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Nobody should have to feel guilty for staying home when they’re sick.

This man is working hard and rarely calls in sick because he doesn’t like missing work or losing money. However, when he became seriously ill, his employer insisted that he provide a doctor’s note. So he complied and made sure that he got the sick days he deserved.

This is one of those workplace stories where an employer’s strict approach to sick days can end up working against them. Read the full story below. It’s a relatable story to those who feel like they should always have to prove their health condition at work.

“You need a doctor’s note”

I (26M) don’t like calling in to work. I hate passing up money and I usually won’t call in unless I’m already pretty sick.

I work in the service industry which, as many of you know, is absolutely notorious for guilting sick employees.

(A seriously ill person has made your food at a restaurant before at the direction of their manager, guaranteed.)

They also keep telling people they don’t provide health insurance and that they need a doctor’s note to call in.

This man called in sick and asked for a day off.

One year, I got sick and didn’t want to work, and my employer forgot I had health insurance through my Dad.

I called in asking for one day off because I could hardly breathe or stay awake and I got this message:

“Well, you need a doctor’s note or it’s an unexcused absence.”

And as someone who worked hard as hell for these people even when I was sick, I was a little offended to basically be called a liar.

Like I needed to prove to them I’d been wearing a mask at work for a reason.

He got a doctor’s note and asked for several days off.

But I did have good insurance through my Dad, so I went to the doctor, had them write me a note for four days off, and went back into my job and handed it to my manager.

I said, “Here is my doctor’s note, and this is the date I will be back.”

And when they tried to do the same thing a few months later, I got a note for even more days.

I asked the doctor to add a note about when I would stop being infectious around the food we were serving people.

Since then, he has not been asked for a doctor’s note again.

I have never been asked for a doctor’s note when I am sick again.

They know they can give me the one or two days I ask for or they can give me the week the doctor gives me.

But I will not be working while sick if I do not want to.

Some companies can be overly strict about sick days and make employees feel like they have to prove they’re actually sick. I can understand why OP decided to follow his doctor’s advice and stop feeling guilty about taking time off when needed.

Let’s see what other online users have to say about this.

This user shares their personal thoughts.

This one has a good idea, too.

Another one chimes in.

Here’s a valid point.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an American who is confused about why they can’t use their American dollars at a Canadian grocery store.

Finally, another honest opinion.

Being sick shouldn’t feel like a workplace violation.