What would you do if your employer required a doctor’s note for you to return to work after a sick day, but your doctor’s office was closed for the next two weeks? Would you go to a different doctor, or would you wait until your doctor’s office opened to go back to work?

The employee in this story picks the second option.

Let’s see how the boss responds.

Need a doctor’s note when I return to work? Ok!

A little background, at the time I worked at a larger organization that had a staff of 1000-1500 people in a travel related industry.

As we all know about the travel industry, certain times are busier than most and during those times, non pre-approved vacation/days off etc are blocked out. If you call off sick, you need a doctor’s note when you return to work.

Generally the management doesn’t care, cause it’s your sick time that you’ve earned, but we all have that one guy.

By the book Bob we’ll call him.

Here’s the deal on Bob.

By the book Bob got promoted cause he was a company man, a yes man, a dude who drank so much koolaide that it oozed from his pores.

It was nearing Christmas time (busy holiday travel time) so it’s all hands on deck and several days before and after are blocked out for those vacation days etc. This blocking out extended to past the New Year.

I came into work on Monday and went home feeling unwell, nothing too terrible, just the feeling malaise. Something a days rest and a good night’s sleep should fix.

So Monday night, I called in to let them know I was going to take a sick day to rest and recover and be at 100% for the impending holiday.

He’ll need a doctor’s note.

So I call in, and who answered the phone but By the book Bob.

I tell him that I’m gonna take a sick day since I’m not feeling too well.

Without skipping a beat her says “remember the holiday period starts tomorrow, if you call off sick, you’ll need a doctor’s note.”

As I mentally imagine him sitting on the other side of the phone all excited and happy that he reminded me of the doctor’s note instead of wishing me well, I respond, “ok cool. You want a doctor’s note when I get back right? Otherwise I’ll get a write up?”

BTBB “Yup, gonna need a doctor’s note.”

He knew how to play this.

Cue malicious compliance. Me, “sure, no problem.”

What By the book Bob didn’t realize is my personal physician is an old asian man who gives zero cares. He’s gonna take holidays off. He’s gonna take extended time off, cause well, it’s his office and he can.

Guess which office was closed until a few days after the New Year? Yup.

Am I gonna go off to the local nonemergency room on a sick day to camp out for a doctor’s note? Yeah, no.

Am I gonna pay out of pocket to go to another doctor to get a note so By the Book Bob can be happy? Most definitely no.

He only had one option…

I guess my only choice is to hang out at home resting until the New Year and then pop in and get my note. So I do.

When I’m finally done with my sick time and get my doctor’s note, it’s now nearly 2 weeks later.

I head back into work and drop off my note to By the Book Bob when I get in, “hey Bob, here’s the note you wanted.”

Time to come clean.

BTBB, ” you were gone for long time bro…”

Me, “yeah, you wanted that doctor’s note and I didn’t wanna get in trouble since you said it was required. My doctor’s office was closed until just yesterday.”

BTBB,”you couldn’t get the note anywhere else?”

Me, “you gonna pay for my doctor’s office visits?” I smiled and walked out.

That must’ve been a nice, relaxing paid vacation over the holidays!

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

Definitely well played!

Here’s the deal in Canada.

A doctor shares some advice.

Doctor’s notes are pointless.

Nobody likes having to get a doctor’s note for a sick day.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.