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It's just a cold

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mojave_rab

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? California

For the last 6 months I have been working as a Registered Nurse for a Home Health Care agency. Basically I visit people in their homes to perform health care and training. The job is sporadic and I am only paid a flat amount no matter how long it takes. Typically I see any where from 1 to 5 patients each day I work, with 4 being the average. In the past there have been many days where there were no patients at all, but lately I have been working 10 days straight without a day off.

This week I caught a really bad cold and could not work. I called the agency (day 1) to let them know I could not work. They were very upset with me as they had no one else that could see the patients. I explained how I have never missed any work and I was really sick. They told me to come to work any way. I told them I couldn't make it.

The next day (day 2) I talked to them again and they talked me into going to see one patient. They were still upset that I would not go and see more people. I just felt to bad to work and didn't want to expose my patients to my cold. So I told them I couldn't and went home.

The next day (day 3) I talked to them again and told them I could probably make it the next day. They said since I have been out 3 days they need a doctors note to return to work.

Do I really need to pay a doctor $150 to get a note to return to work. This was not a long term illness, it's just a cold. I really only missed 2 days, even though they say it's 3. Since I am part time there are no fixed amount of days or patients. If I seen one patient that day I worked that day. The agency says part time means you have to see at least 4 people, even though they can't always get me 4 patients to see.

This just doesn't sound fair to me. What do you think?
 


JETX

Senior Member
mojave_rab said:
Do I really need to pay a doctor $150 to get a note to return to work.
It is not uncommon for an employer to request a note from a physician for three days missed work..... nor is it illegal or improper.

I really only missed 2 days, even though they say it's 3.
Your own post notes two days and on the third, "I talked to them again and told them I could probably make it the next day". That would make THREE days missed. Granted you did see one person on your second day, but that was clearly not your 'normal' workload.
 

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