Can anyone help I've just been giving a written warning...

Bongofish

Hi all.

So I've worked for my company for just over 2 years. I've just been given a warning over absence.

The 2 main things that have annoyed me about this are...

I fell off a bike on a family outing 4 weeks ago and broke a rib. My work is very physical and the doctor gave me 3 weeks off work. The doctor wanted to give me more time off but I knew work was struggling so thought I would try and get back and help. I was meant to start back at work on Monday when on Sunday night I caught my daughter's stomach bug and had the next 24 hours next to the toilet being sick. Very unfortunate timing to say the least. However my employer is saying this now classes as two separate absences venue though I never went back to work? I went back ok no Tuesday

He is a new manager that has started and obviously wants to throw his weight about. But I have no previous warnings or anything and never had a meeting or any suggestion that I could be getting a warning. The new manager says it's not his fault the old manager did not do his job properly but now with these 2 abscenses (which I think is 1) it's put me in a written warning stage.

Can this be done. This is a multi national company with probably 1000 employees. It's not my fault either that the previous manager did not do his job properly but the new manager just says he apologizes for that but that's not his fault.

Please any help whether I should appeal because he said I could do but it can also go the other way with a sneidy look on his face.

sangie595

Yes it can be done. It's perfectly lawful. It's also perfectly common. Your manager is correct - if this is company policy then it is not his fault that your previous manager was not doing their job properly. It is not throwing around his weight to obey company rules. He is also correct in that toy can appeal, but you may like the outcome even less. Check the policy, but it's likely he's going to be found to be correct.

ReadingTim

Depends on what your company's sickness policy says, which none of us know. You might want to take a look at it though.

As for the instances of absence, I think that as it's 2 very separate things (ribs, guts) with no link between them, you're going to struggle to claim it as one, even though one ran on from the other, and consequently, the letter, like the toilet trips, are just unfortunate timing...

Also, again as set out in your company's sickness policy, such written warnings tend to expire after a set period of time (a year or two usually), so unless you're someone who's prone to such bouts of sickness, this letter is not going to be a permanent blot on your copybook, and is a minor irritation at best.

Bongofish

I think it's just annoying as her litter ally said to me if you would have just had an extra week off with your ribs we wouldn't be sat here now. But because I was trying to come back early to help the company and didn't take the extended sick note the doctor suggested I'm now on a written warning. It's just crazy. My company would rather you take more time off and not recognize someone coming back early to try and help.

sangie595

Bongofish wrote: »

I think it's just annoying as her litter ally said to me if you would have just had an extra week off with your ribs we wouldn't be sat here now. But because I was trying to come back early to help the company and didn't take the extended sick note the doctor suggested I'm now on a written warning. It's just crazy. My company would rather you take more time off and not recognize someone coming back early to try and help.

But that's not her fault is it? Her job is to operate within company policy. Why are you blaming her for doing so? You seem to be talking this very personally against her, when all she is doing is (a) her job and (b) giving you facts. You don't like those facts, fine, but take that up with the company. To be honest, you seem to be making this into something personal, because your old manager appears to have not done their job. It's not personal.

PasturesNew

If you work well and keep your nose clean, this simple following of procedures is nothing to worry about ...

The system is in place to ensure that slackers don't get away with swinging the lead repeatedly and, should they discover somebody's been taking the mick then all the paperwork trail is established and in place for them to speedily take that person to task over it and get shot.

Bongofish

No but I'm only 32 and more think it should be looked at on a personal level. If they can see I've made an effort to try and come back well before I should have done with a broken rib why use having the last day off sick with a stomach bug a separate occasion? I've helped them out why couldn't he help me out. All this policy !!!!!!!! and political correctness is ruining work. If he would have done that I would have helped out with overtime and throwing him extra hours here and there and going the extra mile. All they have achieved by doing what there doing is now they have an employee who thinks the company is !!!! and will not do anything more than I have to now in future. And in the future when ill after 6 months when warning has dropped off. I'll take aslong as I can off. Seems like a poor outcome for everyone

custardy

Bongofish wrote: »

No but I'm only 32 and more think it should be looked at on a personal level. If they can see I've made an effort to try and come back well before I should have done with a broken rib why use having the last day off sick with a stomach bug a separate occasion? I've helped them out why couldn't he help me out. All this policy !!!!!!!! and political correctness is ruining work. If he would have done that I would have helped out with overtime and throwing him extra hours here and there and going the extra mile. All they have achieved by doing what there doing is now they have an employee who thinks the company is !!!! and will not do anything more than I have to now in future. And in the future when ill after 6 months when warning has dropped off. I'll take aslong as I can off. Seems like a poor outcome for everyone

Its a sickness policy.
The whole point is to make handling of sick and even handed policy.
Should someone who does overtime (as an example) get a pass when they are sick vs someone who has to be home for thier kids and finish on time?
You are 32 but coming over like this is your first job. As to the final part in red.
The part where effort and opinions come in is when you go up the sickness policy into dismissal zones.
Work the policy to its max and then suffer (for example) broken ribs so you trigger the policy.
Then your entire sickness record will be reviewed.

