Good day

Advice needed

We have a young man, 18 y/o, who we have employed and his three month probation period ends at the end of this month, April 2017. We hoped to employ him full time after his probation as a Sales executive. He has been absent from work since 3 April to date (12 April) with a migraine problem. He has submitted a sick note (3 April to 5 April) issued by a 'Doctor' called 'Family Physician' (no name on certificate) with a practice number. Come 5th April, we were then told that he was admitted to hospital and we have now received a photocopy of his Prescription on a hospital letterhead with a note written at the bottom from the Doctor saying he is booked off for a further 10 days following being admitted for a Vascular Headache. Whilst in hospital an MRI was done with no obvious cause of the migraines (this relayed to us by him).

This had greatly affected our sales for April as he is in Sales. It has affected his sales target for the month and collectively over the three months here he has only reached his set target once. And we are busy moving our shop too new premises. We don't feel that sick leave is owing to him, after taking 12 days off now. As mentioned before this is concerning going forward as we feel he was still in probation and if this becomes a trend we will then have a problem.

Do we extend his probation period, or give him a letter strongly advising that further sick leave that he may need to take going forward will take him into negative leave figures? How do we handle this one?

Advice appreciated