Archived Target doesn’t Accept Doctors notes?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Legal probably, bullshit certainly.
They aren't ' excusing' you being sick like it's school or something.
The only time a note might matter is if you are under your 90 days or you had to be out for an extended period of time.
 
I am under my 90. But still I think it’s bull they said they never accept them.
 
If its one day my store doesnt accept that for an excuse they say come in and THEY decide if you are sick. If your out several days for like the flu or a serious injury only then will they consider a note. Tbh my store is full of jerks who think only they have the right to decide if you are able to work. Some stores are extremely toxic. In the end YOU decide your health needs there are more than enough places hiring that are far less toxic than this company allows its stores to be
 
@HRLady can you weigh in?

I was under the impression that jobs don't have to accept any excuse whatsoever, but it's just a courtesy they do.

Unless you take a leave under FMLA, which protects your job in your absence, the doctor's note thing is just a way for you to prove to your employer you were sick, but they can still choose to not accept it.

I think!
 
If its one day my store doesnt accept that for an excuse they say come in and THEY decide if you are sick. If your out several days for like the flu or a serious injury only then will they consider a note. Tbh my store is full of jerks who think only they have the right to decide if you are able to work. Some stores are extremely toxic. In the end YOU decide your health needs there are more than enough places hiring that are far less toxic than this company allows its stores to be
Yeah that’s so dumb. I was out with the flu for a couple days once and I used sick pay for it. But it still counted against my attendance. When it came to my performance review, I got a very low raise. They specifically said it was because of my attendance, even though I used sick hours.
 
Your dr can not excuse you from work as he is not the one employing you. They can give you a note as proof of being seen but it still count towards attendance. Target may need to evaluate whether to term based on attendance as it relates to illness and using sick pay as I believe you can not be terminated due to illness. BUT illness and other issues yes you can be termed. Target does not need to accept your note but I would keep a file at home for them.
 
Former HR ETL. I would always take a sick note. Target’s policy is to file and retain them for several years. It was my expectation that my leaders had check ins with anyone on their team for attendance violations in the previous week (late ins, absences, and the occasional unapproved early out (not like when I know the closing team left early, etc.)). A rare absence that also has a doctor’s note is not going to go any further than a check in. We know people get sick and we know sometimes your kid’s get sick and you have to take them to the doctor.

If I started to see a trend with doctor’s notes from the same TM (some where once every month and some were every week to three weeks) the I expected my leaders to have a conversation regarding their attendance trends with them. A doctor’s note might explain that you felt ill, but I do still have a business to run. I would also have a conversation with them and ask them about any accommodations they might need to their schedule or hours to help them get the rest they need and be able to be their best at home and work. Only a couple of TMs actually wanted to pursue any sort of accommodation path for actual conditions other than just a stomach bug, the flu, or what have you.

Doctor’s notes were especially helpful if you were going to be out of work by doctor’s orders for more than a day. Like I need to see something when you come back that says you can’t come in for a week or there’s going to be some problems.

Long story short: It all comes down to reliability. Yes Target takes doctor’s notes, but they do not exempt you from any sort of performance management action based on your attendance. If you have a recurring illness or chronic condition that requires you to be regularly absent from work, then you need to talk to your HR immediately about possible accommodations. It’s a process that takes some time and requires trips to your PCP. Otherwise, the rare absence really won’t matter all too much as long as it’s truly rare that a TM has attendance issues. And I can’t say for your store specifically, but they may have put a blanket policy in place regarding doctor's notes due to abuse of the policy. You should still keep doctor’s notes for yourself just in case you need them later on.
 
If its one day my store doesnt accept that for an excuse they say come in and THEY decide if you are sick. If your out several days for like the flu or a serious injury only then will they consider a note. Tbh my store is full of jerks who think only they have the right to decide if you are able to work. Some stores are extremely toxic. In the end YOU decide your health needs there are more than enough places hiring that are far less toxic than this company allows its stores to be

If I was well enough to drive down to the store so they could “decide if I was sick” I wouldn’t be calling in sick. Asshats!🤮
 
Our etls flat have a sign coachin
So you should puke all over their shoes and ask them if you look sufficiently sick.
We had a gsa actually do this. They refused her call out becausr they haf no one to call in so she showed up and puked on the etls shoe. They still refused to let her go home. Idk why she stayed but she suffered the whole shift. My ass woulda walked out I have hung up on an etl refusing my call out before. Got written up for but this job is not worth my crappy health getting worse
 
If its one day my store doesnt accept that for an excuse they say come in and THEY decide if you are sick. If your out several days for like the flu or a serious injury only then will they consider a note. Tbh my store is full of jerks who think only they have the right to decide if you are able to work. Some stores are extremely toxic. In the end YOU decide your health needs there are more than enough places hiring that are far less toxic than this company allows its stores to be
I wish my store had doctors working at it.
 
