If employees are absent the day before or after a holiday, can we withhold their pay?

Q. Our employee handbook states that if employees are sick before and after a holiday and they do not get a doctor’s note, they will not get paid for those missed days. Is this legal? — Doreen, New Jersey

A. I gather you’re worried about employees taking advantage of your sick leave policy by calling in sick in and around a holiday in order to get a vacation when in fact they aren’t sick. In general, yes, you can impose limits on when and whether you will offer sick pay, but you need to be careful. Take note that this will encourage more employees to come to work while they’re sick. Plus, if you’re based in one of the New Jersey cities that mandates paid sick, then you’ll need to grant such leave.