Archived Target doesn’t Accept Doctors notes?

[buliSBI]

Not taking Doctors Notes. That's been the case for a long time. Its easy to miss a shift and a TM goes into see a doctor with simple symptoms and ask for a doctors note.

Its really by per Store Management decision to consider doctor notes.

Unless you are running a fever or contagious, most Target store mgmts. make you work shifts sick.

Heck I had a severe sinus infection + laryngitis and they move me to carts for the week so I wouldn't have to talk to guests as much.

 

[dannyy315]

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:
View attachment 6231

That’s what I thought. My LOD said she needed to see a doctor’s note to excuse the absences. Wtf

 

[Kartman]

Go to your STL and hope they disagree with that TL.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

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.

My store didn’t ask for doctor’s notes which was great because who has the money to pay a doctor $180 for an office visit and another $40 for a note (yeah, can you believe that?) just because you have the flu. It’s not like you are going the get any medical care except being told to rest, drink fluids and stay home until you feel better. Who can afford $220 for that just to get a note?
Going home wasn’t a problem in my workcenter. When I was a TL if anyone was sick and wanted to go home, we let them go. After all, they had made the effort to come in when they were sick and did their best for the team, why would anyone want them to jeopardize their health because they were too sick to stay all day? We had an awesome team and they deserved to be rewarded for their dedication, not penalized for being sick.
It makes zero sense to me to force people to work when they are sick and contagious. That one sick person can spread an illness throughout the store causing a lot more problems than if they had been allowed to stay home where they belonged in the first place, which is the humanitarian thing to do.

 

[STLinMaking]

Doctors notes are not a "get out of jail free card" its simply stating that this was why you were absent. Its not an "excused" absence as most people think they are. As a poster above mentioned attendance is tracked mostly by trends... If a person has a trend of absences there can be held accountable to that trend regardless if they have doctors notes or not.

 

[BaristaChick16]

At the end of last year, I was in the hospital for a couple of days. On day 3, I was going to go in but was out of breath by the time I walked to my car from my house. My coworker was sweet enough to go in for me but it was still a call out on my end.

When I went in the following day with the note from the hospital, my HR accepted it and told me since I call out maybe 2x/year, they had no reason to hold me accountable. I understand ASANTS but I also think it depends on what kind of TM you are. I watched someone get reamed because they called out with the flu, but she had called out multiple times that month.

I'm just thankful my store accepted the note and never brought it up again

 

[MandyPic1994]

The store I was at flat-out REFUSED to accept Doctor's Notes....which, after a coworker consulted with an attorney, is HIGHLY illegal on a federal level. it's all tied in to the "Reasonable accommodation" stuff, I believe.

If a medical professional says you're too sick to work, then you are too. sick. to. work. and your employer HAS to honor that. It's actually federal law.

Target ended up settling with my coworker and re-hiring him (he was hit by a goddamn bike and broke his hip in his first month there and they fired him, FFS) - and that particular store was told by corporate to accept doctors notes.....but they still don't. It seems they totally ignore federal law unless you wanna take them to court.

Another Coworker recently passed out at work, and was "coached" and given a write-up for missing the following day (she had gone to the ER that night and gotten a doctors note which target wouldn't accept.) and the HR personal member was actually fired by corporate after my coworker called them about it.

Also, I was under the impression that target policies were nation-wide, and weren't supposed to differ much from store-to-store. My store's attendance policy also seems off.....miss 2 or more days in a row and you're almost sure to be fired.....note or not...

I guess it all depends on whether or not you're willing to make a fuss and call corporate about it....and if your store follows the actual policies or not.

 

[Tessa120]

The store I was at flat-out REFUSED to accept Doctor's Notes....which, after a coworker consulted with an attorney, is HIGHLY illegal on a federal level. it's all tied in to the "Reasonable accommodation" stuff, I believe.

If a medical professional says you're too sick to work, then you are too. sick. to. work. and your employer HAS to honor that. It's actually federal law.

Target ended up settling with my coworker and re-hiring him (he was hit by a goddamn bike and broke his hip in his first month there and they fired him, FFS) - and that particular store was told by corporate to accept doctors notes.....but they still don't. It seems they totally ignore federal law unless you wanna take them to court.

Another Coworker recently passed out at work, and was "coached" and given a write-up for missing the following day (she had gone to the ER that night and gotten a doctors note which target wouldn't accept.) and the HR personal member was actually fired by corporate after my coworker called them about it.