I sure as shit wouldn't trust those doctors!!!
aaf_shock.gif
 
Yeah.. this store is no exception for asshat selfish leaders who don’t care about their team members if it makes their job less easy.. I’ve been told I’m not making it through my 90 days because of my insufficient performance which I understand cause my fatigue and dizziness goes wild in there (because there’s no AC and it’s hot and stuffy back in electronics) and I can’t work at my full potential with that, and with the fact that I get a thick attitude out of all my team leaders for leaving work because I was sick. Target was a huge mistake.. haha
 
My TL just said target doesn’t accept doctors notes to excuse a sick day, is that... legal?

Whether it is illegal or not depends on your local town/city/county/state laws. If they mandate that doctor's notes must be accepted to excuse health-related absences, then Target has to follow the law.

Based on what I read in a doc, Target doesn't require that you bring in a doctor's note (exceptions to this might be for reasons related to accommodations like ADA, FMLA, or worker's compensation) but they do accept doctor's notes if you choose to bring one in. Unless required by law, the doctor's note is not guaranteed to excuse your absence.

What sigma7 said is accurate:
Former HR ETL. I would always take a sick note. Target’s policy is to file and retain them for several years. It was my expectation that my leaders had check ins with anyone on their team for attendance violations in the previous week (late ins, absences, and the occasional unapproved early out (not like when I know the closing team left early, etc.)). A rare absence that also has a doctor’s note is not going to go any further than a check in. We know people get sick and we know sometimes your kid’s get sick and you have to take them to the doctor.

If I started to see a trend with doctor’s notes from the same TM (some where once every month and some were every week to three weeks) the I expected my leaders to have a conversation regarding their attendance trends with them. A doctor’s note might explain that you felt ill, but I do still have a business to run. I would also have a conversation with them and ask them about any accommodations they might need to their schedule or hours to help them get the rest they need and be able to be their best at home and work. Only a couple of TMs actually wanted to pursue any sort of accommodation path for actual conditions other than just a stomach bug, the flu, or what have you.

Doctor’s notes were especially helpful if you were going to be out of work by doctor’s orders for more than a day. Like I need to see something when you come back that says you can’t come in for a week or there’s going to be some problems.

Long story short: It all comes down to reliability. Yes Target takes doctor’s notes, but they do not exempt you from any sort of performance management action based on your attendance. If you have a recurring illness or chronic condition that requires you to be regularly absent from work, then you need to talk to your HR immediately about possible accommodations. It’s a process that takes some time and requires trips to your PCP. Otherwise, the rare absence really won’t matter all too much as long as it’s truly rare that a TM has attendance issues. And I can’t say for your store specifically, but they may have put a blanket policy in place regarding doctor's notes due to abuse of the policy. You should still keep doctor’s notes for yourself just in case you need them later on.
 
Last edited:
I was out with the flu for a couple days once and I used sick pay for it. But it still counted against my attendance. When it came to my performance review, I got a very low raise. They specifically said it was because of my attendance, even though I used sick hours.

using sick pay as I believe you can not be terminated due to illness.

If you used sick time, then the absence is excused. You cannot be coached, written up, or fired for excused absences. Using excused absences against you in your review may have been a violation of the sick time policy so you can try contacting the hotline.

Here is what it says in the Paid Time-off Program Guide:
Cannot Be Coached.PNG
 
With my store, if you are out for three consecutive days then you have to have a doctors note to prove that you are well enough to be at work.
 
That is fucking bullshit wtf that pisses me off...so I guess the only attendance exception for being sick is being in the hospital guess i will have to take my self to an emergency room when I’m sick rather an note if I ever get sick and make sure to let them kow my only call out is because I needed to go rock the hospital
 
My store doesn't ask for notes. I am guessing that causes problems with people calling out often. Then again, so would asking for notes.
I was kinda surprised that going home is such a big problem, so I don't go in if I am ill. Might not be able to say, "This was a mistake to come in."

One thing makes me nuts. They let injured people come in and work. I wouldn't. I'd want to see a full release to avoid workers comp.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top