Calling in sick should be a straightforward process.
You’re unwell, you visit the doctor, and you take the time to recover. Simple, right? Not always.
For some employees, sick leave becomes a battleground, with HR questioning their every move.
A recent viral post has brought this issue into the spotlight, sparking a heated discussion about what happens when HR policies prioritise suspicion over trust.
‘How can you force a sick employee to work?’
The social media post tells the story of an HR staff member who went to extreme lengths to verify an employee’s medical leave (MC).
According to the post, the HR staff called the clinic to interrogate the treating doctor, questioning whether the employee was genuinely sick.
Despite the doctor’s confirmation that the employee was unwell and needed rest, the HR refused to back down.
They insisted the employee report to work, leaving the doctor visibly frustrated.
“How can you force a sick employee to work?” the doctor reportedly snapped.
This incident struck a nerve with netizens, raising concerns about how some HR departments treat employees during vulnerable moments.
‘My boss had already called the doctor, telling them not to issue the MC’
The story quickly went viral, sparking outrage and a flood of similar complaints.
Many criticised the lack of empathy shown by the HR staff, with some calling for major changes in how HR handles such situations.
One suggested that such behaviour might stem from a lack of proper training.
“A lot of HR staff who act this way didn’t actually study HR. They often come from admin roles and don’t have the right qualifications,” another user pointed out.
The viral post also encouraged others to share their own experiences with overly strict HR practices.
“At my workplace, HR went to an employee’s house to check if they were really sick. The employee had influenza and was given a five-day MC. The department head questioned why it was so long and told HR to investigate,” one netizen shared.
Another commenter recounted an incident that left many shaking their heads:
“I texted my boss in the morning, saying I was going to the clinic to get an MC because I had a fever. By the time I arrived, my boss had already called the doctor, telling them not to issue the MC. I had no choice but to go to work, even though I was sick.”
These stories reveal a troubling pattern of distrust, where employees are treated as if they’re guilty of faking illness until proven otherwise.
