DUMB Mistake

[txcb]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? TX

I was hired on with a state agency 3 months ago and attended my first conference this past week. However, due to a stupid decision on my part, I was unable to complete the conference. I have a doctors excuse for that day, but i'm afraid of how much details I should share with my boss on Monday.

What should I do. I mean, I have a doctors note and I really don't want to get terminated since I am still within my prohbation. Do present the doctors note and let them know that I was jsut sick and could attend or what will be expected of me.

I will say that I drank the night before and apparently was already dehydrated. The 2 drinks that I have on my bill just made the dehydration worse so I had to be in the hospital from 11 pm the night before until 8:30 am the next morning with IVs to rehydrate me I'm going to get fired aren't I?

I've never done anything like this and I'm really worried.

 

[cyjeff]

I think I would stay away from saying anything that sounds like, "I missed work because I got so drunk I had to be hospitalized."

I would stick with something along the lines of "I had to be hospitalized for severe dehydration."

Unless, of course, your doctor's note says, "Had to be hospitalized because she got drunk."

By the way, I don't believe you either. I have never heard of someone having to be hydrated for 8 hours after two drinks. I know people that have had to have their stomach pumped after drinking.

Why yes, I did catch the "2 drinks on my bill" reference. Whose bill has the rest of them?

 

[eerelations]

We have no way of knowing whether you will get fired - we're not psychics! - but if you do get fired, it will be perfectly legal.

My personal recommendation is that you show the doctor's note to your boss but don't talk about the drinking...unless of course your boss asks you specifically about it. (Because you don't wanna add lying to your list of dumb mistakes.)

 

[txcb]

I didn't have to have my stomach pumped and my BAL was .07, so yes, it was 2 drinks (red wine) and I only brought up the bill as it shows that's what I had.

I didn't go into great detail, but the doctor said I wasn't legally intoxicated, but the alcohol didn't help and I should not drink with the medication I am on as that may be a problem.

I wouldn't lie to my boss about the two drinks ,but I didn't know if I should bring it up. According to the doctors note, it states I shouldn't work that day that made me miss the end of the conference.

It was stupid of me to drink and I won't do it again. I don't want to lie, but I didn't know if I should provide a lot of details.

 

[cyjeff]

I didn't have to have my stomach pumped and my BAL was .07, so yes, it was 2 drinks (red wine) and I only brought up the bill as it shows that's what I had.

I didn't go into great detail, but the doctor said I wasn't legally intoxicated, but the alcohol didn't help and I should not drink with the medication I am on as that may be a problem.

I wouldn't lie to my boss about the two drinks ,but I didn't know if I should bring it up. According to the doctors note, it states I shouldn't work that day that made me miss the end of the conference.

It was stupid of me to drink and I won't do it again. I don't want to lie, but I didn't know if I should provide a lot of details.

Unless you are a 12 year old girl, it would be impossible for you to have a BAC of .07 after two drinks.

Anyway, just bring in the doctor's note.

 

[eerelations]

As I said before, "avoid the details" unless you're asked for 'em.

 

[cyjeff]

As I said before, "avoid the details" unless you're asked for 'em.

You mean like mixing alcohol with medication?

Like having a BAC of .07?

This excuse stream keeps getting wider.

Anyone else get the feeling that the OP is trying out the excuses on us first?

 

[eerelations]

Anyone else get the feeling that the OP is trying out the excuses on us first?

Well, of course, but not having any actual evidence of this, we just have to go with what the OP is saying...

 

[ecmst12]

Possible that OP has an underlying medical problem.

 

[commentator]

Regardless of the excuses, regardless of this, if I were the supervisor of the girl, I would want her to come in and explain that I had to be hospitalized, that I was unable to attend the conference. Here is my doctor's statement.
Then go back and do my work!

Let the boss make the decision about what he/she will do regarding termination. Even while you are on a probationary period, it is slightly more difficult to terminate a state employee, as most states have very firm resource policies in place, and are not as much "at whim" employers as private companies.

Even if you had no doctor's excuse, even if you had been lying dog drunk in your room due to the night before's activities, they would have to abide by their state's policies regarding attendance and performance. They might write you up, give you a serious warning regarding attendance, but simply missing the conference day would probably not get you terminated.

Itis very possible your boss may later hear stories about how you got so drunk you were dancing on the tables the night before the conference, and this was the reason you got sick, and that's why you had to be hospitalized, but I would certainly not volunteer any information to the boss about what triggered my medical situation unless specifically asked. If there were other people from your agency at the conference, they may mention things to the employer.

But actually, most bosses in state government do not want to have to fire employees, as it is usually a problem and requires lots of time and effort. If your prior performance and behavior has been okay, I'd say you're probably not going to be fired. So stow the excuses.

Incidentally, any other drinks would be on the tab of whoever bought them for this person, of course! Even a boss could figure this one out, so I wouldn't exactly go taking her the bar bill to prove I only had two drinks. That's silly!