Sick days - at what point do you consider it habitual?

[gcode]

It would probably help if the owner would take the time to write out some kind of formal company policy.

Yes... the country is infested with scumbag layers who make a very nice living suing places like  yours.
I'm sure it's not as bad a Cali.. It is almost impossible to fire someone here without being open to a
lawsuit.

My wife has an employee that got bit by a dairy dog, a very minor bite that healed up in 2 days
She has worked it into 9 months on disability and now she has PTSD and is working up a lawsuit.
She comes to work one or two days a week and does nothing.
The company lawyers say it's cheaper to let this slide than to try and fire her..

[gcode]

and what does the Boss at Good Will say?

Thanks God!!

[neurosis]

Yes... the country is infested with scumbag layers who make a very nice living suing places like  yours.
I'm sure it's not as bad a Cali.. It is almost impossible to fire someone here without being open to a
lawsuit.

Washington State is an at-will employment state. You can get fired for any reason here. It could be something as simple as showing up late 5 times in a row.

I'm sure that there is some gray area when sick leave comes in to play. You can't fire someone for being sick a lot.

At minimum we should have a required doctors note policy. Something like a required note if 2 or more days are taken in a row. 

I'm glad this isn't California but I'm afraid that we're on the fast track to becoming Cali-light.

[gcode]

Washington State is an at-will employment state.

so is Cali, but there have been so many exceptions piled on, that "at will" is meaningless
I suspect Washington is the same

[Jim at Gentex]

This guy just doesn't want to work.

^^^I think that's the main issue.^^^

Like others have said, if your company doesn't have a written attendance policy, and documented evidence showing that an employee has repeatedly violated said policy, you do open yourself up to a civil lawsuit if you fire the guy.

Sad, but this is the age we are living in, and it will only get worse because the next generation are even bigger crybabies than the ones we have to deal with now. 

My employer gives us 40 hours sick time per year with no carryover.
If you have any remaining unused hours at the end of the year, you get paid for them.
(I only used all of my sick time once, and that was last year when I had COVID.)

They also have a written policy on tardiness and absenteeism which they have used in the past to terminate the employment of habitual violators. 

AFAIK they have only been taken to court once by an employee who claimed he was unjustly fired.
When the company attorney showed the judge the overwhelming amount of documented evidence like the employee's actual attendance records, and several annual employee evaluation reports that showed a consistent pattern of poor evaluation scores due to attendance issues, the judge basically dismissed the case.     

[mayday]

When I was in Georgia I was written up 3 times for being 1 minute late.
Road construction and waiting in line at 1 PC to punch in. Place was a fucking joke.
the deal was 4 10 hr days, that soon turned into mandatory 58 hr weeks. Guess what I told them and you get a Badge.
Georgia dont like northern boys, I found that out real soon

[pmartin]

Georgia dont like northern boys, I found that out real soon

That's cause Northern boys know how to work and embarrass the local boys.

Speaking of poaching I just lost a guy, a bit green but someone that I could work with. The other company offered him 4$ more an hour and 100% medical. You can't blame a guy for taking advantage of something like that.

[thad]

It's difficult to get anyone to come in for an interview, and when they do, they want journey level pay to be a button pusher.

Sounds like you need to start paying a living wage. 

[mayday]

That's cause Northern boys know how to work and embarrass the local boys.

Speaking of poaching I just lost a guy, a bit green but someone that I could work with. The other company offered him 4$ more an hour and 100% medical. You can't blame a guy for taking advantage of something like that.

you just won the internet for the day

[neurosis]

Sounds like you need to start paying a living wage. 

Apparently, a "living wage" these days is about 80k per year with 100% paid insurance. 

[Jeff]

Apparently, a "living wage" these days is about 80k per year with 100% paid insurance.

Did you see where some Dumbocrat is calling for $30 minimum wage?
These people really need to take an economics class if they think that will work.
It's some moron running for congress in Wash State.

[Jim at Gentex]

Apparently, a "living wage" these days is about 80k per year with 100% paid insurance. 

...and unlimited sick time. 

[mayday]

...and unlimited sick time. 

OK Joe

[Jim at Gentex]

The other company offered him 4$ more an hour and 100% medical. You can't blame a guy for taking advantage of something like that.

No doubt.
I left one job when I was younger after working there 10 years because the other place was offering me a 15% increase of my hourly rate, plus better medical insurance and a quarterly cost-of-living allowance. 
My wife and I had 2 young kids at the time, so it was an easy decision.

Turns out I got laid off after only 6 months on that job, but I didn't regret my decision.
That was when I found my current job (31 years ago), and I'm still here. 

[Del.]

This is always a good one. I can't come in today. I've got the squirts and spews.