You people are smart...
 

So maybe you can help me.

I work for a major consumer electronics store. The store itself (not the company) is starting a new policy on calling off sick. It states:

"YOU ARE NOT TO CALL OFF SICK ANYMORE. IF YOU ARE SICK, YOU MUST COME IN. IF YOU ARE TO SICK (and yes, "to" was spelled like that), A MANAGER CAN DECIDE TO SEND YOU HOME. TO CALL OF SICK WILL RISK TERMINATION"

I don't know shit about labor laws, but something about that just sounds fishy to me. I know businesses have a bunch of weird laws and what not, but as to what those laws are, I have no clue...

1. The managers at my store are not liscensed MDs, therefore, they cannot make a judgement on whether or not someone is "too sick" to work. Doing so would be practicing medicine without a liscense...at least, from what I've learned in college.
2. Public safety. By giving employees the threat of losing their jobs or coming in sick, most will chose to come in sick...Which then threatens the health and well-being of all employees, managers, and their beloved customers. Several of us work in Hospital settings as well. As little of risk this is, one of us could come into contact with a really nasty disease--TB, for example. Who the hell wants to pick up something like that while buying a sale DVD movie?

I have not been asked to sign this new policy as of yet, and if I am asked, I will refuse. If I lose my job over it...oh well. My health is more important than 10 bucks an hour.

Anyway, if anyone of you have any insight as to whether or not this is illegal, it would be much appreciated.

That sounds like a load off bollocks to me. Check out your state's labour laws and maybe even contact your congressman/woman.

Convince everyone in your work to refuse to sign it as of now. They will have to cede.

If you lose your job over it, you can sue, because what they're asking is illegal... unless you sign it.

Yeah, I think I'm going to contact the labor board tomorrow. Thank you.

No problem. I hate when people do that to their employees.

Two people have already signed it. When I asked one of them why she signed it she said "I really didn't read through all of it, and I really don't care because I never get sick."

Most of them don't even know about it yet. The only reason I found out is because I was doing the nightly deposit, and seen the forms on the desk. The title "NEW RULES" caught my eye, so I read it...

Other than that, anyone that I came across, I told them about the policy, and they all agreed it's bullshit and that they won't sign it. Hopefully they won't...

I hope it doesn't come down to me losing my job, but if it does, I will seek legal consul.

This company is about to fuck themselves something fierce because you WILL lose your job for not signing the paper. Get your lawyer ready.

Are you unioned? I know that my union (I work in a grocery store) would have something to say about a policy like that. If not, I'd go with Kontan's advice, and get your lawyer ready. Maybe offer them some Vaseline, because they're about to be fucked.

I know for a fact that a policy like that would be considered illegal in Va, which is a very business friendly state, so I would think that it should be illegal where you are. My advice is to talk to some law firms and see what they have to say

Illegal in California. And foolish: if you come into work, and your condition worsens because you came in instead of getting rest, you could sue them for work inflicted injury.

This is illegal. No one should sign this, but don't alienate the two who did. That could create a problem when you all tell your management that, once again, this is illegal.

By the way, does this policy apply to managers?