Archived Legality of mandating reasons for swapping shifts?

[Berry Red]

My store just recently put up a sign after there were a lot of shifts up on Branch saying that you have to check in with a LOD before you put a shift up so they can decide if it is a good reason to do so.

Isn't this opening a big can of worms? If they can't legally ask you why you're calling in, how can they legally demand to know why you want to swap shifts or make a shift available? Aren't those things personal?

 

[Yetive]

They don't have to let you swap shifts at all. You were available, and you were scheduled.

 

[SFSFun]

What's not legal about it?

 

[HRZone]

They don't have to let you swap shifts at all. You were available, and you were scheduled.

Yeah some stores believe it or not don't use a swap shift board or branch. It's to the etl hrs discretion.

My store just recently put up a sign after there were a lot of shifts up on Branch saying that you have to check in with a LOD before you put a shift up so they can decide if it is a good reason to do so.

Yeah this is tricky for sure. I wonder if your store has a problem with weak performers picking up shifts the leadership wants their top players to work?

Decisions like this are a great opportunity for a hotline call or an anonymous submission to the website. No way for them to track who complained and it will get the HRBP involved in case they truly are overstepping their boundaries

 

[Berry Red]

Yes, that's what I meant by the legality part. If you've got a personal reason, it's just that - personal. Why should I be subject to the whims of whichever LOD or TL is there at the time?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

You could of requested the day off, in advance please. You need to call off, then.

 

[buliSBI]

You don't have to give specifics or even the truth.

Just report family obligation, personal matter, personal errands...

Or "I have to get a huge boil lanced."

 

[commiecorvus]

Or "I have to get a huge boil lanced."

Its on my ass and looks kind of like an ETL, very painful.

 

[Berry Red]

Its on my ass and looks kind of like an ETL, very painful.

Ha! That's a good one.

 

[Berry Red]

https://i.redd.it/4uj77ea6qwgz.png

This is actually the sign in question. I didn't post it on reddit, but I was sure surprised to see my store there!

 

[SFSFun]

https://i.redd.it/4uj77ea6qwgz.png

This is actually the sign in question. I didn't post it on reddit, but I was sure surprised to see my store there!

It sounds like someone is just butthurt that their "effective schedule" (which they likely spent a couple of days working on) keeps getting drastically changed by TMs swapping for the shifts they prefer.

People are just going to start calling out more often, so I doubt it's going to last long.

When asking to post a shift, just give a reason with the same amount of detail you would use if you were calling off. Say general things like I have family stuff or I'm trying to make plans that day.

 

[buliSBI]

Sounds like a ETL isn't confirming Swapped Shifts and putting the blame on TMs.

 

[Leo47]

For every single reason I would just say "I have a funeral to go to" or something. What are they gonna do, make you prove it too

 

[Kaitii]

For every single reason I would just say "I have a funeral to go to" or something. What are they gonna do, make you prove it too

They made a (now former) GSA at my store prove that her grandma died

 

[Leo47]

They made a (now former) GSA at my store prove that her grandma died

Wtf how do you prove that take a selfie with the coffin

 

[Yetive]

Death notice, funeral program. I've seen it as well.

 

[Kaitii]

Yeah, in her case she called out so many times for being sick, emergency, etc only to be seen on social media partying. So when she called out with that (also for a few extra days), HR was finally like wait wait wait we're gonna need some receipts here

 

[MrGSTLman]

We had a case in our store that the same three team members would suck up every shift before anyone had the chance to get to them, store didn't do anything about it mind you but it could be one of the reasons that particular store tried to put the kibosh on swap shifts.

 

[HRZone]

We had a case in our store that the same three team members would suck up every shift before anyone had the chance to get to them, store didn't do anything about it mind you but it could be one of the reasons that particular store tried to put the kibosh on swap shifts.

I get it but who cares as long as the shift is covered?

 

[MrGSTLman]

I get it but who cares as long as the shift is covered?

I felt the same way as you but it got to a point where some were working themselves to the point of exhaustion so that they'd then have to take two weeks off because they were over worked.

 

[redeye58]

We have a couple of TMs whose requests to pick up shifts are always denied.
Why? Because they always end up calling out or NCNS.

 

[HRZone]

We have a couple of TMs whose requests to pick up shifts are always denied.
Why? Because they always end up calling out or NCNS.

The one positive thing about branch at my old store was that our old etl HR would approve shifts from home (technically always on the clock) so people got an immediate response whether their shift was covered or not rather than waiting for an LOD.