I started a new job in the beginning of the year and had a trip already planned. My company allowed me to take this 10 day trip, but I used up all of my vacation time. I just found out that a family member is getting married out of state. The wedding is on a Sunday night so I won’t be able to fly back until Monday. Even if I fly back first thing Monday morning, I will still miss the entire work day. I really want to go to this wedding to support my family member, but don’t have the vacation time.
However, I do have paid sick time that I could use. My company says that sick time can be used for appointments, an existing condition including a physical or mental illness, injury, or health condition. It also allows an employee to care for a family member with a health condition, injury, or illness, or medical appointment. I was thinking of telling my boss that I have a medical appointment on Monday that will take all day. I think that this would be less suspicious than calling in sick on a Monday. Our company has a policy that they can request a doctor’s note for sick time if you are gone for three or more consecutive days, so I shouldn’t need to provide a note. However, if the unlikely chance that it gets out that I am out of state on my sick day, what should I say? I was thinking that I would say that I travelled to another state to seek medical treatment from a specialist. I am worried that I might be asked for a doctor’s note if there is reasonable suspicion. Is there a medical condition that I can claim that my wife has that would make me need to take a day off in advance to care for her?