Can employer ask for diagnosis on doctor’s note?
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Can employer ask for diagnosis on doctor’s note?
My employer will not let me leave work with the note my doctor gave me, stating he will not honor it unless it includes a diagnosis. Does he have a right to this information?
Asked on April 18, 2012 under Employment Labor Law, Missouri
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Yes, the employer does have a right to ask for this. Your doctor is not an executive of the company or a government labor official--he or she has no direct authority over the company, and the company is not obligated to simply obey his note. Rather, an employer is entitled to know why an employee allegedly leaves to leave early, since the company may decide for itself whether that is a legitimate reason and to what extent it will honor the request or otherwise accomodate the employee.
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