This Weeks Crazy Bureaucracy Story.

[johnw100]

So my wife has had flu with a 38c+ fever the last few days, stuck in bed hardly able to walk. She phoned her work colleague on Monday to say she wont be in for a few days.
She had a doctor visit 3 times throughout the day because she was so ill. Monday afternoon her work demanded that she bring in proof that she was ill. So Tuesday morning I took a 30min bus ride to her work and presented them with a doctors certificate. Two hours later they said it wasnt enough and that they required a stamped document from another office to certify the doctors certificate. Her mother went because it wasnt that far from her. She got there waited 30mins in queue only to be told it had to be my wife that attended.
So the next day I went with my sick wife in a taxi, waited 45mins with no seating in a horrible office to see someone who would stamp a document to show proof that my wife was in deed ill and not fit for work.

This is exactly the kind of crazy bureacracy that I really do feel like leaving this country. I felt like asking the office what would happen if my wife was in a coma, would they require her to visit the office to get a stamped certificate medial report? F**king mental!

 

[Jaredberryman]

Sorry John. We all understand. I am not sure that is normal behavior from employer.

 

[estebandepraga]

i agree i think the employer is not normal unless your wife had missed work soo many time before

 

[Rich One]

What a mess unpleasant situation

However all employers have seen the numerous reports on TV about the market for purchase of fake illness certificates

 

[citygirl]

That's crazy. I did require employees to bring a doctor's certificate if they were out for more than 3 days but never heard of asking for it to be stamped. Out of curiosity, does your wife work for a large or small company? Local or int'l? (i totally get not wanting to say which of course!)

 

[Gringoboy]

Totally nuts!

 

[splattermatter]

Senseless wastes of time and the inability to use common modern technology can be maddening....Like requiring you to pay something, but you cant pay there, or on the web, you have to go to some other office on the other side of town...GRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

 

[Crema Americana]

That's crazy. Circumstances permitting... I think I would have told my boss to shove it. Or better yet, pass by the office on the way to the stamp place and greet my employer with a nice kiss hopefully coughing near their face.


On a more serious note, I'm not even sure what they're requiring is legal. Does she work for the government? I was told that if they want a quick doctor's certificate, they have to send a doctor to your house... if not, she only has to present proof upon returning to work. Perhaps instead of advising she wouldn't be in a for few days, it might have been easier to do it day by day. I'm not sure, but it doesn't sound right. Sometimes you have to play dumb... if she's in no condition to be driving around doing tramites then they're just going to have to wait for the paperwork.

 

[johnw100]

Thanks for the responses, i`ve calmed down a bit now hehe.

Yes she works for the government. Just really pee`d me off because on top of the illness having 2 other people running around trying to help out regardless of what they should be doing, and ended up ferrying a sick person around the city to get a friggin stamp. Shes worked in this office for 3 years, I think shes had 2 days
off sick in that whole time.
I said to my wife, look on the bright side, you`ve probably just given flu to the entire workforce of that office, it`ll come back to sting them.

 

[sleslie23]

This is one reason I went back to the US, rather than finding another job here: Argentine bosses. I only had one in my time in AR, and fortunately he had worked many years in the US. But even he was always making arbitrary decisions just to show he was the "jefe." Other groups with other AR managers had it much worse.

Hope your wife feels better.