I want tubal ligation. Can my employer deny my request to use sick time for that and recovery?

I'm 44 and am ready to have a tubal ligation. My OB/GYN said I can have the procedure performed basically whenever I'm ready. I'm concerned my employer will deny my request. First, I don't know if that's a qualified reason to use sick time because it is elective, other than preventing pregnancy, it's not necessary. Second, even if it is a covered reason, I fear they'll deny my request. A coworker needs a hip replacement and they've denied her request and stated that our department is too understaffed to honor her request right now. Our department has been understaffed since I've worked there, which is almost three years. I'm already a mother and don't want to have anymore children.
I'm a retired service member so I have no idea how this works. In the military, if a doctor says you can't work, you don't until they say you can.
A human resources specialist in the hospital once gave me some papers and made it sound like it wasn't a big deal to do it. But if a person needing a hip replacement is denied, I suspect I'll be denied too. She was denied by the HR director after she put in her request to have the surgery.
My doctor said he would sign whatever papers are necessary for me to have the time off. Is this something that has to be filed under FMLA or can I just use sick time? I also have developed ingrown toenails that need to be addressed too but for me the preventing pregnancy is more of a priority. I've been using an IUD for birth control but it's time for that to be removed and my doctor doesn't want to remove it until he performs the tubal ligation to ensure there's no accidental pregnancy.
I pay for long-term and short-term disability and honestly, I want to use up as much of my sick time as I can and put in my notice to quit so I can sell back my PTO and be done with that place and find a hospital that's a better fit for me. We have such a high turn over rate that our hospital hires travelers and is offering a 10k signon bonus for any fool stupid enough to agree to work there. I'm tired of being emotionally abused, disrespected and taken for granted.

0 answers  |  asked Feb 13, 2019 10:20 AM [EST]  |  applies to Virginia

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