Can an employee be forced to work late prior to a doctor’s appointment?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can an employee be forced to work late prior to a doctor’s appointment?
I recently became sick with ulcers and digestive problems due to work related stress and anxiety. The day before my doctors appointment the supervisor informed me that such and such tasks had to be completed prior to me leaving for the day. It was almost 8 pm before I could leave work.
Asked on April 15, 2017 under Employment Labor Law, Tennessee
Answers:
M.D., Member, California and New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
There is no law prohibiting an employer from requiring a worker to stay late the night before a doctor's appointment. In fact, a worker can be made to work through a doctor's appointment unless they have avaialable PTO to cover their absence. The law is that absent an employment contract or union agreement to the contrary, a company can set the conditions of the workplace much as it sees fit (absent some form of actionable discrimination).
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.