Archived Missing Work Due to Inclement Weather

[RedSpotTM]

Since winter is just around the corner, I have a question.

What is Target's policy on calling in to miss work due to inclement weather causing poor and hazardous road conditions?

Could this put a bad mark on my record if I call in each time there are icy and snow-covered roads? Could they cut back my hours? Winter weather is unpredictable, and I have to commute an hour to work.

RedSpotTM

 

[Nauzhror]

Uhh, calling off every time there's snow on the road? I'd get fired by the end of December if I tried that in my state. Snow in Winter is a given.

 

[mrknownothing]

In my neck of the woods, there's always snow due to the lake effect. And my store is in the 'burbs, so the majority of roads in the surrounding area get plowed and salted. But if there's a really bad snowstorm, then you'd likely be off the hook.

 

[commiecorvus]

I live in Alaska.
You'd be fired in a week if you tried that.

 

[Signkitty]

My car is very old (very paid off) and does not do well in ice or snow. If i don't think I will make it in I call out. They don't pay me enough to replace it if I got into an accident.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Make sure you call in. See the number below.

 

[Nauzhror]

My car is very old (very paid off) and does not do well in ice or snow. If i don't think I will make it in I call out. They don't pay me enough to replace it if I got into an accident.

I didn't mean to suggest you should risk winding up in a ditch instead of coming in, but at the same time if you're a decent driver snow is not difficult to drive in unless there's tons of it.

Last year our STL called to tell our LOD to send anyone that wanted to go home home and that if everyone wanted to leave to close when there was a blizzard being forecasted.

We wound up staying open with me (the only cashier that stayed, I was supposed to leae at 6 PM, I volunteered to close instead since the closers wanted to leave), a GSA, 1 ETL, and 1 sales floor TM, with starbucks and food ave closing. I was still able to get home perfectly safely and with little fuss. If the roads are dangerous enough that you can't safely get to work, odds are your store isn't open anyway.

 

[Mhugh220]

Our stores in the district only close for state-of-emergencies. It really depends on the ETL if they allow TMs to call out during bad weather without repremand. Most of the ETLs lived at least 30 minutes away so if we can make it so could the TMs that lived in the same town as the store. If public transportation was shut down then they had a valid excuse since most TMs road the bus/metro.

 

[dabeastfromtheeast]

As a TM who's been in places where lots of snow is the norm and others where it's semi-rare, it sort of depends on your part of the country. If you normally get lots of snow, it'll probably be frowned upon to call out. Where I live now, six inches=state of emergency, so when it snows and people call out, no one bats an eye. That said, if you can't make it, call the LOD/TL so they know.

 

[whippingboy]

I'm in California. It snowed once two years ago and I couldn't get out of my front door let alone my driveway. Granted, it was only 7 inches, but still... I called out and so did everyone else. No one got reprimanded; there were no guests shopping until hours after open when it melted. I suppose it's situational; do it once and see what happens. They can't fire you the first time.

 

[Best TM NA]

Hey man I hear you . I live in [Undisclosed State] and sometimes the sun shines so bright I have to call off. The streets are actually too clean and the weather is a whopping 74 degrees. I frequently call off due to inclimate weather and clean streets. But its ok the LODs understand this also.

 

[Amaazingdude]

Since winter is just around the corner, I have a question.

What is Target's policy on calling in to miss work due to inclement weather causing poor and hazardous road conditions?

Could this put a bad mark on my record if I call in each time there are icy and snow-covered roads? Could they cut back my hours? Winter weather is unpredictable, and I have to commute an hour to work.

RedSpotTM

It will count as a regular call out. Last winter my STL let team members sleep in the store overnight so they wouldn't miss there shifts in the following day. Just think about it..if everyone called out...there will be no one to run the store. You could consider staying at a local hotel or sleeping in your car overnight.

 

[signingminion]

I've only called out in the blizzard we got two years ago. We were on the beach and they literally closed every road around us as they were low and had tidal flooding like crazy. I drive with hubby in the jeep the day before and the only team leads that made it the next day lived very close or had spent the night in a hotel on spots dollar.

 

[Mhugh220]

Target is known for putting up TMs at a neighboring hotel if they can't get home. If you can't make it please don't risk driving in bad weather. Just call out. If your leaders have any human in them they'll understand.

 

[tgtguy]

Target is known for putting up TMs at a neighboring hotel if they can't get home. If you can't make it please don't risk driving in bad weather. Just call out. If your leaders have any human in them they'll understand.

I wish my store was like this.

 

[tgtguy]

I live in a part of the country where we don't get a lot of snow ( or other forms of frozen precip) We usually get about one decent snowfall per winter....maybe about three inches. I will also ad that even a inch pretty much shuts the whole town down...we just don't know how todrive in the stuff. They will treat the main roads with a brine solution and if its bad enough will scrape the main roads but making it to the main roads can be a chore . I have slid into the ditch...and slid through several stop signs trying to make my way to work. Now, that I am older and a little wiser...and realize that at Spot we are not saving lives...I will not risk my life to get there...or the life of someone else. I call in if the weather gets bad and if I am there and its starts getting bad...I tell them I need to go home ( I will also add that I live 30 minutes from work and out in the country). I have overheard Tls and etls run down ppl who call out in the event of bad weather...what did tgtguy do? He made a call to the hotline. No one should be made to feel like they have to risk their lives to get to work..yes some people may lie and just use it as an excuse...but don't hold that against those who are honest. If I chose to call out...I will call the etl and let them know...I am telling them I wont be there...not asking them for permisson

 

[tgtguy]

Since winter is just around the corner, I have a question.

What is Target's policy on calling in to miss work due to inclement weather causing poor and hazardous road conditions?

