Employers' Rights *this post rated TV-MA*

About a year ago I was invited to take a class at work called Leadership Essentials. I was happy to be judged worthy by my employer to be in this class. Well part of the discussion in the class was how to handle employee use of their sick leave. In the class I learned that it is important that the employer maintain good communication with the employee in order to judge if the employee is using their leave responsibly. Sounds reasonable, right? Okay, then we will pretend that you are the employer. Here are a few case studies I have come up with for you.

• Cookie calls in to tell you that she will not be in to work that day and won't be able to make that presentation in that meeting; she has a cold. You are suspicious; she doesn't SOUND like she has a cold. You'll probably have to have a discussion with her about this when she gets back, and make sure she doesn't leave you in such a lurch again. You just can't keep employing people who act in such a selfish, irresponsible manner. In fact, your suspicions are well-founded: she is lying to you. What she DIDN'T tell you (shame on her) is that her husband raped her the night before and tore her anus and ripped one of her nipples halfway off. Now you have been known to beat YOUR wife on occasion, because women just have it coming to them sometimes, you know? But you would never RAPE your wife; that's where you draw the line. Too bad she was so untruthful with you about it.


• Starr calls in today to tell you that she just doesn't feel like coming in to work, AGAIN. How can you judge otherwise than that she is using her sick leave incorrectly? You will likely have to take on the distasteful task of counseling her concerning her misuse, and perhaps even fire her. What you don't know, and what she doesn't even know herself, is that she is trying to take control of her life today by staying home from work, rather than by her usual method of self-starvation. The self-starvation is wearing her thin today. She doesn't think she is anorexic, but in fact she is. What she also doesn't know is that she has had paranoia since she was twelve. It exhausts her, but she doesn't know where that exhaustion comes from. Thorazine would likely help. But in her ignorance, she is inclined concur with your opinion that she is just lazy and irresponsible. She thinks that her employer may be out to get her, but that is silly. Right?

So when did you become such a good judge of people? From birth? Or from when you finally gained a bit of your rightful power in this life? Just because people HAVE sick leave doesn't mean they can use it willy-nilly. Where would we be without good leaders who can justly decide when sick leave use is warranted? Good for you.