Archived Calling out....

[BullseyeFlunkie]

So I have a question....
I was told by my STL yesterday that we hold our team accountable for calling out sick, but not weather-related call-outs. Is this true? So if I'm sick and it just happens to be on a snow day, I can say my car is stuck or I'm not shoveled out of my parking lot, I'm ok regarding repercussions? Ok so more questions lol here's another...
Have a doctors note if you're out sick, but doctors notes don't actually save you. But you MUST bring one in. Help?lol I'm trying to understand the reasoning here. Cuz if it's a legit sickness, you're screwed. If you're in the hospital, you're screwed. If you just don't feel like driving in the snow...like who wants to...then it's ok?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Every store is different. Call your store. My store doesn't ask why you are calling out, they make you feel guilty for calling out. If there a lot of snow, you might want to say, because of snow.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

Every store is different. Call your store. My store doesn't ask why you are calling out, they make you feel guilty for calling out. If there a lot of snow, you might want to say, because of snow.

You are not oblighted to give any reason for calling out. You're only obligation to to inform them.

In the case of a serious illness, you would set up intermittent leave via fmla and use that to call out to avoid any repercussions.

 

[Retail Girl]

My stor didn't accept doctor's notes.

 

[GlitterBerries]

I was sick for 3 days and had a doctors note and everything was fine, I was still hired on.. so I think it's by store.

 

[CsideMaster]

Yeah my store doesn't accept doctors notes either but each time I've given one, they've taken it to make a copy, I guess maybe to cover me. Any time I've called out sick, I've given a reason out of courtesy but you aren't obligated to.

 

[Txcpht]

My stor didn't accept doctor's notes.

This seems like a ridiculous policy to me. I completely understand that there are people who call in excessively, but you shouldn't pressure sick people to come to work.

When I worked on the salesfloor there was a time that I came to work 4 straight days being sick. On the 4th day I left early to go to the doctor and found out I had the flu. Who knows how many guests and team members caught it because I came to work sick? I kept coming to work those 4 days because of pressure from management.

In the pharmacy I send sick people home and ask them not to come back until they are well. Sick people aren't super productive anyway.

 

[GlitterBerries]

When I was sick I had to go to urgent care and let them know, once I found out I was super sick they told me not to come in, the Dr said to not go in either because I would have gotten other people sick. I think it depends on the management at every store. The management at mine seems to truly care about people (as long as its not excessive call ins which I totally get). They even got coverage for 2 extra days (the 3 total) and told me to take it easy and don't worry. They were shocked I even brought in a drs note.

 

[thetargetman]

The way I viewed it was if you call out every now and than you have no obligation what so ever to say why you need to call out. Now if you have a serious medical problem or you have problems that require you to miss a lot of days of work than you need to partner with your TL and HR so they know what is going on with you.

 

[RightArm]

ASANTS and all but in my store if you call off for three days or more in a row then you have to have a doctor's note when you come back.

 

[Loki]

At my store there's never any asking why you're calling out they just want to know when your shift is so they can get someone to cover you. They understand for the most part but it's the same as what RightArm said if you're out sick for 3 days or more they do want a doctor's note.

 

[Doglover89]

At my store, you are always asked what is wrong and if there is anyway you could come in a little late rather than not making it in at all. It made me a little uncomfortable the time I called out because I was very sick. That was not enough of an explanation; I had to give more detail.

 

[see spot save]

I get sick hours for a reason, and when I'm too sick to work I'm going to use some. It's not my fault that the stores are so understaffed that one call out completely cripples an entire team.

 

[TallAPGuy]

At my store, you are always asked what is wrong and if there is anyway you could come in a little late rather than not making it in at all. It made me a little uncomfortable the time I called out because I was very sick. That was not enough of an explanation; I had to give more detail.

Haven't had that happen here, but at a previous job I had to call out, and the call taker wanted me to explain, and just saying that I was sick wasn't good enough. Nor was saying goes that I was having digestive tract issues. So I lost my shit and told him in exact detail why I couldn't come in. He hung up on me and never questioned why again.

 

[Kartman]

I don't understand this "doctor's note" bullshit. OK, I'm feeling like shit with flu symptoms... am I supposed to go the an ER to get medicine and a "doctor's note???" Who the hell does that? I get Vick's Formula, chicken soup and ride it out.

I'm not paying ER fees just because I've got the flu orrrrrrr whatnot!

 

[dani346]

i called out yesterday due to extreme cramps from my period and the guy asked why i was calling out, i just said i wasn't feeling good at all, and that was good enough for him. no one should need to know the full in depth reason you're calling out, it's none of their business and some things are personal.

 

[mrknownothing]

Haven't had that happen here, but at a previous job I had to call out, and the call taker wanted me to explain, and just saying that I was sick wasn't good enough. Nor was saying goes that I was having digestive tract issues. So I lost my shit and told him in exact detail why I couldn't come in. He hung up on me and never questioned why again.

I see what you did there.

 

[TallAPGuy]

I see what you did there.

😛

 

[thetargetman]

I remember one year I was sick on my couch for 4 straight days. I only missed two days of work but still when they saw me on my first day back and how I sounded on the phone they cut me some slack.

 

[WinterRose]

I hardly called off because it's such a hassle. I think I called off 3 times last year, I can't remember the 1st time but I couldn't get a ride for the 2nd one bec my car broke down and the second one was bec I broke my back. I call out during the 1st week of this year but I came to work sick the previous day and they saw and heard my voice so I guess they didn't give me grief when I called out sick the next day.

I think we only need the doctor's not after the 3rd time we called off. It was that way from 3 other companies I had worked for.

 

[GlitterBerries]

I don't understand this "doctor's note" bullshit. OK, I'm feeling like shit with flu symptoms... am I supposed to go the an ER to get medicine and a "doctor's note???" Who the hell does that? I get Vick's Formula, chicken soup and ride it out.

I'm not paying ER fees just because I've got the flu orrrrrrr whatnot!

I had to go to urgent care because it was so far beyond the flu. I couldn't even stand up without blacking out and coughing up blood.. But yeah regular flu, cold etc is pointless to go to the ER

 

[sher]

Probably differs because of state laws and what not, but my hr says they're not supposed to ask you why you're calling out and they're not supposed to ask for doctors notes, but if you volunteer one, they'll take it. I think they can ask for a sick note after X amount of missed days, but I don't remember what X is.

I only ever told them about why I was calling out during the time when I had c. Diff (another one of them digestive tract syndromes) because I was being guilted by LODs.

 

[tgtguy]

When you are calling out you are not asking for Spots permission you are simply letting them know you are not coming in and or you will be late. The few times I have called out I will just say this is tgtguy and I am not feeling well and will not be in today. If its weather related I will just say the roads are bad I am not coming in. More times than not they are so tired of taking weather related call outs at the point they just say ok and hang up. If you ever get flack for calling out due to icy roads etc call the hotline ...trust me that nips it in the bud ( in my Barney Fife voice)