WTF, I believe it is against the law for your employer to ask about your medical condition or details about it. The students, while upset you are not there, need to be respectful and observe boundaries. This is awful and amounts to bullying you and trying to guilt you into coming into work while you are not well. You are entitled to days off as per your employment contract. You do not abuse sick days. You should not have to report to the boss or your students about nature of your injury. Where do people get off doing stuff like this. Oh my God.

Since you have already shared, I suggest you keep all your emails. I also suggest when you go back to work you spend some time on boundaries and the law about not asking for medical information. These kids need to understand boundaries, laws and above all working independently.

This are post secondary students about to go into nursing and other professions. They should be able to handle the professor being away for a few days. The course outline is on the computer, they know what readings they need to do and what they need to study. Kind of scary these soon to be professionals need their hands held all the time. What are they going to do when there is an emergency? Stand their waiting for someone else to jump in and tell them what to do and how to do it?

So entitled.

(((hugs)))

i find it way out of line too that your boss asked you to explain yourself to your students. i dont think he/she is really allowed to request that of you.
please dont feel any guilt, its not your fault. everyone needs a sick day at some point in life and shouldnt be made to feel guilty when there is a genuine reason.
hugs.

Ugh, that really sucks, so sorry to hear that, muji!

One sick day in two years? Colour me impressed! I've had about 30 last year (In my defense, half of that was a pneumonia. I hate pneumonias. The rest mostly migraines, which are almost worse.)

And someone complains??! In my humble opinion, that student can suck it. They're inconvenienced by your absence, well, you're inconvenienced by having a soddin' torn muscle with nerve damage! Seems like they really need that learning opportunity...

Hope your leg gets better soon! *hugs*

In a nutshell: Bullshinola. Uh-uh.

Let me at that woman. Asking you to share details of your medical condition(s) is quite possibly against ADA, if not HIPAA, and if a student wants to complain that they're inconvenienced? So what? You get inconvenienced if they show up late, right? No guilt on you, Muji, but shame on that boss for caving to a kid who, forgive me, seems like an entitled brat.

I echo CC. Keep the e-mails.

And, for my money? Make it a lesson plan for that class, about the ethics of their chosen profession. You can use the story of my bro-in-law's wife, who was so PO'd at a man's complaints of pain she decided against hospital policy to make him *walk* to X-ray----on what turned out to be a *broken leg*. What would they say about that if they were the patient? The patient's family? The doctor? The lawyer? The professor who had to justify a sick day? To your boss, okay, I can see, under some state laws and contracts, blah blah blah---but students? One of my profs vanished for 6 weeks and all we ever knew was "he's not here". Not our business why. He had to be gone, we had to do the work, end of story.

Ooooh, I am so miffed on your behalf, I will puma screech their ears off if you want! (Yes, my own medical related PTSD is flaring, but that's okay. Hmph. *tail lash*)

Big purring hugs of puma power to you.

I agree that this 'sounds' as though it would be completely illegal for he to make such a request... You don't have to release medical records and information ... This seems to be total BS to me... Who is your boss accountable to??.... If you're sick you're sick... I'm sorry that this has happened to you Muji... Don't let her intimidate you... Big hug....xo

Tell your boss that human resources is welcome to the ER report, but beyond that it is a violation of the HIPPA act. That's what sick days are for and your ER report undoubtedly says some to the effect of rest and alternating hot and cold at ____intervals.

I would also inquire to the Institutions insurance stipulations on if an injury happens in transfer to or from work. Some policies are door to door. This happened due to a fall before you got home in your door, so may be considered in transit,from school.

What if he had a large kidney stone that wouldn't pass? would he be required to detail it to students? when he was absent for pain?

Wow just wow. So much wrong with that situation. The lawyer in me says sue your school.

students can be demanding just focus on getting well,, you did nothing wrong no need to defend

Wow. I know your focus is on the student but....Your boss doesn't have your back? That is not good and shows a lack of trust. And now it will be hard to trust him/her.

I think this is completely outrageous... I've never heard of anything more unprofessional.... How dare she do this... I would look into your rights and who is she accountable to?... This behaviour I think is really abusive

Wow...just wow...call me gobsmacked Muji...it seems outrageous to me too, by the student and the boss who should know better. I too would find out rules violations by your boss, memorize or write them down so you can recite them back to him/her chapter and verse!! Geez...learning experience indeed...for the Boss...you have nothing to feel guilty for. Support and Prayers..we are here for you!!

I agree with every thing that has been said. You never have to even say why you take sick days. You have the right to your privacy. Your rights have been violated by your boss asking you to post something publicly. I'm sorry this happen to you and I too would find out what you can do about your rights being violated.

HIPPA says that your boss can't do that, it's illegal as all get up.

Thanks for the validation, everybody. Yeah, it's actually illegal. And it's not just a problem with this particular boss, there's a culture of this sort of thing at this college.

Let me put it delicately and diplomatically and say that we're in Appalachia, which is a beautiful place in nature but is in some ways stuck in the 1950s.

Our only senior African American faculty member, a good friend of mine, got tenure a year ago but just now left after the very next semester due to the 1950s atmosphere we have. I love teaching my subject here, my classes are full and I get to draw on my hospital chaplaincy experience which is really rewarding. But there are ways not just me but faculty in general here are treated like, well, the 1950s.

Know what I mean?

Don't have anything to add to what's been said Muji. Just want to send a big hug and hopes you feel better soon.