Call Off Policies?

[belle87RN]

What are you facilities call off policies?

I think my work stinks, if we call of more than 3 times in a rounding year we either get a verbal or written warning, or suspended if it's more than 5. The only exceptions are if you use medical leave or are one of those grandfathered into a previous policy they had. Doctor excuses mean nothing to our hospital.

So basically you have to come to work sick so you don't get in trouble, and patients have told me that they don't want sick nurses taking care of them.

What are your policies and how would you change them? If I had a say in the matter, if you have a doctor's excuse stating the illness, treatment and when you saw the doctor, it should not be held against you.

[That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B]

we are allowed 15 absences. Seems absurd to me. after so many though they have a chat with you.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Three absences in any rolling 4 month period and you get spoken to. It matters not if you have a doctor's note or if the hospital sent you home sick because you were vomiting!

[BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

I guess I've never understood requiring a note from a doctor. First off, many illnesses that require an absence for work, don't require a visit to a doctor, and most of the time, by the time I could get into my doctor I'm better and back to work! Why waste the time and money going to a doctor just to get a note for work? I might understand it if it is a long absence. We are allowed 4 absences in a rolling 12 month period, after the 5th absence you get a verbal warning, 6th a written warning and 7th you can be suspended without pay or terminated.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

My workplace gives verbal written warnings after the third absence in a rolling 12-month period. Two tardies are equal to one absence, so someone who frequently straggles in a few minutes late will also receive a verbal written warning, although the person may have never called off.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

We are on a point system that is a rolling year. One point for each hour you called in, after X amt of points you get a written, more points, verbal, etc. At a certain number that is prorated to your hours worked, you will be terminated. 3 instances of being tardy also equals one point.

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

Three occurrences in a 90-day period results in a verbal warning. One occurrence can be several days as long as they are back to back, such as calling off Tuesday and Wednesday. If you call of Monday and Wednesday, although it may be the same illness, it counts as two occurrences. Patterns are also taken into consideration- such as calling off every 90 days because you start with a fresh slate. Not sure how many tardies count towards an occurrence for write up. Doctor's note required to return for any occurrence that lasts 3 days or more.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

yet another reason why i don't miss bedside care. i never worked under any such scheme when i was a staff nurse. never heard of such a thing. what is this, a sweat shop? where are your unions?

[belle87RN]

It frustrates me that we don't have a little more leeway. If I'm sick, I don't think I should be taking care of any patient, let alone the surgical patients that I was supposed to take care of. I was sick for 3 weeks and kept working, my body just couldn't do it any more. But we are almost forced to work when we are sick because we don't want to get any warnings. And I've been in the process of a possible transfer and we can't have any written warnings if we want to transfer and that includes after the interview and before the transfer takes place.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Nurses are human, too. Many of these policies are harsh. I'm not one to use my sick time, but we are allowed 18 paid sick days a year. I'm in a union.

[Aurora77]

Ours is similar to the OP. I actually like it. My last job was so lenient about calling in and showing up late. People horribly abused the system and nothing was done. Those of us who actually showed up to work got messed over and taken advantage of. I didn't respect my bosses or the company since they didn't seem to care. I'm grateful to be out of there.

For us, our call off time is done in occurences, so if you're sick for more than one day in a row and call off, it only counts as one call off, not multiple.

[msjellybean]

Up to three incidents in a rolling 6 month period, the 4th one gets you a verbal warning. We do have the benefit though, that if you're scheduled to work 'x' number of days in a row & you call off for all those days, it only counts as one call off/absence.

Any time you call in, you're forced to use your paid leave/vacation time, to cover the hours. Which I hate.