time off for illness

[SWAFFOLA]

What is the name of your state? Living in Iowa, when I take off work sick and bring in the Dr excuse to return to work the Dr. put on the excuse Medical. Does the company have a right to know what was wrong with me or is the fact that the Dr. verified my excuse enough. Thanks

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

What is the name of your state? Living in Iowa, when I take off work sick and bring in the Dr excuse to return to work the Dr. put on the excuse Medical. Does the company have a right to know what was wrong with me or is the fact that the Dr. verified my excuse enough. Thanks

My response:

Yes. An employee with a prolonged history of illness and absenteeism that has affected his or her job performance may be required to undergo a physical exam to determine whether the employee can do his or her job, even if the exam might disclose a disability. [Yin v. State of Calif., supra, 95 F.3d at 868 - - employee was absent from work much more than her coworkers, resulting in lower productivity; she refused to provide medical records voluntarily]

Also, your employer has a duty to "accomodate" you under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, and other State mandates. Your employer cannot comply with those laws if you're unwilling to say why you're ill. Therefore, your employer can decide and require you to be examined by their doctor(s).

IAAL

 

[Beth3]

Doctor's excuses are a dime a dozen. Showing up with a note from a doctor that says "medical" is barely worth the paper it's written on. I could head to any walk-in clinic today, manufacture a few symptoms, and walk out with a note excusing me from work.

Yes, your employer may ask you precisely what your medical problem is and they very likely will if you are frequently absent from work. They also need to determine whether the situation falls within the FMLA or ADA. FYI - unless your situation does meet the criteria for FMLA leave, your employer has no obligation to "excuse" your absence no matter how many doctor's notes you bring in.