Also, I was under the impression that target policies were nation-wide, and weren't supposed to differ much from store-to-store. My store's attendance policy also seems off.....miss 2 or more days in a row and you're almost sure to be fired.....note or not...

I guess it all depends on whether or not you're willing to make a fuss and call corporate about it....and if your store follows the actual policies or not.

Sad to say, there's a legal difference between a doctor's note and ADA accommodations/FMLA intermittent leave.

 

[SallyHoover]

My understanding of why Target doesn't accept doctor's notes has to do with HIPAA (health information privacy). If Target has medical notes in your files they would have to set up locked secure systems and limit access to those files. Target can fire you for violating attendance policies regardless of whether you were sick or pretending to be sick. Unless you are covered by FMLA or have some kind of documented disability that requires a reasonable accommodation which may be additional off time and are therefore covered by some additional federal or state protection.

 

[commiecorvus]

My understanding of why Target doesn't accept doctor's notes has to do with HIPAA (health information privacy). If Target has medical notes in your files they would have to set up locked secure systems and limit access to those files. Target can fire you for violating attendance policies regardless of whether you were sick or pretending to be sick. Unless you are covered by FMLA or have some kind of documented disability that requires a reasonable accommodation which may be additional off time and are therefore covered by some additional federal or state protection.

They better have your files in a locked, secure area with limited access to them, HIPAA or not.
Those files have your social security number and your birthday on them.
There's enough info in an employee file to fuck up someone's credit for a while.
Also if there is ADA info in a file it had better be locked up.
We lock all our cabinets and never leave names or files where anyone can see them.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

My understanding of why Target doesn't accept doctor's notes has to do with HIPAA (health information privacy). If Target has medical notes in your files they would have to set up locked secure systems and limit access to those files. Target can fire you for violating attendance policies regardless of whether you were sick or pretending to be sick. Unless you are covered by FMLA or have some kind of documented disability that requires a reasonable accommodation which may be additional off time and are therefore covered by some additional federal or state protection.

They better have your files in a locked, secure area with limited access to them, HIPAA or not.
Those files have your social security number and your birthday on them.
There's enough info in an employee file to fuck up someone's credit for a while.
Also if there is ADA info in a file it had better be locked up.
We lock all our cabinets and never leave names or files where anyone can see them.

Every store has at least 2 HR filing cabinets that come standard. I’ve seen the same cabinets in every store I’ve been in from 20 years old to brand new so I’m sure all of your stores have them too. They’re massive gray cabinets with 4 drawers either in the HR office or behind the TSC desk. In my store 1 is used for non confidential documents and 1 that is locked at all times. Target has a confidential document retention log that tell you what is confidential, how long to keep it and if the document is to be locked or not. I can’t guarantee every store has it locked 24/7 but they’re definitely supposed to

 

[Rarejem]

The doctor's note not being accepted now explains why, following a return after a leave for surgery, the restrictions that were written into the return to work letter were pretty much ignored and why I felt somewhat harassed about trying to follow them. Nobody told me that they didn't matter!

 

[Fluttervale]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.

1. Target does not accept sick notes, for many reasons. The primary one is HIPAA. The required security is unessential, since in most states the reason for your absence doesn't affect your attendance record. Doctor's notes are only necessary in most states under two circumstances, outlined below.

2. FMLA is your right to take off work for a medical condition. A minor illness is not a medical condition for the purpose of the law. A medical condition could be a chronic illness, recovery from an accident, or mental health. What you get is not a doctor's note. There is a detailed form that your doctor completes and submits, outlining how much time you need and when you need it. You are only eligible for 12 weeks of fmla in each rolling year, only if Target employs a set number of employees within a given radius, and only if you work enough hours to earn it. This paperwork is now submitted digitally and is handled between the employee and corporate (leavepro) and there should be no paperwork in the store anyways.

3. ADA requires that Target provide a reasonable accomodation to a known or perceived disability. Again the paperwork is between corporate and the employee so no paperwork is in the store. There is a whole sticky up to of the forum that outlines ADA and is a good read. The important note is that you still MUST DO THE JOB with the accomodation. So if your job requires lifting dog food bags, the accomodation is not that someone else does it.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

BTW if you call in sick and they start asking questions just say HIPPA. They should back off. They cannot ask you why you see a dr. They cannot ask you what illness you have. I remember about 8 years ago a store got in some deep doodoo for a grand inquisition. We were instructed when someone called in and said they were ill, you simply said "okay"
Here is the thing, if someone calls in sick and they are brow beaten to come in, how productive do you think they will really be?

