Written up!

[DrFaroohk]

I got written up at work for having 5 unexcused absences. This means I did not have a doctor's note.

I feel like I should contest it. I have what I feel are legit reasons, and while I expect to not get anywhere, I feel like I should at least get something in writing and on the record to let them know "hey, this guy aint just gonna lay down and take it" and maybe they might even think "Wow, this is really well thought out - we at least know he's intelligent."

Most of the reasons are trivial, but my two main reasons are A) The policy states that after 4 missed days, I get a verbal warning, and I received none, so how was I to know that I was on the verge of a writeup? and B) One of the days was an unscheduled day that we weren't told about until less than a day before. That's bullshit. We have to be allotted time to reschedule our lives. It'd be different if it was one of those jobs where I get paid to be available that day regardless of if I work, but it's not. So fuck them.

I also want to point out that two of the days I missed were because I was literally so sore I was making myself sick. Back, joints, muscles, etc....and that if I had come to work, I'd have injured myself even more, and they have to ask themselves which they'd rather deal with - them being short 1 out of 120 people one day, or dealing with one hell of a worker's compensation claim.

I realize it's quite a trivial thing - it's a writeup. For being sick. Not a big deal. But it's the principle of the matter. First of all, I might miss another day soon, and the next step is like a 3 day suspension. I'd rather at least try to get my absentee record lowered. I also feel like there's just a little bit of "fuckery" going on with it, and I think that allowing this to go unchallenged just invites more and more fuckery.

[Fryk]

I don't think it's a trivial thing. Contest that bitch, Doc! With an explanation, they might be able to overlook it, or something.

[powerboy]

DR, contest it. I had that shit happen to me. Until I went to the higher ups with the proper papers. It is not right.

[crashhelmet]

Be careful in how you contest it. Come off as sounding pretentious or arrogant and you could end up out of a job. Don't make yourself sound like you're making excuses either. Employers typically don't want to hear them. Apologize, say you'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again. Bring up the fact that you're supposed to get a verbal, but once again don't sound like an ass doing it.

Employers wants someone that they can rely on to be there when they're supposed to be and doing what they're supposed to be doing without stirring up added stress or drama within the workforce. If they feel that you can't meet those requirements, they'll find someone that can.

CH

[DrFaroohk]

Therein lies the problem. I have extremely low "charisma". Like by DnD standards it'd rate about a 4. And when I say something, most people tend to hear it and then think "Ok, how can I twist this so its the most offensive thing I've ever heard?" I get dirty looks for saying good morning to people. Literally. I'm not making that up or exaggerating.

[Plaidman]

Most write up have a comment area where people can post their comments. I know I did when I had a doctors note from a sick day, that I called in on. I still got written up, but it was thrown away when the manager admited that yes, I did call in sick. He just got mad because he had to work it.

In anycase, is it that hard to get a doctors note? You wrote you know the policy that states after 4 days you get a verbal, and you had admit to missing 5 days. You really belive that just because you got no verbal warning, you deserve clemency? You know the rules. You know you can get sick. There are days with me too, that a single misstep makes me cry in pain. I still go to school. Even with excused absences, I do too many, I get tossed out.

Point is, you read the rules. You know the policy. Your just trying to rules lawyer out of it by that whole "They didn't give me a warning so it doesn't count!". Well, this is real life. Life where work doesn't care if you get sick. They want doctors note. So you, be an adult, and get one. I belive you when you say your sick, but do you have any idea how many people just say their sick, and spend the day surfing? Just a reason to be safe, get. notes.

And write in the commentary.

[DrFaroohk]

There was no commentary part on the writeup, unfortunately. I wish there was.

As far as doctors notes go - I think it's ridiculous to go the doctor just for a note. I know there's nothing the doc could have done to make me feel better, sometimes you just gotta let a sickness run its course. I'm not going to pay out $100+ on top of the hours I already missed just for a stupid note.

And my point of the lack of verbal warning is that after day 4 was missed and I received no warning, this lead me to believe that my absences were in fact excused. Letting me think I was ok and then springing a writeup on me is shit.

[Plaidman]

And my point of the lack of verbal warning is that after day 4 was missed and I received no warning, this lead me to believe that my absences were in fact excused. Letting me think I was ok and then springing a writeup on me is shit.

