requests for time off

[Suzanne54]

What is the name of your state? VA. Are you allowed to ask specific questions on a request for time off? Or can I only ask if it is medical, personal, etc. As an example, would I be able to ask why it is going to take all day to have your tire replaced, or to get your teeth cleaned?

 

[LdiJ]

What is the name of your state? VA. Are you allowed to ask specific questions on a request for time off? Or can I only ask if it is medical, personal, etc. As an example, would I be able to ask why it is going to take all day to have your tire replaced, or to get your teeth cleaned?

Are you the employer or the employee?

 

[Suzanne54]

I am the employer

 

[LdiJ]

I am the employer

Are you planning on denying the time off if you do not think that the reason is good enough? If so, then you need to be somewhat careful about what you ask. You don't want to ask anything that might hint at illegal discrimination or that violates your employee handbook or written employment guidelines and policies.

A lot of people however, try to pack as much "running" as possible into days they take off from work, and may only mention the main reason, because the other things may be more private.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

You can ask pretty much whatever you want. What get's you into trouble is what you do with the information.

I would suggest a request form that has Medical and Non-Medical as the reasons for the request.

If the answer is medical I wouldn't push it any further but would require a doctors note for the leave to be excused.

If the answer is non-medical you are likely completely safe asking anything you want and with a few exceptions refusing the day off or a part day off it is not a reason that you think deserves time off.

 

[Suzanne54]

Thank you LdiJ for the input. I will keep it in mind

 

[Suzanne54]

Thank you too Payroll HR Guy

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

Thank you too Payroll HR Guy

You are welcome.

 

[adjusterjack]

Is it paid time off or unpaid time off?

 

[commentator]

For the sake of your employees I would interject something here. For a personal day off, paid, or an upaid day off it's not really your business how long it takes them to get a tire taken off, what they're going to be doing. For a medical leave, to always require a doctor's note could be a real hardship for employees. Depending on what type of medical situation it is, going to the doctor could be unnecessary and a real expense for the person. And if you are going to fire them, and they have a doctor's excuse for that last absence, they will be very likely approved for unemployment benefits.

When I was young and had children, there were some illnesses and medical situations that just did not really require a trip to the doctor, but made you (or your child) too ill to come to work (migraines, colds, stomach upsets) But in some workplaces, I was expected to produce one for everything. I was even told once to go to my regular doctor after the fact on an occasion when I was out due to illness without a medical excuse for half a day (I had seen another doctor for another condition the other half of the same day.) This was patently absurd. I soon left that place.

In these times of plentiful jobs, a firm reasonable policy that is fairly administered with some flexibility is really a bonus for employee retention.

What I strongly would suggest after my many years of working for the Department of Labor is that you have a clear and well written attendance policy, that you make sure everyone is aware of this policy and that you enforce this policy. Do not allow someone to get into such a problem with attendance that you're questioning whether they're just laying out of work or really getting that tire changed or really sick.

 

[PayrollHRGuy]

For the sake of your employees I would interject something here. For a personal day off, paid, or an upaid day off it's not really your business how long it takes them to get a tire taken off, what they're going to be doing. For a medical leave, to always require a doctor's note could be a real hardship for employees. Depending on what type of medical situation it is, going to the doctor could be unnecessary and a real expense for the person. And if you are going to fire them, and they have a doctor's excuse for that last absence, they will be very likely approved for unemployment benefits.

There are employers that allow excused and unexcused days off. These are the ones that generally ask beforehand for written requests. The employer needs to know if it is legit in order to make the decision on how to class the day off.

When I said get a doctors note, I wasn't talking about those that call in sick. If they are requestion in advance they likely already have an appoint with a medical professional.

That said, when I create an attendance points system for a client I generally require a doctors note for multiple-day absences so it will only count as 1 absence as far as point go.

 

[cbg]

If the employer qualifies for FMLA (or the ADA for that matter) she really needs enough information to know whether either or both of them might be invoked.