This issue seems to be arising much more frequently these days and unfortunately, employers are not handling it well whatsoever. If you take one or two notes and accommodate, I can guarantee you, there is a line of employees wanting to change their shift as well. How do run an organization, let’s say a hospital, if a majority of your employees only want to work days?? Who would take care of the patients on the off shifts?

Yes we may need to accommodate but before you jump to make that accommodation, ask whether or not it is really needed. Do you have proper documentation to support this request that isn’t a 2 liner from the doctor? If you don’t have proper documentation nor the means to get it, (since this is usually highly confidential information and employers are not entitled to it), then find someone, a health professional, that will help you make that determination.

oil and gas engineers at night-shift works

All too often we get Doctor’s notes to accommodate an employee on steady days, or more unusual steady afternoon or nights. Now the latter two I can safely say over the years, that his has been primarily to the employee getting a second job which is on days!

There are also times people don’t want to work days due to the number of management personnel so heavily assigned to the day shift but for the most part, the employee is looking for some flexibility in their shift options so they can make money elsewhere. This may not be such a big deal, but unfortunately these requests for shift accommodations are becoming very popular and doctors don’t understand how it affects your organization. A few complaints from the employee to their doctor, and you have a note.

Stressed businessman working late into the night putting in overtime to meet a deadline sitting at his desk using a laptop and talking on his mobile

We all know shift work isn’t kind to people. We can all read the research that tells us how damaging it can be but when we apply for a job, we usually know up front that it requires shift work. So why is it that a few years later, it becomes an issue?

We obviously are not all the same, and as we get older, our ability to manage such shift changes can become more difficult but not impossible. If this is happening in your work environment, it’s a great opportunity for some health teaching to address this issue before it becomes an epidemic.

Check out this article that discusses healthy tips when working shifts. Click here!

I digress though! For those wanting steady days, a medical issue is usually underlying the request. Is the medical issue substantial enough to warrant the shift accommodation? This is when the work begins. Find out! Ask for more information. Meet with your employee. Request documentation and be prepared to involve a medical professional to assist you. The worst case scenario, a third party medical could help, but it should be the last resort.

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Lucie M.H. Fournier RN, COHN(C), BA (Psych)
Founder/Workplace Health Strategist

 

With over 30 years of experience in disability management, and a return on investment on average of 1:7, Fournier disAbility & Health provides customized and results oriented services in Absenteeism Management including Attendance, Sick Time/Short, Long Term Disability, and WSIB claims for employers across Ontario.

Expertise in 5 distinct niches of disAbility management include:
1. Complex claims management resolution
2. Mental health claim return to work & accommodations
3. Advanced level training for internal claims manager to make a significant impact on the health of the employee and wealth of the organization
4. Transitional Leadership when moving to & from a 3rd party disAbility Management company
5. Sensitive claims & disAbility management of professional staff, such as HR, health team, and/or executives such as supervisors, managers, directors