CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Kanawha County school employees now have less time to turn in a doctor’s note for an absence.
During a special meeting Monday, members of the Kanawha County Board of Education approved revisions to its employee attendance policy, which shortens the period employees have to turn in a doctor’s note regarding an absence.
“You have six days to bring in a signed excuse from the doctor which will allow you to have an excused absence,” board president Pete Thaw said.
If employees fail to meet the six-day deadline, the absence then becomes one of six unexcused absences allowed a year. If employees go over the allowed six unexcused absences, they may be subject to discipline by the board.
Before Monday’s revision, employees had no deadline for providing a doctor’s note. Thaw said it created problems.
“When you allow people to bring in excuses signed by the doctor for illnesses they tend to bring in months at a time and it really fouls up the bookkeeping,” Thaw said.
The goal is for the revision to take care of that and maybe help cut back on some absences. Kanawha County Schools has had issues with teacher absenteeism over the years.
Other amendments were suggested to the policy, but were not approved.