Archived Getting coached for calling off.

[Breakeven]

I don't know if it's just my store or if every Target is doing this now. If you call off its an automatic coaching. I called off today because I wasn't feeling well and my LOD said to bring in a doctor's note so that it won't count against me. Now, my attendance isn't bad but why is Target or at least my store requiring a doctor's note for every call off? You can have great attendance for 6 months straight but if you call off once you get a coaching. The last time I called off I brought in the proper documentation from the hospital. One of my GSTLS attempted to coach me but didn't have any of my attendance right. I had to correct him and he ended up ripping the report and basically said it wasn't a coaching. What are everyone's thoughts on this?

 

[mandie89]

I can understand if you call off like three or four times a month or whatever... but once after six months? That seems a bit much.

 

[Breakeven]

I can understand if you call off like three or four times a month or whatever... but once after six months? That seems a bit much.

Exactly. My store was laid back with call offs at one point but these last two months or so they have been coaching everybody for calling off. It doesn't matter if you call off once in a blue moon. You will get coached. I can't wait to walk in tomorrow and probably get coached. I'm going to call out my TLs because they have a habit of calling off as well.

 

[GoodyNN]

If my menstrual cramps are strong enough that I can't drag my ass out of bed to go work through them, I'm sure as hell not gonna waste the money on a co-payment (which is almost as much money as I would bring home working that day) so I can get a doctor's note to say that I have cramps. Not to mention that if they're so bad I can't work, they're also so bad I can't drive to get to the doctor.

 

[Breakeven]

If my menstrual cramps are strong enough that I can't drag my ass out of bed to go work through them, I'm sure as hell not gonna waste the money on a co-payment (which is almost as much money as I would bring home working that day) so I can get a doctor's note to say that I have cramps.

Thank you. It's ridiculous what's going on at my store currently. I heard it's what corporate wants but I'm not buying that. I might call the hotline if this starts getting out of hand. I've even started coming in to work visibly sick because I don't want to get coached. I was sent home last week because I was really sick and my face was pale white. One of my GSTLS asked me why I didn't just call off. I told him because I didn't want to get coached.

 

[IWishIKnew]

I would suspect this plan will be short-lived. Coachings take time and effort, and if people at your store are calling off often enough for them to enact this harebrained policy, I doubt it will last long.

 

[GoodyNN]

On the other hand, and this is basically addressed above... I can understand TLs wanting to stress the importance of doing your job as expected. And when someone has a habit of calling off or showing up late, I absolutely agree that they should be coached. But for a first offense, this is ridiculous.

I'm going to call out my TLs because they have a habit of calling off as well.

Be careful with this, though. I've seen this backfire on too many people at too many different jobs. "How come I have to X when Y doesn't have to follow the same rules?" is not well taken by superiors, regardless of how true it is.

 

[Kartman]

I imagine it's the lowest level of coaching possible - perhaps no more than a "talking to" from a TL. I doubt anything will go in your record.

 

[GoodyNN]

Breakeven said in the OP that the GSTL had to rip up a report after he disputed the incorrect records. So yeah, they were intending to document that one. Although, it does make me wonder if they have him mixed up with someone else and that the written coaching is a case of mistaken identity.

 

[Breakeven]

On the other hand, and this is basically addressed above... I can understand TLs wanting to stress the importance of doing your job as expected. And when someone has a habit of calling off or showing up late, I absolutely agree that they should be coached. But for a first offense, this is ridiculous.

On the other hand, and this is basically addressed above... I can understand TLs wanting to stress the importance of doing your job as expected. And when someone has a habit of calling off or showing up late, I absolutely agree that they should be coached. But for a first offense, this is ridiculous.



Be careful with this, though. I've seen this backfire on too many people at too many different jobs. "How come I have to X when Y doesn't have to follow the same rules?" is not well taken by superiors, regardless of how true it is.

Thanks for the advice. I was a little heated lol. I just find it ridiculous what's going on at my store currently. I can see if it's a reoccurring thing but it's not. I almost always bring in documentation for when I call off. I just think it's extreme to have to bring in a doctor's note for every call off.

 

[Breakeven]

Breakeven said in the OP that the GSTL had to rip up a report after he disputed the incorrect records. So yeah, they were intending to document that one. Although, it does make me wonder if they have him mixed up with someone else and that the written coaching is a case of mistaken identity.

