How long does an employee have to turn in a doctor’s note?

Q: “Can doctors’ notes be turned down? Our employee went to the doctor and was taken out of work for medical reasons. The employee received points per our attendance policy for those two days, but neglected to bring a note supporting the medical leave. The employee called the doctor’s office and the doctor faxed over the medical certification supporting the absences as medical. The supervisor does not want to accept the medical note, though, because it was not submitted when the employee returned to work. We have guidelines that state if a medical note is not turned in when an employee returns to work, the note will not be accepted. Are there any legal ramifications?” – Anonymous, Virginia