Feigning illness to get out of work becomes common practice

[gallery size="medium" td_select_gallery_slide="slide" td_gallery_title_input="Feigning illness to get out of work becomes common practice" ids="102924,102925,102923"] MANY public and private sector employees resort to dishonest and fraudulent practices so they can take a paid day or two off work. The most common method used: Submitting a fake sick leave – often obtained for as little as SR100 — authorized by an unscrupulous doctor. Al-Riyadh daily reports on the phenomenon that has cast a strain on the employee-employer relationship. Amjad Al-Omar, a private sector employee, put the blame on employers because most do not even try to have a strong relationship with their employees and understand their circumstances. “Some employees do really need to take a day off for something urgent but their employers will not let them do so. Each employer should be aware of his employees’ circumstances and permit them not to report to work if they are in a difficult situation. This is the only way they can prevent employees from obtaining fake medical reports,” she said. Shaza Al-Otaibi, another private sector employee, said fake sick leave is a technique used by a large number of employees who do not have strong work ethics. “For them the end justifies the means. Hospitals and polyclinics that issue these fake sick leaves should be blamed as well because they too have violated professional ethics,” she said. Amaal Al-Subaee is a customer service representative working for a private sector company. Her work hours run up to 12 hours a day and her supervisors do not let anyone be absent from work, even if there is a strong reason not to show up. When she needs time off, she pays a doctor at a private hospital who then issues a fake medical report, which she then uses to take time off. Dheeb Al-Dawsary, professor of social studies at King Saud University, said the practice is widespread and can often be traced to employers’ refusing to show their employees some flexibility when it comes to taking time off. “It is a widespread practice and one can get such sick leave just like that. All he or she has to do is to go to a certain hospital, pay money and leave with a fake medical report, which says the patient is ill and needs a three-day rest,” she noted. “Another reason is employers or managers themselves who tend to abuse their power to get the employees do tasks out of the scope of their work shown in the contract. They sometimes deprive employees of the right to take an official leave or short vacation. Left with no other choice, employees get around the system and submit fake medical reports so that they can go and enjoy their vacation,” she added. Al-Dawsary urged employers to make the work environment more attractive to employees so that they do not feel bored while performing their duties. Work environments at most government agencies and private companies tend to be void of competitiveness and privileges. “A stimulant environment will definitely attract employees and make them compete with one another to excel.”