Every call off will lead to a coaching. Three call offs will lead to a final I believe.

 

[LearningTree]

LOD asking you to bring in a note doesn't mean it's going to be a coaching. Regardless of why/when you call off, it's still going to show on your attendance record. This is what your LOD means about it counting against your record. The only way for it to not count against you is if your bring in a doctor's note.

 

[tholmes]

I imagine it's the lowest level of coaching possible - perhaps no more than a "talking to" from a TL. I doubt anything will go in your record.

This is almost exactly how it is at my store, but ASANTS. Basically, they're doing the coaching so they can document that they did talk to you and so that they're not dishing out coachings unfairly. If they were to only coach the people that they saw as a problem, people would catch on quick and it'd be super biased. So, even if your attendance is great, they'll still chat with you as a "coaching" every time you have an attendance issue, but nothing more than that will ever come of it.

 

[Fluttervale]

We just started a new "system" of sorts for call outs.

If we have 2 call outs in 30 days the HR TM talks to the tm and makes sure that the tm has the correct availability in the system and that there isn't anything that might need addressing with the helpline or fmla. It is NOT a coaching and isn't intended to be. We want to set up our TMs for success and mistakes happen and we want to make sure they have everything they need to be successful.

Once we have established that, then the coaching process starts with leadership. I'm honestly not sure what the process is because it hasn't gotten to that point yet.

 

[HRLady]

I don't know if it's just my store or if every Target is doing this now. If you call off its an automatic coaching.

My store was laid back with call offs at one point but these last two months or so they have been coaching everybody for calling off. It doesn't matter if you call off once in a blue moon. You will get coached.

My store isn't doing this. We only coach when there are multiple absences within a short period of time.

Your leaders are allowed to coach for absences though. Based on what your wrote, it sounds like your store had major attendance issues due to being so relaxed so they started to crack down on call offs.

my LOD said to bring in a doctor's note so that it won't count against me. Now, my attendance isn't bad but why is Target or at least my store requiring a doctor's note for every call off?

It sounds like your store suspects that people are lying about not feeling well. They see a doctor's note as a legit proof that you weren't faking sick to avoid coming to work.

What are everyone's thoughts on this?

Breakeven, do you have sick time? Sick time offers you protection for that absence. If you want to avoid getting coached/written up, request to use sick time for that absence within 3 days of returning to work. You need to fill out a paper Time Off Request Form and give it to HR.

You might want to look into your state's laws regarding sick time as well. I looked into mine and learned that employers cannot require doctor's notes for using sick time. They have to take people's word for it. People are allowed to use sick time for their absences up until they reach the annual use limit.

 

[Breakeven]

My store isn't doing this. We only coach when there are multiple absences within a short period of time.

Your leaders are allowed to coach for absences though. Based on what your wrote, it sounds like your store had major attendance issues due to being so relaxed so they started to crack down on call offs.



It sounds like your store suspects that people are lying about not feeling well. They see a doctor's note as a legit proof that you weren't faking sick to avoid coming to work.



Breakeven, do you have sick time? Sick time offers you protection for that absence. If you want to avoid getting coached/written up, request to use sick time for that absence within 3 days of returning to work. You need to fill out a paper Time Off Request Form and give it to HR.

You might want to look into your state's laws regarding sick time as well. I looked into mine and learned that employers cannot require doctor's notes for using sick time. They have to take people's word for it. People are allowed to use sick time for their absences up until they reach the annual use limit.

See. I was under the impression that using sick time would cover my call off but I was told a while back that it doesn't. I'm still going to put in sick time for that day regardless.

 

[Breakeven]

Update: I ended up not getting coached. Someone ended up taking my shift yesterday. I'm still thinking of calling the hotline.

 

[HiddenPenguin]

LOD asking you to bring in a note doesn't mean it's going to be a coaching. Regardless of why/when you call off, it's still going to show on your attendance record. This is what your LOD means about it counting against your record. The only way for it to not count against you is if your bring in a doctor's note.

Your leaders are allowed to coach for absences though. Based on what your wrote, it sounds like your store had major attendance issues due to being so relaxed so they started to crack down on call offs.

