Reduced hours due to pregnancy

Red · June 2001

Two of our bookkeeping employees are working reduced hours due to Doctor orders/pregnancy. They say they both have been told by their Dr's to come in at 8 and leave at 2:30 so they can rest before their family gets home and they have to cook, be a mom, etc. We'd much prefer if they staggered their time off - one come in at 8 and leave at 2:30, the other come in at10:30 and leave at 5. Neither one will do so and say these are the hours they were told to work, though I have no note that specifies the hours they are supposed to come in and leave. Can I require that they stagger their time so we are covered from 8 to 5?

Gar · June 2001

Seems to me that since there are no doctors' notes, you can do as you please. But, reasonably speaking, I'd ask the employees to get doctors' notes and if they don't within a reasonable period of time (3 or 4 days?) do what you will.

Margaret Morford · June 2001

You might also consider alternating by week, letting one work the early hours one week and the late hours the next so that you don't have to choose who gets the best hours.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge

Margaret Morford

Pat Dalton · July 2001

The first step is to ask the employees to obtain notes from their physicians stating the specific need. If your company has a nurse, she might also contact the physicians regarding flexibility (i.e. the hours you mentioned). Often physicians just write whatever note the patient wants them to write without much thought to the medical necessity. However, when a nurse or another physician calls the question about flexibility it is frequently granted if there is no real medical basis for the specific restriction.

Margaret Morford · July 2001

Be careful about contacting their doctors without their permission. You may want to get some legal advice.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge

Reduced hours due to pregnancy

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