It is hard for a supervisor to guarantee in advance of such a meeting that every word he or she utters will be professional and appropriate. If the supervisor tapes a meeting, and if that is later learned, the supervisor will have to produce the tape. If you'd like an example of a national situation in which the folly of taping meetings was brought home to all Americans, consider what happened to Richard Nixon. Although our personnel policies clearly state that the employee needs to advise his or her supervisor when sick, this employee continues to simply leave a message with our company's receptionist that she is sick. First of all, don't assume that an employee knows what your company's personnel policies state.
Many employees never read their company's personnel policy.
Thus, if you have an employee who violates personnel policy, consider your first step to meet with the employee and let them know what your company's personnel policy states. Then bring your employee into your office and let her know that the next time she's sick you want her to let know personally. Employees should realize that they lose when they don't read their personnel policies. Many employees never learn of significant company benefits they could receive or rights they have because they don't read their company personnel policies. That really depends.