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There’s a difference between a boss who cares about proper documentation and a boss who’s using documentation as an excuse to make your life difficult.

In this story, one worker came down with the flu, did the responsible thing, and got a legitimate online medical certificate through a phone consult since an in-person appointment wasn’t available.

It was one day — one single missed shift, with proof in hand and coworkers who’d been dealing with the same bug already vouching for how real it was.

But instead of a routine acknowledgment, the boss’ response was an outright rejection. Soon he started demanding a face-to-face doctor’s note and full medical clearance.

That’s how one flu day turned into a paperwork gauntlet nobody saw coming.

You’ll want to keep reading for this one.

Not sure if my manager is being fair

I have called in sick to work and provided an online medical certificate that is all legit and secure.

This wasn’t a severe illness but still required a bit of time out of the office.

It was a phone call consult and couldn’t get into a doctor in person.

It was just for 1 day as I have come down with the flu and was still trying to show up for work and just couldn’t work today, so he is aware I am truly sick and it’s not a lie, as other coworkers have been sick including himself.

Still, the boss didn’t seem to trust this employee to look after his health.

His messages to me are as follows:

BOSS: I have received your med certificate, and as it is an online obtained document with the circumstances surrounding it, I cannot accept this. I will need you to get an in person certificate from the doctor to avoid any possible further actions.

The employee tries to defend himself, but the boss won’t budge.

ME: My circumstance is not complex and I am not away for an extended period of time, I am only away for a day and have got the flu.

BOSS: The Saturday working issue has made this a complex issue and as such I need a face to face medical certificate, in addition to that I now would also like a full medical clearance certificate before you return to work.

This is just plain inhumane.

Did redditors agree?

At a certain point, coming into work sick does way more damage.

Maybe it’s time to revisit the rules with a little more focus.

There’s a time and a place for a sick note, but this doesn’t seem like one of them.

Getting sick shouldn’t turn into a negotiation, and definitely shouldn’t turn into a bureaucratic hurdle involving a totally separate workplace dispute.

One missed shift with a valid telehealth note is not typically grounds for a face-to-face exam and a clearance certificate.

The fact that the demands kept escalating within the same conversation says more about the boss’s motives than about the legitimacy of the illness.

This employee is only human, and humans get sick from time to time.