Archived Can they really put me on a final for calling in?

[Jill of All Trades]

So here's the situation, I don't care if this gives me away since I probably won't be with Spot long after this.

One of our GSAs is on vacation, another just quit. I was scheduled to work cash office this morning, close tonight and cash office tomorrow morning- less than 8 hours between all three shifts.

Well, yesterday my friend tried to kill herself. I was up all night, had to call the police, and got pretty badly traumatized. I went in, cried myself through cash office, and then told the LOD I wouldn't be able to come in tonight due to a mental health crisis. I told them what happened. I explained that I have PTSD, I can't handle the kind of stress I had to deal with last night very well and that I had to go home and take a medication that would make it unsafe for me to work, so that I could get better.

I got hauled into an office and told that I would be coached because "the shift was already in the schedule" and since I was coached last time I called in (severe diarrhea, called in more than 3 hours ahead, didn't matter still got coached) I'll be on a final.

My store does not accept doctor's notes- if they did I could surely have my doctor write one for today.

I feel like I'm being unfairly targeted for punishment because my store is having scheduling problems. Why should I be held to a different standard for call-outs than the rest of the store?


What do I do now besides look for another job?

 

[commiecorvus]

Get the doctors note but not have it say you have PTSD and you are challenging under ADA.
If you made it clear that this is part of a doctor diagnosed disability than you might have a shot at it.
Go to HR and make it clear that you are willing to fight it on a corporate level.
The only problem is then they will probably be looking for ways to performance you out but at least then you will have more time to look for another job.

 

[lrou98]

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. I really don't have any great advice. If you're dealing with health issues, you could qualify for STD. I've taken STD at a previous job (mental illness) and as far as I understood it then, the cannot fire you because you're protected. You're paid 60% of your regular or average pay. As long as you have doctors/records stating your illnesses, the process is not too daunting. You won't be paid while the claim is being filed but you would get a lump sum of money retroactive to the date you filed. Please anyone correct me if I'm incorrect. Good luck Jill!

 

[redeye58]

I'm still trying to wrap my head around that crap schedule they set you up with: a split & a clopen?!
WTF?!

 

[Jill of All Trades]

I'm so sorry you are dealing with this. I really don't have any great advice. If you're dealing with health issues, you could qualify for STD. I've taken STD at a previous job (mental illness) and as far as I understood it then, the cannot fire you because you're protected. You're paid 60% of your regular or average pay. As long as you have doctors/records stating your illnesses, the process is not too daunting. You won't be paid while the claim is being filed but you would get a lump sum of money retroactive to the date you filed. Please anyone correct me if I'm incorrect. Good luck Jill!

Thanks. I actually just gave up on my social security disability claim- the lawyers said I couldn't win my case because I was too young and too educated to be considered truly disabled, plus the fact that I could work even a little bit basically means I'm not qualified for benefits. I was on a limited schedule which I could handle, but with everyone leaving or taking vacations I was pressured into accepting the current schedule which has me at full time hours with a split/clopen every week for two weeks.

I feel awful about all of this. I want to work- working is good for me. But not this level of stress and pressure. Getting hauled into a room to be pressured and punished because of my illness was humiliating.

 

[commiecorvus]

If they had you on a limited schedule before because of your disability then you absolutely can fight this.
If they knew ahead of time that you were dealing with this problem and continued to harass you than they are at fault.
Don't let them bully you, you have rights and they aren't allowed to try to scare you just because they are short handed.

 

[DoWork]

You absolutely have a leg to stand on. Your leadership is very poor.

I'd argue, though, that this likely will not be the last time you deal with this. With your PTSD, you may be better off doing something less stressful and at a business that can understand your needs. You're essentially being bullied right now, and given what's going on in your life, a solution now is just pushing a problem down the road.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Every spot is different. But, we are here to help & support you.

 

[redeye58]

*me fixes Jill an iced decaf caramel macchiato, extra caramel

 

[thenutjob]

There is a long process to get someone fired for attendance. You have to go through 2 ccas before you go on a final. To go on a cca you have to have at least 2 coachings then the 3rd call out is the cca. Unless you have been through the process there is no way they can put you on a final. That being said, for whatever reason your store may do it differently. Which that in itself is a whole different issue. If you do get put on a final there will be paperwork to sign. Refuse to sign until your case is reviewed by hrbp!

 

[lrou98]

Thanks. I actually just gave up on my social security disability claim- the lawyers said I couldn't win my case because I was too young and too educated to be considered truly disabled, plus the fact that I could work even a little bit basically means I'm not qualified for benefits. I was on a limited schedule which I could handle, but with everyone leaving or taking vacations I was pressured into accepting the current schedule which has me at full time hours with a split/clopen every week for two weeks.

I feel awful about all of this. I want to work- working is good for me. But not this level of stress and pressure. Getting hauled into a room to be pressured and punished because of my illness was humiliating.

What a stupid thing for a disability lawyer to say! Eed

Thanks. I actually just gave up on my social security disability claim- the lawyers said I couldn't win my case because I was too young and too educated to be considered truly disabled, plus the fact that I could work even a little bit basically means I'm not qualified for benefits. I was on a limited schedule which I could handle, but with everyone leaving or taking vacations I was pressured into accepting the current schedule which has me at full time hours with a split/clopen every week for two weeks.

I feel awful about all of this. I want to work- working is good for me. But not this level of stress and pressure. Getting hauled into a room to be pressured and punished because of my illness was humiliating.