Thats what human resources are for. You talk to them. Find out. Never have assumptions in life, because you get screwed over.

[DrFaroohk]

Aye, and the one thing no one has a right to do is screw me over. I don't care that it's not in the constitution or written on some legal document - screwing people over is just plain wrong.

[Plaidman]

They didn't screw you over. They followed the policy that is written. Just because you thought you were exempt, because you didn't bother to even talk or ask, and just assumed you were safe and decided to take another day off and then got written up? No. You only screwed yourself over on that one bud. If you had a sick day, you should have talked to human resources. Ask. Hey? Was that an excused? Ad hoc to every one of them.

They followed their policy. You didn't even try to protect yourself, except now crying like a little bitch because life is harsh man.

You even told us now, you think your going to be sick again. Well, time to protect your ass to not get suspended. Talk to your doctor. Yeah, I know, you would rather ride your sickness through and not pay millions of dollars for a note. But would you rather pay that doctor visit fee, and miss one day, instead of being force to lose 36 hours of pay?

[DrFaroohk]

I beg to differ here. The rules are in place for a reason, and they have just as much obligation to abide by them as I do. They fucked up. I don't need to be constantly protecting myself. I have the right to not be fucked with. That's exactly what happens when the rules are bent to be the most convenient for those in power. End of story.

[Hobbs]

I still don't see how they messed up. You're the one who missed work. Were you NC/NS for these, or did you at least call-in and say you were sick? Even at my work the policy was that it needed a note; so if I couldn't be hassled with getting a note, I either came in and sucked it up, or I bit the bullet.

[Plaidman]

Let me get this straight.

Your policy, which you have read is you can have a X amount of days of unexcused absents.

You didnt make any excused absents. Nor did you even try to find out if they were. You just assumed they were without even checking.


Now your being written up because of your unexcused absents.

Thus your being fucked with by those with power?

..How...? How is that even freaking feasible?

[DrFaroohk]

Your policy, which you have read is you can have a X amount of days of unexcused absents.

Aye. We're allowed 3 with no repercussions. The 4th one comes with a verbal warning.

You didnt make any excused absents. Nor did you even try to find out if they were. You just assumed they were without even checking.

You're right, I didn't. It's not my job to go asking every 5 minutes what my status is. It is their job to do their job, which as stated by the company policy, is to inform me of my 4th absence by giving me a verbal warning. It's right there in the rules. Why don't they have to follow them?

Now your being written up because of your unexcused absents.

Thus your being fucked with by those with power?

..How...? How is that even freaking feasible?

Because I'm not the one who violated company policy. They did. The ones in power are the ones who are saying "Rules are rules, policy is policy and must be followed without question!"

And you're right, I do try to be a 'rules lawyer'. Which is perfectly acceptable. I believe that with a few exceptions, rules and policies must be a two-way street. They have these policies in place for a reason, and in being familiar with the rules and trying to follow them I also have the right to use them to my advantage, and if they're only willing to honor the rules and policies one-way, which is what's most convenient and easy for them, they are fucking me over. And it just invites more fucking later. That's just how it is.

Is that so terribly complicated? Is it so terribly wrong? Don't we all do things like this every day? We settle matters all the time by arguing these fine little points of law, but when the people who make the rules refuse to follow their own, there is something seriously wrong.

[DrFaroohk]

And besides, we're only focusing on one argument here. Let's just pretend you're 100% right and that they have no obligation to follow their own rules. Fair enough.

There's still many other reasons why I didn't deserve this writeup, like the last minute unscheduled work day. That day should be erased from my record because it is their fuckup. Regardless of if it was the boss's fault we didn't find out in time, it's definitely not MY fault and I shouldn't be punished for it.

Then there's the fact that there's a bigass sign on the front door that says if you're sick, stay the fuck home, because if the health inspector discovered people coughing and hacking all over the fish, or people with stomach problems spreading their nasty diarhea germs all over the fish, that plant would be shut down. So if they told me to not come to work, how can they punish me for it? I wonder how they'd like it if a certain disgruntled employee with a bullshit writeup decided to give the health inspector a little phone call?