Calling in sick to work is an inconvenience for everyone, but it is better to stay home than to come in and spread the illness around.

What would you do if you had the flu, but when you tried to call in, your boss said you needed a doctor’s note, even though legally you didn’t need one until you were off for a full week?

That is what happened to the employee in this story, so they went to the doctor. But that’s where the story starts to get good!

Let’s read all about it.

Manager forces me to get a doctor’s note despite it being illegal to do so. Doctor writes him the most passive aggressive note signing me off for 2 weeks instead of 2 days to teach him a lesson.

When I was in my early twenties, I worked at a supermarket. I should note that I was a pretty reliable employee. I was never late, in fact, I often got in early, and I rarely called in sick.

At the time this happened, I had not called in sick for 9 months, and even then, the manager had sent me home.

I had been up all night, swinging between burning hot and freezing cold, so I was obviously feverish, and I had been throwing up ‘at both ends’ shall we say.

Being sick like this is miserable.

At one point at about 2 am I was on the toilet, with my head in the sink, utterly miserable. I must have passed out because the next thing I knew I was lifting my head off the sink and it was 7 am. I was due to start work at 12 that day but that obviously wasn’t going to happen.

So I called up the manager. Let’s call the manager Steve.

Steve was known for being a real jerk. He never believed anyone who called in sick except his best buds (usually other managers, never lowly staff), but often called in sick himself (a lot of the time we knew it was because he was hungover and not actually sick). The conversation went as follows:

Me: Hey Steve, sorry, I can’t come in. I’m sick.

It really doesn’t matter what it is.

Steve: With what?

Me: I don’t know. I think it might be the flu. I’ve been up all night being sick, and I have a fever.

Steve: Don’t be stupid. If you had the flu you’d be completely knocked out. I need you in. Come in or you’re fired.

Me: I can’t. I just told you I can’t stop vomiting. I passed out.

Steve: (growling angrily) Either come in or bring a doctors note, or you’re fired!

Getting a doctor’s note for one day is never necessary.

In the UK, you are legally allowed to self-certify for 5 days. This means you can tell your employer you are sick and you do not need a doctors note. If you’re sick for more than 5 days, you then need a note.

It is also illegal to demand a doctors note during the self-certify period.

I knew this, but I was terrified. This was during the recession. I couldn’t afford to lose my job.

So I got myself dressed. Almost passed out trying to do so. Then trudged to the doctors some 25 minutes walk away.

I would hate to have to go through this.

I end up sitting in the doctor’s office for a little over an hour, which for walk-in was pretty good.

I get in to see the doctor and she is furious at me for coming in.

You’re not supposed to come to the doctors when you have a cold or flu, and of course I knew I should be able to self certify. She told me as such, saying I shouldn’t be here and should have stayed at home.

The doctor is not going to be happy about this.

I then explained what had happened with Steve and how he had threatened to fire me over this and I couldn’t afford to lose my job – I was struggling as it was.

My doctor turned her anger towards my manager.

She asked if I got sick pay from the company, and I said yes.

“He wants a sick note does he,” the doctor says. “Okay. I’ll give him a sick note.

I can’t wait to read this.

Now, my manager just wanted a note confirming I was sick, but instead my doctor wrote something along the lines of this:

‘[My Name] has come to the surgery because [manager name] has insisted she come in, in spite of the fact that this is illegal and all employees are allowed to self certify. Due to being forced to make this unnecessary and highly dangerous trip when the patient is ill, has a fever of 39°C, and almost passed out in the waiting room, I am signing [my name] off for two full weeks to recover. Had [my name] been allowed to self certify as is the law, they might only have needed a few days, but due to straining themselves, they now require two full weeks. They are not to be permitted to work until [date 2 weeks later]’

What a wonderful doctor.

The doctor said she would have signed me off longer but this was the longest she could do without requiring further evidence.

So basically, instead of just being off for a few days, I was now signed off for a full two weeks, and I’d be paid for it.

I went to my place of work, at which point one of the duty managers saw me and asked me what the heck I was doing here, go home, I was obviously very unwell.

I explained what happened. They agreed to help me downstairs to Steve’s office and went with me inside.

He regrets what he said now.

I handed Steve the note.

He looked worried and tried to say ‘I wasn’t being serious about firing you.’

Well gee, when you angrily growled it down the phone it sure sounded like it.

Now he keeps his mouth shut.

The duty manager then declared that they were going to drive me home.

It was clear Steve wanted to argue but had the sense to know he shouldn’t.

The duty manager then drove me home, made sure I was okay, then went back to work where they informed our union rep of what had happened.

He can’t lie his way out of this.

Steve had a disciplinary hearing where he was given a severe reprimand and a warning.

Steve tried to argue he never said I’d be fired and I was lying and just decided to go to the doctors, but the duty manager said they heard him admit to it when he said to me that he really didn’t mean it.

I felt better after a few days, and enjoyed my two weeks off, fully paid, and enjoyed the nice weather we had.

Meanwhile, Steve was forced to work overtime because we were short-staffed.

So, thanks to the doctor, instead of being off for a few days, I ended up getting a nice two week paid vacation, and Steve was given a final warning, all because he insisted I get a doctors note.

It doesn’t happen often, but it is really satisfying when a jerk boss gets put in their place.

Read on to see what the people in the comments on Reddit had to say about this story.

Yeah, that other manager was great.

What a brilliant idea.

Sadly, it actually does work sometimes.

This would make it even better.

When will management learn.

Why is it so hard for some managers to be decent people?

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.