Archived Some HR/Leadership/Policy Questions

[SobangchaPlz]

Hello all! Please refer to my original post regarding some backstory here if necessary

I am particularly interested in any portions of the handbook that can back any answers up. I have not been able to get a copy, being a former TM. Any scans of any pages would be great.

Now, here are my questions:

1. I was hired at one store back in 2011, separated after my two weeks on good terms in 2013, worked an entirely different job after leaving, and was hired as a new hire in 2014 at a different Target location. Would my orientation form be valid from my first store's orientation in 2011 for my recent store location in 2014? Meaning, would I need a separate orientation form for my new location? Does the form and any paperwork "stay on file" after I separate from the company?
2. When team members are coached, isn't there supposed to be a form signed about the actions discussed and taken? Are "Seek to Understand" conversations documented?
3. How are terminations handled or decided? I was found to have "voluntarily quit" after having two legitimate absences, both medically related, one with a doctor's note. I wouldn't consider myself to just up and quit after 2 years at that particular location, and after finding someone to cover a shift I was deemed 'NCNS' for. My coverage and doctor's note don't excuse me from that shift? Is it still a NCNS?
4. What is the policy regarding doctor's notes? Are they accepted by the company?
5. Am I at fault if STL's don't communicate with their ETL's regarding call-ins? Would this give them a reason to fire me for "job abandonment" if they didn't communicate....?
6. When former TM's file unemployment claims, what is the process like? I know for a fact Target has a third party company file things for them, but what amount of contribution does the particular store the former TM worked at have in the report?
7. What happens when you use the integrity hotline? Are stores just sent a summary of what is input and it is up to the STL to take action? Or is there a certain individual that follows up on these reports at particular stores?

I think that is all the questions for now... however I am sure i will have more. Thanks in advance everyone!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Did you transfer or quit?

 

[SobangchaPlz]

Did you transfer or quit?

Between my two stores?

I separated after working my 2 weeks for store 1.

I then was hired at a totally different employer, and separated from there.

I tried to come back to store 1, only to be told store 2 (most recent store) would accept me.

I would not call it a transfer, as I had to apply, go through 3 interviews, a drug test, and orientation with new TM's.

 

[HRZone]

• I was hired at one store back in 2011, separated after my two weeks on good terms in 2013, worked an entirely different job after leaving, and was hired as a new hire in 2014 at a different Target location. Would my orientation form be valid from my first store's orientation in 2011 for my recent store location in 2014? Meaning, would I need a separate orientation form for my new location? Does the form and any paperwork "stay on file" after I separate from the company?

Explain what you mean when you say orientation form.

• When team members are coached, isn't there supposed to be a form signed about the actions discussed and taken? Are "Seek to Understand" conversations documented?

Yes ETL-HR's keep these. I believe they send a copy to corporate.

• How are terminations handled or decided? I was found to have "voluntarily quit" after having two legitimate absences, both medically related, one with a doctor's note. I wouldn't consider myself to just up and quit after 2 years at that particular location, and after finding someone to cover a shift I was deemed 'NCNS' for. My coverage and doctor's note don't excuse me from that shift? Is it still a NCNS?

Hard to know, not being at your store. If you were termed I would assume there were some other issues, I don't know your record if you were habitually late or had other issues. They have to give a detailed reason when they terminate you though so you could contact Target HROC for more information.

• What is the policy regarding doctor's notes? Are they accepted by the company?

If you had a doctor's note you should have probably called out more than an hour before your shift. However if your illness causes you to constantly call out, it's better to pursue a leave of absence. There are more protections and they are handled by Target's contracted HR Hewitt.

• Am I at fault if STL's don't communicate with their ETL's regarding call-ins? Would this give them a reason to fire me for "job abandonment" if they didn't communicate....?

According to the handbook job abandonment is missing three shifts in a row without a call. Again I would be curious about more details to your story, they can't job abandon you for two shifts.

• When former TM's file unemployment claims, what is the process like? I know for a fact Target has a third party company file things for them, but what amount of contribution does the particular store the former TM worked at have in the report?

This is the one thing Target cannot BS, they ask for proof of attendance issues, coaching, issues. When people file unemployment we have to show records that they were constantly late or missed work. Your store does not make the actual decision whether you get unemployment or not.

 

[Dc26]

It's not elementary school, a doctor's note doesn't make an absence okay. If you have a disability you should have filed for FMLA. Whether it's short term or intermittent it's there to protect you so you don't lose your job if your absent due to a disability. The actual stores normally have to submit documentation for any unemployment cases and hearings. Coaching forms aren't given to team members to sign, just CCAs are.

 

[SobangchaPlz]

Explain what you mean when you say orientation form.

When I was initially hired, one of the papers I signed was an 'Orientation checklist' (that's what it says at the top), has a bunch of boxes regarding going over everything. In Target's side of the unemployment appeal, my form from my first store was included showing I acknowledge all the forms and things dealing with the company.

