Taxes and Fines

A tax is a fine for doing well. A fine is a tax for doing wrong. What do you call a tax for being sick? I am a bit irritated this morning. Last week my husband called in sick to work for the first time in 2 years. He was really sick with an upper respiratory infection. He had worked Saturday and Sunday but by Sunday night he was a wreck. He called in sick on Monday morning and I called the doctor to make an appointment for him. Most people who call in sick to work don't go to the doctor. Rather they take some time off, take some over the counter medicine, eat soup and drink tea, and get some rest. Unfortunately my husband works for a big company. They don't recognize the fact that he hasn't called in for 2 years. It means nothing to them. If anyone takes a sick day, they are required to have proof of the fact that they were sick by seeing a doctor. The doctor is required to fill out a FMLA (family medical leave act) paper stating that he saw the patient, and what the diagnosis was, etc. Personally, I think that this is ridiculous. However I can understand that when other employees abuse their sick time everyone will have to pay for it. Hence the forms. That is just how big businesses run. Everyone is a number. So, upon returning to work last week, my husband brought home his FMLA form. I brought it to the doctor's office yesterday only to be notified that the doctor will be charging a $25 fee to fill this form out. In the past 10 years we have NEVER encountered a doctor who charges money to fill out this form. It takes literally one minute. On top of that, the receptionist was a first class bi*** telling me that it is ridiculous to think a doctor would fill this out for free and then telling me that it would be 7 business days before I got it back. I was angry of course. The paper is due back to work before then. Frustrated and knowing there was nothing I could do, I just smiled and left them with the papers. About three hours later my husband receives a phone call from the doctor's office telling him that his FMLA papers are done and ready to be picked up. So much for 7 business days. She then reiterates the fact that we must pay $25 before they will give us the papers back. While I really like our doctor, I think his policy of charging $25 to fill out a form is complete BS. I wonder if he charges kids $25 to write them a note to miss gym class. It would likely take him more time to write such a note than to check a few boxes on an FMLA form. I know I shouldn't let little things like this bother me - but thinking about it this morning it has got my blood pressure up and I am seriously thinking about finding a new doctor.