Chickensh*t company policies

[gino_aki]

So why is it that when times get tight companies start thinking up all these bs ways to think they are going to save money but just cause more aggravation and morale problems. For years, nay decades, we've been able to bring in the "doctor's note" to verify our "sickness" at the return to work. Since we don't get paid for the first day out (unless we use a day's vacation) a lot of us don't go to the doctor on that first day, mostly because if we're feeling better we'll go to work the next day and all's good, right?... whether we eat the day with no pay or take that day vacation.

Now the company has taken the position that they won't pay for sick leave unless they have the "note" in hand on the day it's valid for...meaning you have to have your physician's office fax it over (mine's at Kaiser, that'll be fun seeing to that) or you have to get it there yourself. What if you can't get it in because you're hospitalized or incapable? I can just see my wife trying to deal with that let alone trying to remember to get the "note" in. I know they think they will close down some of their perceived "abuses" of the sick leave policy, but I can see guys deciding to take all the day's off allotted on the "note" rather than cutting it off and coming back in when they feel better.

Oh, and if you have something like chronic bronchitis that hits you every year say like during flu season, you now have to have that "verified" by your doctor also or else the company will accuse you of having a "pattern" of abuse.

You know, when the company's stock price was at $135 and change none of this was necessary, the market flubs it and the price drops and we gotta pay with putting up with chickensh*t that doesn't accomplish anything and may actually cost them more.

[Canuck223]

I have a generous sick time plan. If you are a good employee, you'll never have to worry about your pay if you fall ill in your later years of employment. If that never happens, you can potentially get a 6 month pay check when you retire.

Like all good things in life, it's open to abuse by the stupid among us. The employer finally brought in an attendance management program. You'd think the earth was coming to an end.

[el pres]

Thats really not that bad ?? My company used to give us something like a sick day every 2 months

accumilating. We could use them when we wanted after the first day sick. Then about

last Feburary they said there will be "NO" more sick days and what we have accumilated

will turn into 1/6th value in one month and they dont recomend useing them all in the

next month as this will be grounds for termination !! Nice huh ??

That coupled with many other implamented policies makes for great morale at my job !!

[atbarr]

The main thing a lot of American companies have forgot is, they are not only competing against other companies for sales, they are competing for good employees.

A.T.

[JFlowers]

Many times these types of corporate policies are unsupported by the employment laws in the state. The company banks on the fact that most employees with bitch and gripe but will follow the policy and no one will push the issue. And working as an HR/Benefits/Payroll consultant I have seen some policies that are so blatant and 99% of the time they get away with it.

In fact one of the dumbest things most employers do is tell an employee why they are fired. In an "At Will" work state a reason is completely unneeded and typically comes back to bite you when the employee goes to the State Unemployment Commission.

As an employee you need to know what rights the law gives you, and its different at the Federal, State, and Local levels.

[Flatland Shooter]

The main thing a lot of American companies have forgot is, they are not only competing against other companies for sales, they are competing for good employees.

A.T.

But that still leaves retirees out in the cold.

I retired from a "family oriented" company a few years back after over 22 years service. For well over 35 years the retirement plan was cast in stone. Not the best plan out there, but good enough to keep us around back when they really needed us.

After "new" management came in to takeover from the older retiring management, the game plan was to force retire a number of senior employees replacing them with some of their hand picked former employees. Once they got rid of as many as they wanted, the changes to the retirement plan started and was made retroactive to not only the long term current employees but also all of the retirees.

Many years ago when the company needed top people, they teased us with good benefit plans. This was their excuse for slightly sub-par compensation packages. "We don't look at just the employee's salary, we look at the whole package."

Its not a case where this company has fallen on hard times. The CEO/President now makes far more than he did when he signed on and the company's earnings reports, though not as good as their peer companies, shows continued increase in profits.

Its a case where the people who helped make the company over the past 40 years or more are no longer wanted. Any money spent on the retirees is just an expense that adversely affects how much the new management can pilfer from the company.

Just my humble, but pissed off opinion.

[ima45dv8]

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[Canuck223]

A similar bit of stupidity was the change in policy at a friends employer a few years back. Previously they had 8 paid sick days a year. The company changed policys, still keeping the 8 sick days, but adding a requirement to take a day without pay prior to claiming a sick day.

Obvious result, anyone sick enough to call in sick was automaticly off for two days minimum.

My uncles old employer had every employee banking 2.5 hours a week unpaid, for 8 lieu days a year to be used for Dr. appointment or other lifestyle impediments to attending work. Only unit managers were instructed to get employees to use lieu days instead of sick days when sick, by any means, fair or foul.

[el pres]

Many times these types of corporate policies are unsupported by the employment laws in the state. The company banks on the fact that most employees with bitch and gripe but will follow the policy and no one will push the issue. And working as an HR/Benefits/Payroll consultant I have seen some policies that are so blatant and 99% of the time they get away with it.

In fact one of the dumbest things most employers do is tell an employee why they are fired. In an "At Will" work state a reason is completely unneeded and typically comes back to bite you when the employee goes to the State Unemployment Commission.

As an employee you need to know what rights the law gives you, and its different at the Federal, State, and Local levels.

So how do you find out just what rights one has in a perticular area ? I work for a dealership and we have

a newer policy that cannot be right. It was against the law in California where I use to live but here they

just do whatever they want.

If I replace a bad part on a car and the factory denies the claim for whatever reason (they have previously

picked a part out random, stated that paperwork was missing or that the part was not bad) then if we did our

homework we would find that they did'nt even request the part back, it was scrapped in "our" dumpster (ie. random

pick). Then the dealership thinks that "I" will be reinbursing them back for the part off of my paycheck and I will

also be loosing the labor I was paid previously. This never flys with me because I call their bluff and simply refuse

to sign anything (oneday it will get me) but some guys not as secure about their position have forked over up to

$1500.00 off of their check. And usually for these guys, "that is their check" ...

Not to do a complete hijack but "YES" I hate my job !!