 

[gsa4lyfe]

BTW if you call in sick and they start asking questions just say HIPPA. They should back off. They cannot ask you why you see a dr. They cannot ask you what illness you have. I remember about 8 years ago a store got in some deep doodoo for a grand inquisition. We were instructed when someone called in and said they were ill, you simply said "okay"
Here is the thing, if someone calls in sick and they are brow beaten to come in, how productive do you think they will really be?

While I completely agree with you that personal privacy should be just that personal... not disclosing something that qualifies you for FMLA let’s your employer in this case target coach you for your time “sick”. If you got in a car accident and just called out sick for a week to recover but decided you want to protect your privacy you can almost guarantee someone’s gonna call you out on it. We have HR for a reason and any serious reason for being absence from work should be discussed with them so they can help you through the process and do things the right way.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

HR in most cases is one of the biggest jokes at the bullseye. They (in my experience) are the biggest blabbermouths. What should be confidential very rarely is. You do not have to disclose any details of an illness to any ETL even the HR. If you need to use FMLA it is NONE of Targets business why. It is between you and the rep you speak to. The minute you let one of the fresh out of college HRs know about a issue you can bet the entire ETL crew plus their "bestie store friends" will know whats going on.One of the most underused programs at T is the intermittent FMLA. Most stores will not even tell their TMs about it because of the perceived hardship it causes the store. That little program will save many jobs.

 

[IWishIKnew]

Doctor's notes have nothing to do with HIPAA. Asking for a reason why you can't come in has nothing to do with HIPAA. Target is not a health care provider or insurance company, and therefore aren't subject to HIPAA regulations.

Citation

Many employers wisely don't ask too many questions around health-related issues to avoid running afoul (or appearing to run afoul) of disability discrimination laws.

 

[commiecorvus]

There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.

1. Target does not accept sick notes, for many reasons. The primary one is HIPAA. The required security is unessential, since in most states the reason for your absence doesn't affect your attendance record. Doctor's notes are only necessary in most states under two circumstances, outlined below.

2. FMLA is your right to take off work for a medical condition. A minor illness is not a medical condition for the purpose of the law. A medical condition could be a chronic illness, recovery from an accident, or mental health. What you get is not a doctor's note. There is a detailed form that your doctor completes and submits, outlining how much time you need and when you need it. You are only eligible for 12 weeks of fmla in each rolling year, only if Target employs a set number of employees within a given radius, and only if you work enough hours to earn it. This paperwork is now submitted digitally and is handled between the employee and corporate (leavepro) and there should be no paperwork in the store anyways.

3. ADA requires that Target provide a reasonable accomodation to a known or perceived disability. Again the paperwork is between corporate and the employee so no paperwork is in the store. There is a whole sticky up to of the forum that outlines ADA and is a good read. The important note is that you still MUST DO THE JOB with the accomodation. So if your job requires lifting dog food bags, the accomodation is not that someone else does it.

Part of the ADA says that you can ask for the job to be adapted to your disability.
So for instance if there is an assistive technology that can lift that bag of dog food or if you can be assigned to a department where you lift lighter things then the ADA requirements are met.
If the company gets snotty and says it can't be done, visit the ADA office in your city or DVR, they will be happy to set the assholes straight.

 

[Fluttervale]

While I completely agree with you that personal privacy should be just that personal... not disclosing something that qualifies you for FMLA let’s your employer in this case target coach you for your time “sick”. If you got in a car accident and just called out sick for a week to recover but decided you want to protect your privacy you can almost guarantee someone’s gonna call you out on it. We have HR for a reason and any serious reason for being absence from work should be discussed with them so they can help you through the process and do things the right way.

You do not have to tell your store about a FMLA condition if you don't want to though. You do have to tell leavepro.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

You do not have to tell your store about a FMLA condition if you don't want to though. You do have to tell leavepro.

That’s true but I would say 90% of TMs don’t know about that so I was just saying your ETL HR so they can walk you through the process

 

[Tessa120]

That’s true but I would say 90% of TMs don’t know about that so I was just saying your ETL HR so they can walk you through the process

Rather than just refer to someone that may or may not be wanting to help the team member at the expense of the company, it'd be better to explain who leavepro is and how to contact.

 

[RedcardReba]

HR needed medical papers on a long absence. And that helped a lot. We set a schedule when I returned that helped me.

But it has nothing to do with how many absences I have accumulated. A LOA does stop the counted absences.