How Can HR Legally Verify Medical Reasons for Mid-Year Resignations?

Dear Seniors, I am currently working for a reputed school in Tamil Nadu as an HR Officer. We are facing issues with employees resigning in the middle of the academic year citing medical reasons. It is very difficult to find a replacement in the middle of the academic year. I have been asked by management to explore if there is a way to medically verify the employee's health conditions before approving their resignation. Since we have a 3-month notice period, most employees are dishonest and leave by providing false medical reasons. Even if I request a medical certificate, they can easily obtain one from any doctor.

My question is: Is there any legal standing that allows me to require employees to produce a medical certificate from a doctor whom the management trusts?

Why only for medical reasons? For personal reasons as well, an employee can resign and leave. If someone is a teacher and is leaving the school, obviously he/she will find a job in the market even in the middle of the academic session.

Reasons for Leaving
Therefore, it is essential to find out the actual cause for leaving. It may be due to poor remuneration, ill behavior by the school management, or some extra legal facilities provided by other schools such as lunch facilities, school bus services, etc.

Study in depth the cause of the issue and initiate actions accordingly.

S K Bandyopadhyay (WB, Howrah)

Since we have a 3-month notice period, most employees are lying through their teeth and moving out, giving medical reasons.

Identifying the Root Causes of Employee Turnover

Start by looking internally for the reasons why people are leaving your organization. That is your MAJOR issue, not whether or not they cite medical reasons. Focus on pay, management style, working conditions, lack of advancement opportunities, lack of training, working hours, problems with leave, etc., and most importantly—your recruitment and selection process. Likely, you are hiring the wrong people.

Challenges in Addressing Medical Leave Issues

Challenging people regarding medical issues is fraught with difficulties. Yes, some may not be legitimate, but others will be and may be quite serious. Think about how you would feel if you were diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Would you be happy telling the world about it? Doctors are bound by patient confidentiality, so that also must be borne in mind.

The Importance of Exit Interviews

In reputable companies, exit interviews are conducted by distributing questionnaires to departing employees. The objective of this exercise is to gather detailed information about what the employee likes and dislikes about the company. It assesses their level of satisfaction across various parameters such as remuneration, facilities provided by the company, working hours, leave and holidays, medical and other facilities, duration of breaks, transportation facilities, and their overall acceptance in the company. After analyzing their feedback, HR can identify areas where the company needs to improve. You may consider conducting such an exercise.

Factors Influencing Job Continuance

Continuance or discontinuance in a job depends on many factors, not just medical reasons alone.

Engaging with Resigning Employees

Please engage in a dialogue with teachers who are considering resigning and leaving.

You cannot ask the person to get a medical certificate from a specific doctor, but you can ask the employee to submit to a medical examination by a doctor of your choice.