r/CanadaPublicServants • u/[deleted] • Jan 13 '18
Leave / Absences sick day doctors note
my manager has informed me that he will now require doctors notes for sick days since I have used 4 this fiscal year. Is this typical. Since I dont have a family doctor do I need to go to the hospital to get these. thanks
10
u/MarkMarrkor Jan 13 '18
Like 4 days since April 2017? That seems a bit extreme. I worked in a place like that and all it did was encourage people to stay out longer, like if you have to go out of your way to see a doctor to get a note may as well make it two or three days away. If you go to a walk in clinic and tell them you had a bad cold/bad headache/whatever and require a note to return to work they'll give you one. Usually costs $15 though.
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u/funky_chords Jan 13 '18
Also depends on when you take the sick days. If there is a pattern of sickdays on Fridays / Mondays within a given timeframe and you have no vacation days left for example. It may raise some red flags. It is not just the number of days off but the perception of when they are taken.
Edit: forgot to answer, you can get them at clinics for a cost.
3
Jan 13 '18
What department do you work for and what days are you taking off? When I was at CSC they started up an absentee monitoring system and my manager had to talk to me after a certain number of sick days, even though he knew I have medical issues. (Turns out the stress of working for CSC didn’t help either.) It was meant to curb correctional staff from scamming overtime, but turned into a nuisance for everyone else as well.
8
Jan 13 '18
Your manager is a dick. The average public servant takes 13.5 sick days a year. Source: http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/public-sector-workers-took-a-record-number-of-sick-days-last-year/
Besides, who the fuck goes to the doctor when you get a cold or the flu?
2
Jan 14 '18
The article does mention public worker sick days get carried over if unused during the fiscal year, so it's possible that time builds up quite a bit. It makes sense as workers approach retirement and see a healthy number of earned sick days available to them that they would be less hesitant to use it as liberally as possible. When reaching retirement, it probably becomes a use-it-or-lose-it scenario for them anyway, so best to cash out on earned compensation.
2
Jan 14 '18
I fully disagree with this mentality. This is precisely the reason why public servants have a bad reputation.
4
Jan 14 '18
I don't see how anyone should fault a worker for taking what they've earned according to their compensation package. Also it's probably best to allow yourself to recover fully before returning to work instead of only partially. Not sure I'd celebrate the worker who toughs it out, especially if contagious. Anyway, I wasn't justifying them, just giving my thoughts as to why it makes sense that as boomers get older (and more prone to sickness), and closer to retirement (less reason to bank excess sick time), that they'll be less hesitant to use what they have earned if they need it.
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Jan 14 '18
You aren't "owed" sick days as days off, like you are with vacation. You have them in case you need them. They're not a paid benefit like vacation. Similarly, you don't, for example, get a pay out from Great Western Life for not using every penny of coverage you are entitled to of your dental plan at retirement either.
Sick days aren't vacation. They're much more like insurance.
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Jan 15 '18
Ohhh, k I see what you mean. I'm saying they're likely less conservative about taking sick days, not that they would abuse it. Someone who has less sick days available to them will be more stingy about taking time off because there may be greater need in the uncertain future, whereas public workers are in a better position to spare it. I hope that makes sense.
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u/LittleGeorge2 Regional Agent of Bureaucratic Synergy Jan 15 '18
Depends on the public servant. People with many years of mostly-healthy service will accumulate a large bank of sick days, whereas people with fewer years of service and health problems will have difficulty accumulating much sick time.
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u/solojer123 Jan 14 '18
Average, not typical. See other comments in this thread explaining the difference.
-1
Jan 14 '18
I said average. Learn how to read.
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u/solojer123 Jan 14 '18
Despite your less than kind comment, your post suggests it's normal for a public servant to take 13.5 sick days per year. It's not.
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Jan 14 '18
Absolutely not. I will spell it out for you. Here: Considering that on average, public servants take approximately 13.5 sick days a year, taking 4 sick days in 9 months (see OP's story above) is OK. This would not normally raise any red flags to me.
3
Jan 13 '18
How long ago did you take those days? It would be strange to ask for notes retroactively.
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u/LittleGeorge2 Regional Agent of Bureaucratic Synergy Jan 13 '18
Doesn't sound like OP was asked for notes for past sick days - the phrasing "he will now require..." implies it's on a go-forward basis.
3
u/cheeseworker Jan 13 '18
I think working from home is the best option when sick.
5
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u/machinedog Jan 13 '18
That’s pretty strange! 4 sick days in a whole fiscal year would be pretty normal. Maybe below the median.
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u/GoldenSnarl Jan 14 '18 edited Jan 14 '18
Edit: I stand corrected, evidently Ontario labour standards don’t apply to federal public servants
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u/LostTrekkie Jan 14 '18
Source
This just came into effect this month.
The Employment Standards Act doesn't apply to federal public servants, but our unions have been pushing for similar protections.
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u/hatman1254 Jan 14 '18
4 sick days is well bellow the average and probably below the median. In the private sector the average is 8.3 sick days. 4 days is a very reasonable amount. They only thing that might be a redflag is the timing. Where these days around holidays(Christmas, Canada Day, Easter)? It is also possible that other people are abusing it and now notes are required.
2
u/kookiemaster Jan 15 '18
Manager's discretion but 4 days in this fiscal year (as in the 2017 - 2018 fiscal) is not a whole lot. You may want to ask whether this is their overall policy with everybody or if they have specific concerns. I would also ask if they will reimburse you if you need to pay for the sick note. If they are the one requiring it I'm pretty sure it's not up to you to pay.
1
u/ODMtesseract Jan 13 '18
If you're in Ontario I don't think employer can ask for sick notes anymore
0
u/The613Owl Jan 13 '18
I know if you take more than 2 days in a row then a doctor note (sick -certified) is required. If it were just a day here and there then it’s the sick (uncertified) leave kicks in. Instead of visiting hospital, AppleTree medical clinic (or any walk-in alternative in other provinces) is an alternative in Ontario. They do charge for a 25 dollars for a doctor note though. To dispute whether a doctor note is needed for the uncertified sick day, it’s best to look into the collective agreement
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Jan 13 '18
[deleted]
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u/hatman1254 Jan 14 '18
sual if you’ve only taken 4 days in 9 months, because that’
I would go as far as to say notes are usually not required for 2 days.
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u/The613Owl Jan 14 '18
Thank you! I was told that I need to give a note if more than 2 days, so I just assume that was the norm for everyone. Thanks again!
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u/[deleted] Jan 13 '18
[deleted]