I asked how this was relevant at my hearing, and my ETL-HR said that even though I left the company, that form stays and applies to ALL locations I work at.

Hard to know, not being at your store. If you were termed I would assume there were some other issues, I don't know your record if you were habitually late or had other issues. They have to give a detailed reason when they terminate you though so you could contact Target HROC for more information.

My time sheet they printed from Corporate shows 'LATE IN' for time lengths of about 8 minutes, however I made sure to stay a few minutes to wrap up projects or hand off GSTL keys, and made up for the times. I also have a shift labeled 'UNSCHEDULED', a day I came in to cover a shift when asked.

After explaining the above, my ETL-HR made sure to tell me and the hearing officer that staying late is robbing to company of time and payroll...

Yes, doctor's notes are accepted. However if your illness causes you to constantly call out, it's better to pursue a leave of absence.

It is not an illness that would require me LOA in my opinion, if I were more educated on FMLA or even presented it as an option, then I would not be in this boat. My symptoms were merely worse because of a cold and would not allow me to work that day, and I explained that to my STL. If I remember correctly, I even offered to come in on any of my next 3 days off, as they were consecutive. Unfortunately for me, there's no such type of record of that phone call, and I am not even sure where the STL has gone since all of management is at their new locations.

According to the handbook job abandonment is missing three shifts in a row without a call. Again I would be curious about more details to your story, they can't job abandon you for two shifts.

Would you happen to have a handbook, or a page number I can jot down for this as I figure out how to obtain a handbook? Is there a PM option here? I'd be more than happy to send you the time sheet that was submitted that ultimately denied me my benefits apparently, as well as what disability I am dealing with and extra information.

The time sheet Corporation submitted shows my dental appointment as a NCNS. Okay, fair enough, I did fail to call, or show up, so a NCNS, but I helped them out by arranging coverage, and I got a note. They are also counting my shift I left sick as a NCNS, even though I worked some of that shift after being denied my call-in.

There are 3 dates in particular that this third party mention that I am assuming my claim was denied based on. However when I had my appeal, my ETL-HR verbally confirmed that my final day of work was indeed before these 3 consecutive NCNS shifts.

This is the one thing Target cannot BS, they ask for proof of attendance issues, coaching, issues. When people file unemployment we have to show records that they were constantly late or missed work. Your store does not make the actual decision whether you get unemployment or not.

I am just confused as to why all these forms submitted by the third party were USED to make my unemployment decision, yet when I tried to bring them up in the appeal, I was unable to use them as the third party was not present. Instead, my ETLs picked apart my statement, bringing up points that didnt even make sense. I had slim pickings when I was given a chance to question my ETL-HR, and my ETL-GE was also in attendance and claimed that we had a "seek to understand". Also I do not see how I would be able to be termed without having any coaching or prior warnings on file about anything.

 

[SobangchaPlz]

It's not elementary school, a doctor's note doesn't make an absence okay. If you have a disability you should have filed for FMLA. Whether it's short term or intermittent it's there to protect you so you don't lose your job if your absent due to a disability. The actual stores normally have to submit documentation for any unemployment cases and hearings. Coaching forms aren't given to team members to sign, just CCAs are.

I understand this, and I wish I was more educated on FMLA, I wouldve filed it in a heartbeat. When I was hired, I was only 19, and Target was my first job. I was just excited to work at Target, and a new store opening lol. I didn't think to read every single piece of information as indepth as I should have.

I am wondering if there is a form I signed about FMLA, or a film I watched about it. Apparently I checked off that I acknowledge it, but who am I to believe that when there are modifications and mistakes on my orientation checklist?

 

[TM2]

As far as the shift you "found coverage for", it is still your responsibility unless an lod signed off on it.

 

[SobangchaPlz]

As far as the shift you "found coverage for", it is still your responsibility unless an lod signed off on it.

Now here's a confusing bit: My ETL-HR confirmed it was my responsibility to find coverage for the shift, yet when asked if it still counted against me even though I found said coverage, I was informed yes it was counted against me. How much sense does that make? I was basically told that I did the right thing according to them, but its still wrong apparently.

And wouldn't you agree though that I really wasn't intending on quitting if I found coverage for my shift? If I wanted to quit in the manner they're making it seem, I would walk out without informing anyone of anything. Its very frustrating. I have reached out to the integrity hotline about the situation, so we will see what becomes of it.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Did you talk to your stl about it too?

 

[SobangchaPlz]

Did you talk to your stl about it too?

I never had an opportunity to talk to the STL after I was termed, I was there for a closing shift, and the STL was long gone. Im sure the STL would have agreed with me being termed anyway, since they were the one that would not take my call-in. I told my ETL-GE, and ETL-HR when they termed me that I called in to the STL, and asked if they were informed of my call-in. But communication obviously wasn't a priority at that store.