By now, we’ve dispelled the notion that HR exists to protect or even help employees. They’re there to protect the company from the employees, if anything.
OP had been working for the same company for 5 years without a single write up. Then, the leave policy changed and they were given some vague instructions about how things would be going forward.
So I have been working for this huge Pharmaceutical manufacturing company for 5 years and have never had a write up.
In July they changed the attendance policy.
Our managers and supervisors came around and apologized for relaying the incorrect information about the new leave policy.
Then, OP had a rash of bad luck. Accidents, health issues, home repair emergencies, you name it. He took the leave he needed and then got back on track as soon as he was able.
At the end of August early September everything that could go wrong went wrong.
I got into an accident and didn’t have a car around the last week of August, first week of September my pipes under my house broke and I had no water for 2 days, then at the end of September I was at work got a migraine so bad I got physical sick and asked permission to leave work early (Which is an excused absences otherwise I’d be getting wrote up for job abandonment).
Normally I just suffer through my migraines.
First, with the new policy although we get sick time it is considered unexcused if we take it regardless of why we took it.
Second, our sick policy states if you are sick you have to leave immediately (we make intravenous meds)
Over a month later, he was given a written reprimand for a “pattern of leave abuse.” His boss couldn’t explain it and his manager said he should contact HR.
So all this happened in September, I walk into work the first week of November to a write up.
I ask my boss (who literally just started the job 30 days before) what it was for and he said HR told him to give it to me.
So I ask my manager and she says it’s because my absences are considered a pattern. I also asked what the statute of limitations was because October I didn’t miss a single day of work but got wrote up in November for August.
Anyways, I ask how an emergency can be patterns, she had no answer.
OP tried three times to set up meetings with HR, all of which were canceled. OP asked for answers to his questions in writing but never received an answer.
I set up a meeting with HR and she cancels on me on my off day (I’m not salary I don’t check my email on my off days….I only work 14 to 15 days a month)
Keep in mind I had to rearrange my schedule to even make the meeting.
I ask for another meeting (and that she call or text so that I can get it whether or not I worked that day) and HR sets a date, then cancels it almost immediately, again.
At this point I’m mad because I literally sent an email with 8 questions about the new policy I needed clarified but HR refused to reply in an email.
So, he had his doctor fill out FMLA paperwork. Problem solved, and now his job has to approve even more leave than they would have if they’d just answered his questions.
Anyways per the policy the only excused absences outside of planned vacation is FMLA.
So I contacted my doctor and put down every current health issue I’m dealing with and I get granted 5 days a month for intermittent leave for the next YEAR.
Now instead of my working 14/15 days a month I only work 9 or 10, all because HR wanted to be jerks.
They got what they asked for.
Boom.
The top comment says there’s probably a reason HR didn’t answer in writing.
In some states, though, there is a way around that.
There are so many people dealing with bad managers out there.
This person thinks other stuff about this story sounds sketchy as well.
I really hate that so many people know exactly how to deal with this.
Why can’t people just treat their employees fairly to begin with?
If you liked that post, check out this one about an employee that got revenge on HR when they refused to reimburse his travel.