What a stupid thing for the lawyer to say! Mental illness affects educated young people too. It doesn't pick and choose only uneducated adults. Besides STD is easier to get approved for. Getting disability through Medicare is near impossible. Anyway, I hope you and your friend are feeling better. (((hugs)))

 

[lrou98]

Sorry about double quoting....not sure what I did there!

 

[Sickofspot]

I am so sorry, @Jill of All Trades.The thing about mental illness is that it is a hard thing to prove. And, when it comes to these situations, doctors rarely will put you on an LOA for it. Target is very uneducated and uncaring on this. I had my own battle at spot, as well as a former team member of mine. My best advice to you is to keep quiet and look like crazy for another job. I wish I could be more encouraging, but I don't wish to give you false hope. My heart goes out to you. Please try not to let them get the best of you.

 

[lrou98]

Kartman, I tried...I'm not very sharp with technology

 

[On6]

At my store our STL would have told you to go home and take as much time as you needed.

Your leadership is shitty plain and simple.

 

[Patty]

So would my STL . And hr etl and my sr tl. They are all three lovely ladies and leaders. I am so sorry that you are being treated like this. I will be thinking of you please keep us posted
And remember, you saved a life . That is a lot mire important than a shift at Spot

 

[signingminion]

1. Find a better lawyer. My mom's got her disability the first time. Less than three months start to finish. She had very little court time due to her ptsd. Twenty percent if lump sun was worth it. He got my dad's for lung cancer in a month, one court appearance only. I wish I could clone him.

2. Fight it. Hard. And if they ask you to go in a room with just another tl, ask for a third person. Even if they are another tl they can't lie in court.

 

[Retail Girl]

This slays me. One lousy day off. No one is that important at Spot.

Sunday morning I found out my mom fell and, long story short, broke her right foot and left ankle. My parents live 200 miles away.

I didn't work Sunday because I had an interview. So I called to reschedule the interview and then went into work and grabbed the schedule and found my ETL who was with my STL.

I told them what happened, told them I needed Monday and Tuesday off. They said no problem and to call today or tomorrow if I need more time.

Now that is how to treat people.

 

[redeye58]

Damn, RG.
I'm afraid to ask how your mom broke her RIGHT foot & LEFT ankle. Cartwheels off the roof?
That's gonna take hella while to heal.

 

[Jill of All Trades]

I talked to my ETL-GE and she's not going to write me up at all. The ETL who threatened to put me on a final isn't my direct boss so he can only suggest to the ETL-GE that she do so, and she's not going to because she's not a horrible human being.

Happy ending!


(still looking for a new job though, because oh my god.)

 

[3LetterDevil]

Some ETL's are just assholes. One of ours threatened to put someone on final for having to call off due to emergency surgery for kidney stones because they had to call off for a week! They were also on narcotic pain meds so they couldn't drive & the doctor wouldn't release them to come back for a week!

Anyway, I hope your friend is okay and things work out.

 

[commiecorvus]

I talked to my ETL-GE and she's not going to write me up at all. The ETL who threatened to put me on a final isn't my direct boss so he can only suggest to the ETL-GE that she do so, and she's not going to because she's not a horrible human being.

Happy ending!


(still looking for a new job though, because oh my god.)

So glad to hear there are some decent human beings (or what I'd call actual human beings) at your store.
It does sound like finding another job might be the best course all things considered.

 

[MrTaskMule]

Target only chooses sociopaths as ETLs for some reason, I guess that somehow translates to more gold ruubles for corporate.

 

[Rock Lobster]

So here's the situation, I don't care if this gives me away since I probably won't be with Spot long after this.

One of our GSAs is on vacation, another just quit. I was scheduled to work cash office this morning, close tonight and cash office tomorrow morning- less than 8 hours between all three shifts.

Well, yesterday my friend tried to kill herself. I was up all night, had to call the police, and got pretty badly traumatized. I went in, cried myself through cash office, and then told the LOD I wouldn't be able to come in tonight due to a mental health crisis. I told them what happened. I explained that I have PTSD, I can't handle the kind of stress I had to deal with last night very well and that I had to go home and take a medication that would make it unsafe for me to work, so that I could get better.

I got hauled into an office and told that I would be coached because "the shift was already in the schedule" and since I was coached last time I called in (severe diarrhea, called in more than 3 hours ahead, didn't matter still got coached) I'll be on a final.

My store does not accept doctor's notes- if they did I could surely have my doctor write one for today.

I feel like I'm being unfairly targeted for punishment because my store is having scheduling problems. Why should I be held to a different standard for call-outs than the rest of the store?


What do I do now besides look for another job?

You cannot go straight from one coaching conversation to a final warning. You must already be on a corrective action for attendance (which was approved by your HRBP/District Resource outside of your store) for the first corrective action and they submitted the first coachings (would have been multiple) to this person. You then would have had to call-in for this reason, and you are within your critical period for the corrective action, which would continue it to a Final Warning. You can verify with HR that this is the case. You would have had to sign your corrective action though? Whatever you are doing would have to be considered a conduct issue to go straight to Final Warning... which I doubt they could or would key it this way.

Your ETL-GE should just follow the rules. Either you are within your critical period for a CA or you are not. Its either enough to get you to a FW from that point or its not. Its not "up" to her, and if she refuses to put somebody on a form of counseling because she sees your "reasons as valid" and therefore ignores them, then she cannot manage talent, and as her peer I would lose all respect for her...

 

[redeye58]

Fortunately, it wasn't her ETL-GE that was threatening her & has already said she WON'T write her up.

Hugs & a sloppy frappucino to you, Jill.
Thoughts & prayers for a better job.