Too much sick leave?

[chellemaree88]

Hey everyone...

So I had a big skiing accident at the beginning of this year. I had to have time off after the injury some time off for pain and then two weeks off for the surgery. This used most of my sick leave. I had not taken any sick leave in 3 months after the surgery until a month ago just after I moved house I had half a day off for a uti (I get them frequently and they knock me for 6) a day off for stress from moving the knee surgery and a busy ward and then I went on a booked vacation this weekend and ended up with the flu. I went into work yesterday because I was worried I had taken too much time off and had no sick leave left and was sent home and then took today off cause I can barely get out of bed. I fear I have had too much time off and worry about my job. Before this skiing accident I may of had 3-4 days off a year. This year ive had so much time off.. im fairly worried. Thanks...

[caliotter3]

Well, I am sorry to say this, but a relative who works in management told me one time that they had to terminate people over too much absence. She said it does not matter whether justified or not, the rules are the rules, and nobody was blindsided before they were called in to receive their termination notices. I just hope you can save yourself from this bad outcome.

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

You need to find out what your facility policy is. Do they count total days, or occurrences?

Anything covered by FMLA?

From how you described it, you could have as few as 5 occurrences. That would get you written up where I work, but not fired.

However your calling in seems to coincide with scheduled time off, which is called pattern of attendance and taken even more seriously. For example, Fridays, Mondays, before or after a vacation or holiday.

[T-Bird78]

Ask HR how much time you have left. Did you get FMLA or short-term disability for your injury and surgery?

[llg, PhD, RN]

Always know your institution's policy about the use of sick time, vacation time, etc. At my hospital, we are required to request FMLA any time we with more than 3 days of work for the same illness/injury. That provides us some protection when situations arise like the one experienced by the OP ... but it also provides some protection for the employer as the starting of the FLMA "clock" establishes the limit as to how much time we will ultimately be allowed to take and still keep our jobs.

To the OP, I recommend that you find out your employer's policies and procedures ASAP before you do anything that might cost you your job.

[T-Bird78]

I had a difficult pregnancy and HR automatically started FMLA when I'd missed my 3rd consecutive day for the same illness. I had intermittent FMLA for my pregnancy, but I still got negative marks for attendance on my annual review in the middle of my pregnancy. I'd exhausted all my PTO so each absence was unpaid but it did guarantee my job.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Based on the language used, it doesn't seem as though OP is in the US. If so, advice about FMLA is irrelevant.

Here's hoping you have seen the last of your string of illness/injury for a while & are on the road to better health.