Employee submitted fake COVID test... what should I do?

So, I had an employee call out for COVID, but the test they sent looked obviously fake. Like, there were pen marks on it. They’re at-will, and now I’m stuck deciding what to do. We’re considering either a suspension or termination, but our handbook doesn’t really cover anything specific about COVID. Anyone dealt with this?

Wow, pen marks? That’s wild. Honestly, if it’s fake, you’re within your rights to terminate them. At-will means you can take action for things like this.

Zen said:
Wow, pen marks? That’s wild. Honestly, if it’s fake, you’re within your rights to terminate them. At-will means you can take action for things like this.

Yeah, the pen marks make it so obvious. Do you think suspension is better, or should I just let them go?

Zen said:
Wow, pen marks? That’s wild. Honestly, if it’s fake, you’re within your rights to terminate them. At-will means you can take action for things like this.

Termination sounds fair, but maybe suspension works if this is a first-time thing. How strict are your policies?

What’s your COVID policy? Like, do you usually ask for test pics with a name and date?

Teo said:
What’s your COVID policy? Like, do you usually ask for test pics with a name and date?

Yeah, we ask for pics with their name and the date. This one didn’t even try to hide the edits, though.

Teo said:
What’s your COVID policy? Like, do you usually ask for test pics with a name and date?

If they faked that, it’s probably best to act now. Trust issues like this can get messy later.

Not a lawyer, but if it’s at-will and you have proof, you should be good to terminate them. Do you log these incidents?

Jamie said:
Not a lawyer, but if it’s at-will and you have proof, you should be good to terminate them. Do you log these incidents?

Good point. We usually just keep email records, but I’m thinking this one might need extra documentation.

Jamie said:
Not a lawyer, but if it’s at-will and you have proof, you should be good to terminate them. Do you log these incidents?

Yeah, log everything. Even if it seems straightforward, it’s better to have it all in writing.

What does at-will mean? Sorry, not super familiar with that term.

Beryl said:
What does at-will mean? Sorry, not super familiar with that term.

At-will basically means you can fire someone for any legal reason, as long as it’s not discriminatory. Pretty common in the US.

Beryl said:
What does at-will mean? Sorry, not super familiar with that term.

Got it, thanks! So faking something like this totally counts as a valid reason?

Beryl said:
What does at-will mean? Sorry, not super familiar with that term.

Yep, faking a test is definitely a valid reason. They can’t just do stuff like that and expect no consequences.

If it’s that obvious, I’d lean toward termination. Suspension might just delay future issues.

Toni said:
If it’s that obvious, I’d lean toward termination. Suspension might just delay future issues.

Yeah, I’m starting to think termination might be the cleanest option. Just not sure how to phrase it when letting them go.

Toni said:
If it’s that obvious, I’d lean toward termination. Suspension might just delay future issues.

Just keep it simple. Say it’s about trust and honesty, which are basic expectations at work.