My workplace is trying to institute a crazy sick leave policy ahead of a big deadline.
We are pretty behind goals for this deadline at several offices. Mostly, we seem to be struggling with staffing, in addition to a number of other issues. So try and remedy this, management came out with a new policy, which will go into effect next week. According to the new rules, any who calls out sick will have to take a COVID test, and if that comes back negative they will have to report to the office where one of the managers will meet them outside and assess whether they are actually symptomatic. If the manager thinks they are sick then they are sent home for a sick day but if the manager thinks they are not sick then they are either required to work or get a doctor's note detailing why the can't work, otherwise it will be considered a unexcused absence.
I just think this is so crazy on so many levels. At the very least it sounds like a nightmare to coordinate, nevermind putting people at risk requiring them to come in (potentially on public transit) when they're ill. Management is not trained medically and there's plenty of illnesses with non-visible symptoms. Also most folks haven't worked long enough to start work health insurance so they may not have it or enough saved up for an unnecessary doctor's visit.
Aside from just being micromanagey and condescending, this also feels like a violation of people health privacy. I don't see how this policy doesn't backfire on them and further worsen our already poor retention rates.