Could this put a bad mark on my record if I call in each time there are icy and snow-covered roads? Could they cut back my hours? Winter weather is unpredictable, and I have to commute an hour to work.

RedSpotTM

It will count as a regular call out. Last winter my STL let team members sleep in the store overnight so they wouldn't miss there shifts in the following day. Just think about it..if everyone called out...there will be no one to run the store. You could consider staying at a local hotel or sleeping in your car overnight.

I am not going to sleep in my car just so that I can make a shift at spot.....even after 18 years I am just not that dedicated...and I wouldn't dream of spending the night in the store.. ...the etls and stl can spend the night in the store or get a motel room....that's why they get the big bucks.

 

[Nauzhror]

Since winter is just around the corner, I have a question.

What is Target's policy on calling in to miss work due to inclement weather causing poor and hazardous road conditions?

Could this put a bad mark on my record if I call in each time there are icy and snow-covered roads? Could they cut back my hours? Winter weather is unpredictable, and I have to commute an hour to work.

RedSpotTM

It will count as a regular call out. Last winter my STL let team members sleep in the store overnight so they wouldn't miss there shifts in the following day. Just think about it..if everyone called out...there will be no one to run the store. You could consider staying at a local hotel or sleeping in your car overnight.

I'd call out long before I'd pay for a hotel room. I don't even make the cost of a hotel room when working for a day.

 

[PinkZinnia]

When we have snowstorms, A couple of etl's and tm's with 4 wheel drive will pick up tm's who rely on public transportation or are afraid to drive in bad weather. Sadly I don't think the new etl's would do that.
I have picked up and or driven people home for the same reason.
A couple of years ago I was closing on Christmas Eve with another cashier. It was snowing and she was waiting for a taxi to take her home. Of course I had her call to cancel the taxi. The roads were treacherous. who knows if the cab would have shown up, or how much they would have charged her. It was only a little bit out of my way. How heartless would that have been of me to say "have a nice Christmas", get in my car and drive away with her sitting there waiting.

 

[Triscuit]

My car is very old (very paid off) and does not do well in ice or snow. If i don't think I will make it in I call out. They don't pay me enough to replace it if I got into an accident.

I didn't mean to suggest you should risk winding up in a ditch instead of coming in, but at the same time if you're a decent driver snow is not difficult to drive in unless there's tons of it.

Last year our STL called to tell our LOD to send anyone that wanted to go home home and that if everyone wanted to leave to close when there was a blizzard being forecasted.

We wound up staying open with me (the only cashier that stayed, I was supposed to leae at 6 PM, I volunteered to close instead since the closers wanted to leave), a GSA, 1 ETL, and 1 sales floor TM, with starbucks and food ave closing. I was still able to get home perfectly safely and with little fuss. If the roads are dangerous enough that you can't safely get to work, odds are your store isn't open anyway.

Our store has never closed due to bad weather. Last year the snow went up to my knees when I went outside and the snow plows had not been down my street yet. I tried to get my car out to go to work but I didnt even make it out of my driveway. I got a family member to pick me up who drives a big jeep to tke me to work, but i was pretty much the only one that showed up to work. The roads were covered in snow and 90% of the workers called off, but we still opened.

 

[Nauzhror]

I've offered to drive TM's home, apparently I'm unapproachable or something though

Had a younger cashier, not sure how old she is, but at least 18 as I don't have to help her sell alcohol who needed a ride home. She asked one of the older female cashiers if she could get a ride. The older lady said yes, but suggested that it might be better if I gave her a ride because I left when the girl that needed a ride did so she wouldn't have to sit around and wait. I was more than wiling to drive her home, but she still opted to sit around for almost 2 hours after clocking out and have the other cashier drive her home instead.

 

[redeye58]

I'm lucky enough to live in an area that seldom sees snow.
The few times it's piled up, I was close to get there safely.
I've also given rides home to stranded TMs.

 

[commiecorvus]

I don't drive, I ride a bicycle.
Yes, even in the winter, fat tires and studs rule.
I've ridden in snow storms and ice storms.
I certainly don't recommend it for everyone, in fact chances are I probably wouldn't do it myself if I hadn't chosen not to drive for medical reasons.
Always remember; one -5F winter morning as I'm waiting for the light to change, this super lean type with his REI gear and $6,000 bike pulls up next to me and shouts, "Isn't this a great lifestyle?"
All I could think was "Speak for yourself dude, all I want to do is get to work without my eyes freezing open."

 

[Jill of All Trades]

They'll put a keyholder up at a hotel at my store, but nobody else.

I had to call out when the parking lot at my apartment complex was impossible to get out of (ice + hill) and they just told me to come in when I could. I got in an hour late (after the sand truck came through) and was treated like visiting royalty when I arrived. Apparently everyone else called out for similar reasons but nobody else came in.

 

[tgtguy]

Since winter is just around the corner, I have a question.

What is Target's policy on calling in to miss work due to inclement weather causing poor and hazardous road conditions?

Could this put a bad mark on my record if I call in each time there are icy and snow-covered roads? Could they cut back my hours? Winter weather is unpredictable, and I have to commute an hour to work.

RedSpotTM

The way I see it is like this. You are responsible for you and your well being. If you feel unsafe about driving in the snow/ice...then its your choice to make as to whether go in or not. You shouldn't feel as though you HAVE to or you will be fired or shamed. If you are driving into work and total your car ( on ice or snow) Spot isn't going to say oh well at least you were trying to get here....lets us help you with those repairs. More than likely, if you called while stranded in the ditch they would say Oh, get here when you can. Selling detergent and toothpaste isn't worth risking your life or someone elses for ....and If you do have to call out for bad weather and anyone says anything to you...call the hotline.