Must every request for sick leave be approved?

No. Sick leave is used for very specific purposes as outlined in the various MOUs and in the Ordinance Code. An employee whose sick leave usage is unacceptable should be referred to EAP through a direct management referral and should be issued a leave restriction letter, requiring a doctor’s note for any period of illness. Remember, you are not a doctor, so you cannot determine if the doctor’s reasons are correct, but you should look carefully at the note to ensure the dates of illness correspond with the dates of leave. Also, when an employee calls in to advise you they are sick, you can deny the request.

If you believe that the employee is not sick, such as when an employee had previously requested the day off and was denied, you may advise the employee that you are not approving the sick leave. You will need to advise the employee that they must provide a statement from their physician that states that they were seen that day and that they are physically unable to work any part of the day, in order for you to reconsider their request.