It sounds like your store suspects that people are lying about not feeling well. They see a doctor's note as a legit proof that you weren't faking sick to avoid coming to work.

Breakeven, do you have sick time? Sick time offers you protection for that absence. If you want to avoid getting coached/written up, request to use sick time for that absence within 3 days of returning to work. You need to fill out a paper Time Off Request Form and give it to HR.

You might want to look into your state's laws regarding sick time as well. I looked into mine and learned that employers cannot require doctor's notes for using sick time. They have to take people's word for it. People are allowed to use sick time for their absences up until they reach the annual use limit.

Just for the sake of clarity... what about absences that aren't due to medical reasons, like a car accident or a burst pipe in the basement? Are you actually expected to submit some form of proof, to prevent it from "counting against your record"..?

(I assumed you can't apply sick time to those types of situations, but maybe I'm wrong?)

 

[Billybobjoe]

I started to hear this happening at our store also shortly before I quit. I’m not sure if it’s still like that, but my guess is Target is clamping down on call offs in a lot of stores simply because the current situation with hours, and short staffing. They simply can’t afford to have a call off with so few TMs and so little hours.

However, they obviously have no business coaching people for attendance who don’t have a pattern of absences. This is the result of frustrated ETLs and TLs trying to gain control of a situation that they are essentially powerless in.

Target already treats most of their employees like dirt, this is just icing on the cake.

 

[LearningTree]

Just for the sake of clarity... what about absences that aren't due to medical reasons, like a car accident or a burst pipe in the basement? Are you actually expected to submit some form of proof, to prevent it from "counting against your record"..?

(I assumed you can't apply sick time to those types of situations, but maybe I'm wrong?)

Unless your leader goes into mytime and deletes your shift, it will show you as absent, no matter the circumstance. Leaders don't delete shifts when there's a call out. They just mark it on the paper grid and let their teams know.

There are excused and unexcused absences. When your attendance is pulled for promotions, transfers, raises, corrective action, etc., your leader is interested in the amount of unexcused absences on your record. Now, unless you bring in a doctor's note, police report, court order, etc. backing up your excuse for calling out, it will be classified as an unexcused absence. When you bring in documentation (notes from parents do not count) then HR will go in and re-classify as excused.

Yes you're expected to submit proof if you don't want it to be unexcused. Why? Because we don't run on a system of honor codes and trust (if we did we wouldn't need a time clock). I wouldn't put it past most people to lie and say they got in an accident to avoid having to come to work.

 

[can't touch this]

At my store they tend to ignore callouts when payroll is tight because they'd much rather not pay you than pay you. They tend to look at attendance only if you're also having performance issues since it's the easiest way to get a paper trail going for termination. Sense of urgency is key, if you don't show it when you're here then they WILL write you a CCA for calling out a couple times, but if you do then they just ask what happened and shrug it off.

 

[NPC]

Yeah this isn't happening in my store since we always overspend on hours. I seriously wish we could coach, because our front end is HORRRIBLE with call outs. Within reason of course. Coaching for a callout when you don't have bad attendance is bullshit.

 

[HRLady]

Breakeven, do you have sick time? Sick time offers you protection for that absence. If you want to avoid getting coached/written up, request to use sick time for that absence within 3 days of returning to work. You need to fill out a paper Time Off Request Form and give it to HR.

See. I was under the impression that using sick time would cover my call off but I was told a while back that it doesn't. I'm still going to put in sick time for that day regardless.

Whoever told you that gave you bad information. Sick time does cover your absences.

Here is the information straight from the Time-off Program Guide:

 

[HRLady]

Just for the sake of clarity... what about absences that aren't due to medical reasons, like a car accident or a burst pipe in the basement? Are you actually expected to submit some form of proof, to prevent it from "counting against your record"..?

(I assumed you can't apply sick time to those types of situations, but maybe I'm wrong?)

ASANTS. At my store, we would just take down the reason that you gave us and makes a note of it on your time card. When we pull your attendance, it will say, "car accident," next to your absence.

No, sick time cannot be applied to these types of situations.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

We PDD every single call out and if there’s a pattern we issue a corrective. There is no policy for what’s a pattern so it differs for every person but you can easily tell if someone has an attendance issue that needs to be handled