late doctor's excuse

mushroomHR

Our attendance policy is based on a point system. If an employee calls off and then comes back to work with a doctor's excuse their points are reduced. The policy specifically states that the excuse must be presented to the HR department on the day the employee returns to work. An employee called off on a Monday and Tuesday. She came back to work on Wednesday with an excuse stating she could come back to work on Tuesday. Then on Thursday she brings in an excuse from the doctor stating she should be excused for Tuesday. Would you accept this after-the-fact excuse? I'm inclined not to.

Hatchetman

Best thing to do, in deciding what to do, is to talk to the employee and then to the docotr's office (if needed) for clarification/verfication of what the employee said if you are inclined to believe the employee's explanation (which I assume will be one to excuse the non-compliance).

Sometimes there are reasonable justifications of why an emplyee didn't meet the exact requirements of a policy and then management has to assess whether it will "forgive" the employee or stikc to the letter of the policy.

At least looking into the matter, rather than an out-of-hand rejection, will give the appareance of fairness and completeness.