My advice,grow up and move on.

Les79

Bongofish wrote: »

Hi all.

So I've worked for my company for just over 2 years. I've just been given a warning over absence.

Meh, a warning is no big deal. As long as you try and improve your absence you'll generally be fine.

I fell off a bike on a family outing 4 weeks ago and broke a rib.

Is that your employer's fault? No.

Also, any negligence on your part? It is a moot question like, but generally if you operate a bike correctly you don't end up with broken ribs...

But even so, accidents happen so understandable that you took time off.

The doctor wanted to give me more time off but I knew work was struggling so thought I would try and get back and help.

A bit reckless if you've broken a rib and your job is "very physical". You could aggravate the injury and end up being off for LONGER. You follow football? Same principle like, play an injured player and you run the risk of losing them for half the season, whereas waiting for them to fully heal is usually better.

You probably should have listened to your doctor to be fair...

I was meant to start back at work on Monday when on Sunday night I caught my daughter's stomach bug and had the next 24 hours next to the toilet being sick. Very unfortunate timing to say the least. However my employer is saying this now classes as two separate absences venue though I never went back to work? I went back ok no Tuesday

Indeed it is unfortunate, but in hindsight something that probably shouldn't have come up (if you had followed the doctor's advice).

The 2x absences is a bit contentious, but I can fully see it from the employer's perspective. You were off for X time for broken rib, then Y time for stomach bug. So two different reasons for being off.

The employer was expecting you in on the Monday as your "broken ribs" sickness expired but then the stomach bug started.

He is a new manager that has started and obviously wants to throw his weight about.

As many do.

But I have no previous warnings or anything and never had a meeting or any suggestion that I could be getting a warning.

Well, now you do

The new manager says it's not his fault the old manager did not do his job properly but now with these 2 abscenses (which I think is 1) it's put me in a written warning stage.

If that is as per the company handbook then you can have no complaints (aside from contending the 2 instances part).

The previous manager probably would have let people in your shoes slip through the net, but as long as the new boss treats you as per the handbook/rules (or more favourably) then you have no complaint.

Can this be done. This is a multi national company with probably 1000 employees. It's not my fault either that the previous manager did not do his job properly but the new manager just says he apologizes for that but that's not his fault.

HR department may be helpful if you go in for an "informal chat". They work for the employer so don't go in all guns blazing, but they may well be willing to discuss it with you. Asking for mediation between yourself and the new manager may help to clarify some of the finer points if you so desire. Personally, I wouldn't but it is an option...

Ultimately, though, I think you've just got to "take your 'beating' like a [wo]man" (to coin a very outdated phrase, with an equality twist). Written warning is almost like toilet paper in the grand scheme of things, it is just a tool used to crack down on, and discourage, workplace issues (unless you take it further and make a big deal out of it, paint a target on your back etc).

You just need to ensure that you keep off their radar for a bit, by doing things such as:

- Reducing (6-12 months usually) your number of absences/sicknesses.

- Considering whether you could improve on your own safety with regards to seemingly non-dangerous activities.

- Following your doctor's advice.

Ozzuk

Look at in another way. A warning isn't a punishment. It is an indicator that if you keep doing what you are doing the there could be much more serious repercussions.

An analogy, doctor tells you if you don't lose weight you'll die. So you take the warning and change/improve. The company want you to be productive, they don't want to dismiss you so are telling you what you need to do to avoid that.

It may not feel fair, but looking at it that way may soften the blow.

Bongofish

Les79 and ozzuk yous both made alot of sense....especially you Les. I tend to get worked up quick and then get stressed. I still find it hard that I tried to help a company by putting my health on the line and the discipline d me for it but I guess we are in the 21st century. Thank you both. And ozzuk that genuinely does make me feel better.

Don't know if it's too old school and doesn't happen any ore since our last manager left but I would prefer a manager to call me a lazy !!!! and give me the worst job for a few days if he was unhappy with me and then all be under the bridge. Hate the paper trials and policy ways. But it is what it is.