Employer sick-note rules · retail
Does Costco accept an online doctor’s note?
Costco tracks occasions, not points. Its agreement says a doctor's certificate may be required only in the case of excessive absenteeism, which is four unpaid occasions in a rolling year. FMLA and ADA absences must be documented by a physician's note for each occasion.
What Costco workers are told
Absences tracked
Occasions of absence, not points: an 'occasion' is missing more than 50% of a scheduled shift (half an occasion if you leave sick after working more than half). Excessive absenteeism = 4 unpaid occasions in any rolling 12 months, then progressive discipline. Paid sick/personal time, approved leaves, and physician-documented FMLA/ADA/WC absences do not count.
Note required
A doctor's certificate 'may be required' only 'in the case of excessive absenteeism.' A note alone does not erase an occasion; using paid sick/personal time or an approved leave does. FMLA/ADA occasions must be 'documented by a physician's note for each occasion' to be excluded.
Where to submit
Notify your manager or designee 1 hour before shift (phone); leaves through Costco's leave process (vendor not confirmed in the agreement).
Paid sick time
Paid sick/personal time: 24 hours after 90 days, +64 hours after one year, then 88 hours each anniversary (Teamsters agreement; part-time prorated, minimum 24 hours).
Verified against the company’s own published policy · 2026-09-23
What a SickSlip note shows Costco HR
The physician’s name and NPI number, the dates you are excused, a document ID, and a verification link HR can open without calling anyone. It does not include your diagnosis. Whether Costco accepts it depends on the rule above, not on where the physician saw you: no US state law limits a sick note to in-person visits, and the federal telehealth rules are on telehealth.hhs.gov.
Your state may limit what Costco can demand
Twenty states and the District of Columbia have a paid-sick-leave law, and most of them only let an employer ask for a note after three consecutive days. Company policy cannot override that. Check yours in the state-by-state doctor’s note law index.
Sources, read 2026-09-23
The rules that sit above Costco’s policy
- Federal leave (FMLA). An employer may require medical certification for a serious health condition, and must give you at least 15 calendar days to return it. 29 CFR 825.305 and U.S. Department of Labor Fact Sheet 28G.
- Disability (ADA). Points systems applied to disability-related absences have been challenged; medical inquiries must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. EEOC enforcement guidance.
- State paid-sick-leave law. Twenty states and D.C. limit when any employer, Costco included, may demand a note. Every state’s rule, with the statute.
- Telehealth. Federal guidance treats secure messaging with a licensed provider as telehealth; no state law limits a sick note to in-person visits. telehealth.hhs.gov.
Other retail employers
Walmart · Target · Lowe's · Kroger · Best Buy · H-E-B · Whole Foods Market · AutoZone
All employers
Amazon · Walmart · Target · UPS · FedEx · Starbucks · Lowe's · Kroger · Chipotle · USPS · Tesla · Disney parks · Southwest Airlines · United Airlines · Best Buy · H-E-B · Whole Foods Market · Taco Bell · Wendy's · Panera Bread · HCA Healthcare · Kaiser Permanente · Verizon · Tyson Foods · JBS USA · General Motors · Stellantis · Boeing · Uber · DoorDash · AutoZone
SickSlip is not affiliated with Costco. Employer names are used to describe their published policies. Reviewed by Adam Z. Kawalek, MD (NPI 1326223306). Facts checked 2026-09-23.