Question: Sorry to bother you! Please clarify for me what does sick leave mean. Can I for instance also visit the dentist and my gynecologist and ask them for a proof of my visit. Would this then be categorize under the days of sick leave I have available in my sick leave cycle? Or is sick leave only for the times when you are physically sick with flue etc.

Answer: You may claim valid sick leave for scheduled appointments. Request an attendance certificate from the practitioner and submit such. Remember that the practitioner must be registered. The problem comes in with time periods and this is what concerns us HR managers. If you have an appointment at 11am and then take whole day off then this would concern me especially if it is for something that will not affect work duties. I ask my staff to set appointments for either early or late so they can either come back after the appointment or go home afterwards. Times of 8-10 & 2-4 are suggested. If the practitioner feels that you will not be able to do work duties following the appointment then ask that they note this on the certificate.

Helpful Resources … Dig Deep