How Should I Handle an Employee's Repeated Absences and Delayed Medical Proof?

Hi everyone, good morning. I hope you are doing well. Friends, I have a situation that I want to share with you and I need your advice. I have been working in an IT company for over 3 years now. There is an employee who has been working for the past 6 months. Since joining, she has taken 23.5 leaves, out of which only 2 were informed in advance. The rest were sick leaves.

In the first instance, she did not submit a medical certificate. After repeated reminders, she eventually provided it. She then started coming late, citing the need for B12 injections. We agreed, but as an HR professional, I requested to see her medical reports. She did not submit them. When pressed further, she mentioned that she did not want to spend money on reports just to provide them as proof to the company. She later claimed financial constraints as she no longer took money from her parents since she started earning.

Two weeks before Diwali, I emailed her that she needed to submit her reports by November 16th, or there would be a deduction in her salary. However, she failed to do so on the specified date. When asked by the boss the next day, she promised to submit them the day after but failed to do so. She finally submitted them on Friday, five days after the deadline. This delay of two months in submitting reports is concerning.

Please advise on the appropriate actions I should take.

Thanks & Regards,

Shreya Parikh

(Senior HR Executive)

Dear Shreya,

Concerns Regarding Employee's Delay and Documentation

There are two things. One is the unreasonable delay on the part of the employee to deposit the reports. Getting a medical certificate could be costly, but then she could have submitted the doctor's prescription and cash memo from the medical store where she had purchased medicines. What was the holdup in doing so? Now, you need to check the authenticity of the documents that she has submitted. Check her diagnosis and when she is likely to get cured. Is she medically fit to undertake her routine work? Tell her to bring a medical fitness certificate. Obtain a declaration from her stating that the documents submitted are genuine and that she is liable for disciplinary action if falsification is proved.

Questions About the Diagnosis and Financial Concerns

Again, coming back to the diagnosis. What was the ailment that kept her off from work for 23.5 days? What type of hospital was it from where she took treatment? How much has she spent on account of her sickness? Which hospital is asking her for Rs 700/- for providing the medical certificate? If she says she does not have money to pay for the medical certificate, then how could she afford to remain absent for so many days and thereby forego her salary?

Verification of Employee's Activities

There are many things that do not meet the eye. Her activities appear to be shadowy. Please find out whether she had taken up some other job and when the job or company environment was not propitious, she abandoned it and joined you. Please verify the veracity of her proposition.

Employee's Tenure and Performance Evaluation

Lastly, for how many months or years has the employee been working? What is her level of performance? Does her performance merit her retention, or can her employment be dispensed with?

Thanks,

Dinesh Divekar

Thank you for getting back to me. She has not mentioned anything about her medical history. Initially, she mentioned going somewhere for injections, but later stated that she changed the location. When asked about the doctor and hospital, she mentioned that her friend, who is a doctor, is the one providing her with the injections. When inquired if she could go in the evening after work, she explained that the compounder who administers the injections is not available at night.

She presented a medical certificate, but it was from her friend, so I am unsure whether it should be accepted. When requested to show her previous reports, she declined. Moreover, when asked for the most recent reports, she kept us waiting for two months before finally providing both new and old reports.

She has been with the company for the past six months. While her performance is satisfactory, it is not at a level where such behavior can be condoned in the office.

Thanks & Regards,

Shreya Parikh
(Sr. HR Executive)

"Employee Performance and Compliance

Her performance is good, but not at a level where we can allow her to do such things in the office. Even if the performance is good or at a very high level, she should comply with office policies. Being a good employee professionally does not give her the liberty to be casual toward other requirements of office working.

Anyway, what this employee requires is a good and firm counseling session by the HOD and documentation in HR records. She may have a medical requirement, but it is no excuse to become absent or avoid showing medical proof of her sickness. If not checked, this tendency will worsen and be followed by other employees also, who will quote this employee as an example."

Hi Shreya, I would highly second Dinesh on his statement. Also, you have mentioned that she joined your organization 6 months back. Why aren't you guys able to control this act of hers? How big is your organization and why so much dependability/lenience? If someone who has joined 6 months back is not adhering to the corporate policies/regulations, then I think you have to look into the HR department/process itself.

It appears from what is stated that she is on probation. If so, in a span of 6 months of service, granting 24 days of leave and permission to come late can only be regarded as a special case. I may add to what's stated by others; presumably, she has not completed her probation period yet. Subject to other parallel actions that you might have decided, also consider extending the probation period for not less than the days of leave availed so far to deter her from continuing this habit.

Nevertheless, if she has some genuine problems that you might wish to consider empathetically and if they fit into your medical assistance policy, you might as well refer her case to your Mediclaim policy providers only or ask her to seek medical help only from your authorized medical officer henceforth. If this works, it's okay; otherwise, investigate further to ascertain the truth and take action as per the outcome.