of the leave use. (basically taking time w/o pay is an administrative nightmare for us, we try to avoid it all all costs) The ee must have a dr. excuse for every unplanned absence and if they need a day for personal matters it must be scheduled in advance. The supervisor may deny any leave.

    At the end of the suspension, hopefully...the employee is coming to work more regularly...and has a healthy leave balance.


  • The answer is that you can do it if you want to. You will have to weigh the risk, however, that she might file a charge of some sort and you then might be called to task on applying inconsistent standards. You may very well weigh this out and decide that you do in fact want to require her to use her vacation time because she is an abuser. And you may be perfectly willing to defend your decision to whomever she may file a charge with. Sounds like a battle worth fighting to me.
  • I concur with "Dandy Don", consistent application of one's policy is the only way to turn a paper policy into reality.

    We maintain an absentee policy which says to the employee absenteeism does not get the work done! Our "baby pigs" do get born naturally, but from time to time about every 30 minutes, some sow "MAMA HOG" has some difficulty in a birthing room of 48 sows, that missing person represented by a doctor's excuse (apiece of paper), or I'm sick with the run's, and can't make it in this morning, or my child XXX or whatever, DOES NOT GET THE "PIGLET" ON THE FLOOR AND UNDER THE HEAT LAMP AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES SUCKING FROM MAMA'S WARM MILK. WE NEED THE BODY NOT THE EXCUSE, now if you want your job you best need to consider the opportunity and get here before the team tells me you have got to go, because we are tired of doing your job! Additionally, our team's bonus award (money in each employee's pocket) is based on the number of "piglets" born, raised, and shipped, as a member of our team, you share equally, therefore, we expect and demand your time and attention or we don't need you!

    Be consistent, fair, and understanding when it is appropriate!

    Everyone eat more pork and have a Blessed week-end, pray for our world, for apparently it is in flames from every corner or the world.

    PORK
  • I've been absent from the Forum for awhile, but have to say how much I missed it, especially after getting to read about piglets needing heat lamps and mama's milk...made my day. Thanks. And I do eat pork.
  • Nina 1: Glad to have you back! I almost made it out of here and headed for the fish pond to catch some "bluegills", (the catch of the day)when I heard my computer "gong", of course, it pulled me back to check it out and it is you, we have been missing your treads!!!

    PORK
  • Oh, to be goin fishing on a Friday afternoon - good luck...
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