Employee Hand Book: 10.8 Sick Time Usage
If an unforeseen circumstance forces you to call out from a shift, you must complete the form at liveurgentcare.com/callout as soon as possible but no later than four (4) hours before your scheduled start time when you will be out unexpectedly. You must speak to your direct Supervisor or Human Resources to notify the Company of your absence. Notifying another employee or the Front Desk is not acceptable.
Required Documentation
The Company will require a written statement that sick leave was for a Covered Reason. Misleading or deceitful statements are a violation of this policy and the Honesty Policy and may result in corrective action including termination of employment. Any absence due to illness of the employee or someone in their care will require documentation such as a doctor’s note. The Company reserves the right to request proof that the absence is for a Covered Reason by medical certification where applicable or written confirmation from a social worker, counselor, clergy, shelter worker, health care professional, attorney, or other professional who has assisted the employee or family member.
Documentation must confirm: (1) the need for sick leave taken and (2) that the use of sick leave was for a Covered Reason under this policy and/or the law and (3) the employee is cleared to work without restrictions and is not a danger to others. Personal health information and specific medical reasons are NOT required with any documentation under this policy.
Documentation is due within seven (7) days from the date the employee returns. Failure to comply with documentation requirements may result in corrective action up to and including termination.
Covered Reasons for Using Sick Time
Sick time may be used for mental or physical health of the employee, or a qualified family member including and limited to the following reasons:
- The diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery from an employee’s own mental or physical illness, injury, or condition, or for their preventative care.
- The diagnosis, care, treatment, or recovery from a family member’s mental or physical illness, injury, or condition, or for their preventative care.
- To deal with domestic violence or sexual assault experienced by an employee or experienced by one of their family members.
- If an employee’s place of business or their child’s school or place of care has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason.
- If a public health official has determined that an employee or a member of their family could jeopardize the health of others, and
- For an employee to attend a school-related conference, meeting, function, or other event, or to attend a meeting to discuss the child’s health conditions or disability.
Covered Reasons are protected by law and will be accommodated if they do not unduly disrupt the operations of the Company. No retaliation will be tolerated against an employee who properly utilizes this sick time off policy for Covered Reasons.
Employees who are found to have misused sick time or abused the policy may be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Indications of using Sick leave for purposes other than those described in the policy/law include, but are not limited to, a pattern of:
- Using unscheduled sick leave on or adjacent to weekends, regularly scheduled days off, holidays, vacation, or pay day.
- Taking leave on days when other leave has been denied.
- Taking leave on days when the employee is scheduled to work a shift or perform duties perceived as undesirable.
- Evidence that an employee engaged in an activity that is not consistent with the employee being sick or with the employee using sick leave for a preventive medical appointment.
An employee must work the workday before and the workday after a scheduled sick day in order to be paid for the sick day. Unexcused or unexpected absences adjacent to scheduled time off or other PTO may FORFEIT the paid day off.
If an employee requests time off and is rejected for business or operating reasons, and then calls out or does not arrive for work on the dates which were rejected, corrective action may be taken up to and including termination from employment.
Absence of three (3) days without contacting your Supervisor or Human Resources will be considered job abandonment.
I acknowledge that I have reviewed Section 10.8 of the employee handbook regarding sick time usage and understand that excessive call-outs (e.g., 3 or more in a 90-calendar-day period), providing misleading or deceitful information, or misusing sick leave for purposes other than those described in the policy, may result in corrective action, including termination. I further understand that I must provide required documentation within seven (7) days of my return to work, and failure to do so may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.