Written up for calling out sick?

Coming from a previous McDonalds store manager, there are many other factors here that would be needed to better help answer your question. First, most businesses such as Mcdonalds and Taco Bell have a policy that states that if they request a doctors note, you must provide it. Typically I would not request a doctors note until it became a common thing. If an associate normally always showed up for their shift and then one day called and said they were sick, I would tell them, ok hope you feel better. If an associate was calling in sick every other week, I would start asking for a doctors note. Our policy even allowed us to fire the employee if they did not show a doctors note after a certain number of call outs. Another factor is when the associate makes a comment prior to that shift. For example, I overheard an associate discussing an upcoming concert that they were excited about attending. The day came that they called out sick, so I happened to google that concert and saw it was today. I then told them I needed a doctors note (yeah, I'm a jerk but I had a business to run). Next, it can depend on how much notice he gave them. If he was scheduled at 3pm, and he's the type that likes to wake up right before his shift, so he called them at like 2:30 saying he was sick, then yeah, I'd probably say bring me a doctors note. Last, the CDC has a list of food borne illnesses they call "The Big 5" and teach managers of food establishments that employees who present symptoms of "The Big 5" may need a doctors note in order to return to work. Those symptoms can include Vomiting, Diarrhea, Jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), Sore throat with fever, Infected cuts and burns with pus on hands and wrists. So if he presented one of those symptoms, but did not get a doctors note saying he was clear to work, they may have written him up.

There must be a reason that they would write him up. Like has he had a lot of sick days in the past? If that was the only time he has taken a sick day then yes that is unfair.