Sick Note Ban

Yesterday, on Labour Day, the provincial Liberals and provincial NDP highlighted the contributions of the labour movement and made some promises to help employees.  Among other things, both parties pledged to make sick notes for three days or less to be banned. 

That is one of the those things that should be a "duh" for everyone, but I wish them both good luck on that one.  Not that I don't think it is a great and long overdue idea, however, for some reason many employers think this makes a real difference in attendance management.  It is so entrenched into collective agreements and also policy of many corporations when it comes to their management employees.  Government interfering in collective bargaining is something that never goes over well nor is usually successful.  Also, many corporations that employees in Manitoba have their corporate headquarters outside of Manitoba. 

It is a great idea but like I said most employers think that sick notes are the key to a positive cohesive work place.  Spoiler alert.  It does not and is one of the reasons why our medical system is not efficient.  I really don't know anyone who asks for a doctor's note who is not successful.  What medical professional is going to deny someone a note when they claim a bad headache?  It is easier to sign a piece of paper than to spend the time arguing with someone.  Plus, they are usually getting a fee.  Plus, most patients can not see their regular doctor (if they have one) so they go to a walk-in clinic.  If they are contagious, they are risking other people's health.  It is a vicious cycle.  Sometimes when you are sick, the best thing is to be horizontal in bed sleeping trying to give your body time to heal.  The worst thing is to field calls from your employer and go down to get a doctor's note. 

That doesn't foster employee engagement.  It may actually increase sick time.  People can easily get a "fyou" attitude and be resentful that you are not trusted when you are sick and actually care less about their job. 

Change seems to be a constant in the workplace these days.  We have to do more in a more efficient manner.  Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout are very real things.  At the same time, employers preach work/life balance while making it increasingly hard to do.  Plus, unfortunately many employers create a tattle tale environment tricking employees that they will be rewarded for tattling on their colleagues. 

There is not an employee in Manitoba, including our elected officials, that don't have a day when they just can't do it.  They feel like they have nothing left to give and going to work would be entirely a waste of everyone's time.  Everyone has a way to recharge their batteries.  Thank goodness, most employers have evolved so they let employees be honest and say they are taking a mental health day.  When I need a mental health day, I like to go to the Zoo and journey to Churchill where I can watch the polar bears play.  I don't know why but I can just get lost for hours just watching these guys.  It clears my mind so I can start thinking again.  Then, I treat myself to a solo lunch and feel pampered.  That gives me the strength to go back tomorrow.  As a manager, no one does my job when I am away so I end up doing double work when I miss a day. 

I don't take more than two polar bear days in a year and I take them when I really need them.  It turns out, one of my colleagues was on vacation that day and taking her kids to the zoo and saw me.  She took a picture on her cell phone and went to my employer on her first day back.  I guess she thought I would deny it?  My employer already knew about my time with the bears so it wasn't a big deal, but thought that my colleague and I should sit down together and sing kumbaya or something.  It wasn't a pleasant conversation knowing that my colleague was trying to win brownie points at my expense.  Our relationship was never one of trust after that.  But, it wasn't really her fault.  It was the employer that creating a climate where spying and tattling on your colleagues was acceptable. 

You can imagine that an employer creating that climate cared more about benchmarks and quality indicators than they did about people. 

That same employee who took a cell picture of me trying to get me in trouble came to me just two months later in tears because she wasn't being treated well.  For some reason, she didn't see it coming.  When an employer asks you to sell your soul, it means they are a soulless company that needs all the souls it can get. 

My colleague left a short time later as do many in her position.  They can't seem to keep employees so they spend a lot on recruitment and orientation, but there stats look really good. 

A sick note is not going to fix bad employers.  It seems that employers who are most stringent about having sick notes are the ones that make employees sick. 

I applaud the NDP and Liberals for pledging to ban sick notes for absences less than three days.  It is a start and atleast someone is trying to stand up for employees.  It will help.  It will help create a climate where employees are treated like adults and no when they are sick and are believed.  It is also common sense.