Why would they fire someone for this?
I currently work at a AT&T Call Center, they have a policy of "NO SICK DAYS". You can take a sick day, but when you come back they are writing you up, no matter what. 3 write ups and you are fired. If you are over a minute late, that's also a write up.
Basically what I'm asking is, can they honestly fire you for being sick 3 times? (It's not like 3 times in a month, it can stay on your record for 1-3 years). They permit NO sick days, they say if you have a fever of 105 you better be there, if you are in a car accident before work you better be there.
Is this really okay to do to the employees?
Answers:
No it's not
It's against all human rights and they would lose any cases that went to work.
In fact their contracts are almost certainly illegal if they state that.
If it is their policy, then it is so. There are no legal barriers here. The only way around it would be to unionize.
I don't understand how they can be like that and keep employees at a call center.
No not ethicaly. And at least in the state of Missouri all employers are required to at the least give there employees like a month of leave of absent time without it affecting there jobs. Maybe you should talk to your better business bureo, or something like that I cant remember what it is called right now.
My daughter worked for a company like that. I don't see how that can be legal, but we're an "at will" state so even if you challenge them on something like that and win, they can just fire you anyway.
added: just did a bit more searching, and this is a common practice called "no fault attendance policy"
In my opinion i would totally think that is crazy you cant have any sick days. I mean the at&t call center must have hundreds of people working in the first place. I think they should change that the average person gets sick about 1 time a year. And i think you should try and call someone from the executive branch and ask them why this is a rule and complain until you get some answers. That is insane you can get fired for that.
you should probably talk to someone in the Human Resources department regarding the sick leave policy. but to answer your question... yes, employers (especially bad supervisors) can set rules. Make sure HR is aware and ask if it's Policy or a "rule" made up by the immediate supervisor.
Please note the federal government has mandated FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) which prevents employers from firing individuals if they are sick. check with your HR department.
I don't think this is ok, sick is sick, if it is valid(you presented a medical certificate) they should not give you a warning or write-ups. I think you need to consult your government's labor department if they permitted this weird "NO SICK DAYS"
Hell naw!! You can turn them into the Better Business Bureau!! That is ludacris. I can just imagine, I'm sorry my arm had to be reattached after I was in a car accident and my surgery took too long. I know I'm a minute but it was hard to drive with fresh stiches. I violates the Family Medical Leave Act and a bunch of others. You all should get an attorney.
Only if you are dumb enough to give into their demands. Have yet to have an employer mess with me in this manner, yet I've seen many co-workers abused in this manner which they take it up the butt and don't complain.
Most likely you were hired as an "at will" employee, meaning they continue to emply you at their will. Under this standing, they can fire you for anything they desire except for something you have legal protection, such as complaining about sexual harassment, for being in a protecting class, etc.
Also under this standing, you continue to work there at your will. You have no obligation to notify them before quitting. You work there because you choose to work there & when you choose to no longer work there, you leave at your own will.
I have read where companies whose employees unionize usually deserve it. This sounds like a good example.
I personally do not want to be there a day or two after an employee comes to work with the intestinal flu so as to obey the policy. The poor janitorial staff would be sooooo busy cleaning up. Just think of all the infected employees who would have a GREAT workers comp claim. And if I am right, they cannot fire you for being off work due to a work related illness or injury while their workers comp premiums go higher & higher due to the number of claims.
Sound like fun?
OK since some wonder about the status of an "at-will" employee, check the link below. It is true an employee has some protection but that is very limited as you can read for yourself. Under the circumstances in the question, about the only protection I see is possibly family medical leave.
You can also get legal info on "at-will" employment & legal standing for firing - for absolutely no reason - at the 2nd link.
That sounds violation of rights. It is dangerous for others if people come to work while sick.
Most of the time policies like this are in place to fire people they want to fire for other reasons. If you are exceeding quota regulary, they're not going to get rid of you.
Oh man, no! I know US law with respect to employment is less forgiving than Aussie law, but our call centre industry award allows employees 1 day paid sick leave per month, then if all personal (sick or carer's leave) is used up, they are entitled to at least 2 days unpaid leave per occasion (more as negotiated with employer). This doesn't hold for casual employees, but they're paid 25% over the full-time hourly rate to compensate for this.
Most employers I have ever spoken to say that the cost of recruiting and training new staff is more than the cost of paying for sick leave, so they're happy to accommodate a 'fair' amount of sick leave.
In other words,
Solution:
Move to Australia!
What state are you in?
Some states are right to work states and some are not. In a right to work state your job is considered yours and cause must be used to terminate. I am guessing you are not in a right to work state in that case you are on your own.
A couple of things here. NO MATTER if you are in a hire-at-will state or NOT, they are still obligated under EEOC and Federal Labor laws about what they can and cannot do. Now, first of all, you didn't mention your state so my first suggestion is to contact your state labor board either by phone, letter or website. The second place you should check immediately is the EEOC. They discuss at-will states as well and what is allowed and what is not.
http://www.eeoc.gov
I live in an at-will state and have helped several employees WRONGFULLY TERMINATED collect on mediation.
Of course its not.
I remember readingin the paper several years ago where one of the major airlines (maybe United, but just maybe) that had a call center like that and where they traeted people like cattle.
Some employee who was fired unfairly for being sick a couple of times even though she had a doctors note. There was something about people getting written up because they exceeded the alotted 10 minute restroom break time.
She contacted a major newspaper (The Washington Post) and they got on it. The airline maintained it was in company policies that the empoyees signed and agreed to. But in the end they had to pay out millions in fines and damages to people and the goverment. They had to spend untold millions changing their policies and in money just spent in dealing with all of this.
But biggest was I read somewhere a few years later that in the end the company lost untold revenue. Because apparently a lot of people after reading this having the choice of two airlines would pick the other even if they paid $50 more. The article was talking about how once a brand is sullied it sticks in peoples mind even unconsciously.
And to top it of it effected contract negotiations with other types of employees. And then even in other types of jobs hiring became an issue.
I wonder how AT&T would react if this was known by the general public. Recently there was that all over TV furor about the new iPods that only work on the AT&T network. I bet with a few discreet phone calls some journalist would jump on your issue.
Unfortunately, you knew the policy when you agreed to become an employee. No, I don't think it's fare but, you were told before you began a days work.
Check with your state laws and especially with the labor law of your state. If you know of other disgruntled employees, you may be able to pursue this in a greater way. If they are this bad about sick days, how do they handle breaks and working under age employees (teenagers) or women/men. With enough information you may have a case, and maybe even a lawsuit.
Listen, very few of us realize that we have very, very few protections when it come to employers. Unless your state or federal laws prohibit it.
This is why unions are important in the workplace.
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