Employer sick-note rules · retail

Does Target accept an online doctor’s note?

Target's time-off guide does not mention a doctor's note for sick calls; employees on The Break Room (2018) report Target accepts notes but a note alone does not exempt you from attendance coaching. Using paid sick time in the myTime app within 72 hours of returning is what keeps the absence off your record. Medical leaves are handled by the Target Leave and Disability team (800-828-5850); Target's public leave guide does not list what paperwork is required.

What Target workers are told

Absences tracked

Accountable vs non-accountable absences with coaching/corrective action; no published point values. Absences covered by paid sick time are 'non-accountable' and cannot be coached.

Note required

Target's guide sets no doctor's-note rule for sick calls. What makes an absence non-accountable is covering it with paid sick time, submitted in the myTime for Target app within 72 hours of returning to work (the system accepts up to 14 days back). Medical leaves and short-term disability go through the Target Leave and Disability team; Target's public guides do not publish the documentation it asks for.

Where to submit

Sick time: submit in the myTime for Target app within 72 hours of returning. Leave: Target Leave and Disability team, 800-828-5850, Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-7 p.m. CT (fax 847-554-1660), per Target's Leave of Absence Guidelines (2017 edition, the latest public copy); the first step is to tell your HR partner or leader.

Leave administrator

In-house Target Leave and Disability team per Target's 2017 Leave of Absence Guidelines; no external vendor named in any current public document.

Paid sick time

Accrued paid sick time for non-exempt team members (rates vary by state/city; legislated plans where required); sick time also bridges the 7-day STD elimination period.

From published reporting on the policy · 2026-09-23

Get a doctor’s note · $29.99A licensed physician reviews your case online, same day. Your HR can verify it at sickslip.co/verify.

What a SickSlip note shows Target 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 Target 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 Target 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

Target Time Off Program Guide for Non-Exempt Team Members (effective 9/10/2024) (official, read 2026-09-23) “Sick time is viewed as non-accountable (excused). That means that team members cannot be coached, and corrective action cannot be taken”
Target doesn't Accept Doctors notes? (The Break Room, 2018) (employee forum, read 2026-09-23) “Yes Target takes doctor's notes, but they do not exempt you from any sort of performance management action based on your attendance.”
Target Leave of Absence Guidelines (current as of 4-1-17) (official, read 2026-09-23) “Team members may be asked to call the Target Leave and Disability team directly at 800-828-5850, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT. The Target Leave and Disability team handles most leave”

Employee-forum sources describe what workers say happened at their site. Policies can differ by location and contract.

The rules that sit above Target’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, Target 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 · Lowe's · Costco · Kroger · Best Buy · H-E-B · Whole Foods Market · AutoZone

All employers

Amazon · Walmart · UPS · FedEx · Starbucks · Lowe's · Costco · 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 Target. Employer names are used to describe their published policies. Reviewed by Adam Z. Kawalek, MD (NPI 1326223306). Facts checked 2026-09-23.

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