Archived Consequences for calling out during a snowstorm?

[BobSmith]

I am just wondering if you get written up for calling out during bad weather? I hate calling out and have not since I started working at Target last spring, but this weekend is supposed to be pretty bad in the next few days, so if the local authorities as saying that people should stay off the roads, I am probably going to call out, as it is not worth the risk to my safety. I know I am expected to be there and it's my choice and all that, but I am just wondering if Target has an official policy on this. I did a search, but didn't really find anything. I just want to know if I am going to be written up or something on my next shift. (I don't really know all Target's terminology for their punishments.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fluttervale]

Target is from minnesota so odds are they believe it isn't too much snow.

 

[idkwhattodo]

We had a few snowstorms last year and I swear I was like the only team member dumb enough to show up each time (I live super close though). Our leadership was nice about it for the most part... they didn’t sound thrilled on the phone when taking the callouts, but no write ups and they let people who didn’t feel safe go home early. I remember they kept coming up to me and making sure I felt comfortable getting home and everything. It was nice. I heard my STL was very, very rude to the callouts due to weather today though.

Just know that your safety comes first and that you will not be the only one calling out. Also, target guests are crazy, so there will always be some in the store, but there will definitely be less, so they shouldn’t miss your absense too much.

 

[Backroom81]

It's going to depend entirely on where you live and your store's management. I live in Texas and when we get ANY amount of ice on the roads, half of the city will shut down because no one wants to drive on it (and most that do have no idea how). My store's ETLs will happily let most people call out because they know we're going to miss sales by a very large margin.

 

[jlog]

Last year we had a snowstorm that caused about 40 people to call in. No one was reprimanded.

ASANTS but you have a good attendance record so hopefully it's no big deal.

 

[dannyy315]

If you feel unsafe, call out. Simple as that. They’ll understand. Hopefully. This storm will be nasty.

 

[james0707]

Each person needs to worry about themselves. They need to worry about their safety as well as the safety of their automobile.

Do not risk your safety or the safety of your automobile for any job.

If you can't make it to work, don't try. If you don't feel comfortable driving to work, don't try.

If you are at work and the weather starts getting bad, go home early. Don't wait until the roads are so bad you can't make it home.

Target is not going to pay your medical bills or your insurance deductible because you tried to get to work on a snow day or stayed at work too long on a snow day.

If Target wants to stay open, that is on them. Let the store manager work by themselves if they want to keep the store open in bad weather.

I bet the District Manager or Regional Manager or whomever is making the decision to keep a store open is not at a store and not driving on the roads. They are safe and sound in their homes.

 

[Megaparsec]

I grew up in MN. I now live in an area that doesn't get snow. When it does snow, about half the people call out (not me, since I can drive in snow... with my Corolla). But, this is okay, since also half the guests don't show up, and the zone is really easy.

Also the ETLs seem more predisposed to reward people who show up.

 

[HRZone]

Generally when the weather is bad, your store will be a lot less busy. Sometimes people calling out evens out the payroll from the store missing sales.

I guarantee you that a whole bunch of other people will call out too. This is why having good attendance otherwise comes in handy.

when it comes to bad attendance we are focusing on trends not acts of God

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

If its suppose to snow late evening and you call out for an afternoon shift because it "might" start early is a bad idea. Besides they will need you to sell the milk and toilet paper that people seem to hoard during snow emergencies. But if you look at the radar and see you are going to get slammed you keep your behind safe. If you have warnings about staying off the road, you stay off the road. Just ask yourself "Am I willing to die for Spot today? you will have your answer. I only missed 2 days due to snow in 20 years and I live in the midwest where snowstorms are as normal as rainstorms! I had the right vehicle and the right distance. I never ever faulted anyone for choosing safety over dollar spot

 

[MrGSTLman]

I come from a store (and I'm in a region where the weather can change at the drop of a hat) where at the first flake of snow the callouts started, and it was often the same people. I agree with the sentiment of not compromising your personal safety. Don't -- Target will survive. It will be different for me this year because my new store is in an area of the city where most people walk to it (including 90% of the TMs - I think the only TMs that don't live in the community we are located in are the TLs/STL). So it could go either way regarding guest traffic (I'm in a Flex Format store where there are a LOT of apartments and residences nearby). Of course I am opening LOD on the morning of the storm and I have a 9 mile commute to work so that will prove to be interesting!

 

[Overadecade]

Mostly they just look at overall attendance, and don't care what the reason is. Is a snowstorm more or less "legit" than someone who had a medical emergency? Can we legally verify the medical emergency? (Answer is no.)
I once brought photos of my car literally invisible after being plowed into the lot, and still showed up to work a few hours late, sopping wet and frozen, and it was still counted against me.
It meant I came to work with the flu later that month, too, infecting everyone in my path, and causing them to call in, but hey... that's what they wanted.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

When there’s a bad storm, the store doesn’t make its sales goal. If they only do 50,000 on a 200,000 goal day, they shouldn’t be spending all the payroll scheduled for a 200,000 day. They need to cut hours anyway. Best to cut during the storm, than be forced to cut next week the last week of the year.

 

[james0707]

Generally when the weather is bad, your store will be a lot less busy. Sometimes people calling out evens out the payroll from the store missing sales.

I guarantee you that a whole bunch of other people will call out too. This is why having good attendance otherwise comes in handy.

when it comes to bad attendance we are focusing on trends not acts of God

Does the store enter the reason given by the team member when entering a call out into the computer?

If someone pulls a team member's attendance record, do they see the reason for each call out? For example, would it show that the team member called out on February 1st or would it show that the team called out on February 1st with snow as the reason?

 

[BobSmith]

Thanks for all the replies. I actually was talking to someone who wanted more hours and wasn’t scheduled, so they took my hours. This person lives much closer to the store then I do, so it worked out well for both of us.

 

[HRZone]

Does the store enter the reason given by the team member when entering a call out into the computer?

If someone pulls a team member's attendance record, do they see the reason for each call out? For example, would it show that the team member called out on February 1st or would it show that the team called out on February 1st with snow as the reason?

This falls under ASANTS -- technically an absence is an absence. Even a doctor's note while a great courtesy is not a Target policy.

I see it both ways, you have team members who are always looking for a way out of work and will use weather as an excuse. You have team members who would be there if they could and so you sympathize with him. Like I said it comes down to trends -- are you normally reliable? Then call out, no worries.

 

[idkwhattodo]

so we had closers call out tonight because the weather was supposed to be bad. ice storms and icy roads were expected, but we got absolutely nothing. a good number of them called out first thing in the morning and then when nothing happened... we were pretty much screwed because it was actually busy seeing as it was a semi nice day and we had no team.

 

[Shani]

At my store, the farther you have to drive to get to work, the more lenient they are about it. It takes me less than 10 minutes to get to work, so not much of an excuse for me. Except for my giant driveway.
My apartment complex consists of two buildings with a very long, wide driveway and parking spaces on either side. Last winter when we got an unusually huge storm, I couldn't even back my car out of my parking space, much less actually get it down the driveway to the road (which also was not plowed). I had no choice but to call in.