employee memo

[Monday Morning Sportswriter]

Just curious -- what are the health benefits like? Does a doctor visit actually cost you money?

I think it's a stupid policy, and the company should have dealt with it by dealing with the people who abused it before it got to this point. But if that's how it is, then that's how it is. I'm not sure I'd quit over it.

Anyway, if you're sick, call in sick, then call the doctor and explain the situation. If you're sick they'll probably write a note. No big deal.

As for the personal days, oh well. Not everyplace offers personal days. If mine did, I'd say thank you for the extra days off without pay and follow the rules to get them.

It's never fun to have limits put on benefits, or benefits curtailed, but you can always go work somewhere else if it's that important to you.

 

[Ace]

Just curious -- what are the health benefits like? Does a doctor visit actually cost you money?

I think it's a stupid policy, and the company should have dealt with it by dealing with the people who abused it before it got to this point. But if that's how it is, then that's how it is. I'm not sure I'd quit over it.

Anyway, if you're sick, call in sick, then call the doctor and explain the situation. If you're sick they'll probably write a note. No big deal.

As for the personal days, oh well. Not everyplace offers personal days. If mine did, I'd say thank you for the extra days off without pay and follow the rules to get them.

It's never fun to have limits put on benefits, or benefits curtailed, but you can always go work somewhere else if it's that important to you.

Wow. I didn't think anyone would stick up for these draconian measures.

What makes you think people were abusing the situation? They are so short-staffed they have to schedule off days three weeks in advance to avoid OT? Sounds like a razor-thin staff more than employee lollygagging.

Oh, and where do your work, MMSW, that you aren't aware of co-payments for doctor visits? I'd say the average is about $20 these days.

 

[Terd Ferguson]

Why not discipline and/or fire the people who abuse the system? That would send a pretty clear message of how the system should be used without implementing this sort of drivel. Oh, wait, the ability to have knee-jerk reactions with no regard for the employees is a prerequisite for managment (and not just in journalism).

Thank God for most of the bosses I've had.

 

[joe_schmoe]

Why not discipline and/or fire the people who abuse the system? That would send a pretty clear message of how the system should be used without implementing this sort of drivel. Oh, wait, the ability to have knee-jerk reactions with no regard for the employees is a prerequisite for managment (and not just in journalism).

Thank God for most of the bosses I've had.

Because in most states, you'd have to be able to prove they abused the system. You can't just fire someone for using their sick/personal days unless you have solid proof they were not sick when they called in sick.
You implement a policy like this, that helps you prove your case when you do fire them. We have a lady here who uses all ten sick days, most on Friday (she's a M-F 9 to 5er), and while we all know good and well half those days she's not sick but you have to have more than "we all know good and well" to can her.
Heck, for all we know she could be Catholic (which she is, although legally that's none of our business) and be too weak on Fridays when she cant eat meat.

 

[Monday Morning Sportswriter]

Just curious -- what are the health benefits like? Does a doctor visit actually cost you money?

I think it's a stupid policy, and the company should have dealt with it by dealing with the people who abused it before it got to this point. But if that's how it is, then that's how it is. I'm not sure I'd quit over it.

Anyway, if you're sick, call in sick, then call the doctor and explain the situation. If you're sick they'll probably write a note. No big deal.

As for the personal days, oh well. Not everyplace offers personal days. If mine did, I'd say thank you for the extra days off without pay and follow the rules to get them.

It's never fun to have limits put on benefits, or benefits curtailed, but you can always go work somewhere else if it's that important to you.

Oh, and where do your work, MMSW, that you aren't aware of co-payments for doctor visits? I'd say the average is about $20 these days.

At my last stop, we had someone who got "the flu" for five consecutive days, twice a year, always at the same time. You could never reach her at home. But she'd call once a day to say she wasn't coming in.

They now require doctor notes if you're out for more than two days. I needed to get one a few years ago when I was out with something and the receptionist quickly scribbled something. I didn't have to pay a dime.

And yes, I pay co-pays, but I haven't always had to. Two stops ago I paid nothing. Same with the place before. Both were chains, by the way.

As for the personal day thing, I can understand not being happy about restrictions now being on them, but I don't get them to begin with. So I, personally, would be grateful if the company offered me more days off, provided I followed their instructions.

Nobody has to agree with me. And nobody has to like the way it is. But you can always go somewhere else. Personal days aren't guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. If you don't like how it is in your shop, find another place where there are no restrictions.

 

[Ace]

Why not discipline and/or fire the people who abuse the system? That would send a pretty clear message of how the system should be used without implementing this sort of drivel. Oh, wait, the ability to have knee-jerk reactions with no regard for the employees is a prerequisite for managment (and not just in journalism).

Thank God for most of the bosses I've had.

Because in most states, you'd have to be able to prove they abused the system. You can't just fire someone for using their sick/personal days unless you have solid proof they were not sick when they called in sick.
You implement a policy like this, that helps you prove your case when you do fire them. We have a lady here who uses all ten sick days, most on Friday (she's a M-F 9 to 5er), and while we all know good and well half those days she's not sick but you have to have more than "we all know good and well" to can her.
Heck, for all we know she could be Catholic (which she is, although legally that's none of our business) and be too weak on Fridays when she cant eat meat.

A good company would deal with that by not making them "sick" days but by giving employees a batch of personal time or whatever.

You can call this woman a slacker, but others would say people who don't use sick days are fools, especially if the company doesn't compensate you for it.

The best companies give you the days and let you schedule some -- or all -- in advance. That way, you can plan for Ms. Friday Off or say, "Hey, we can't do this Friday, how about next week?"

You also don't have to feel guilty for calling in "sick" when you may need to stay home because your kid is ill.

 

[Ace]

Just curious -- what are the health benefits like? Does a doctor visit actually cost you money?

I think it's a stupid policy, and the company should have dealt with it by dealing with the people who abused it before it got to this point. But if that's how it is, then that's how it is. I'm not sure I'd quit over it.

Anyway, if you're sick, call in sick, then call the doctor and explain the situation. If you're sick they'll probably write a note. No big deal.

As for the personal days, oh well. Not everyplace offers personal days. If mine did, I'd say thank you for the extra days off without pay and follow the rules to get them.

It's never fun to have limits put on benefits, or benefits curtailed, but you can always go work somewhere else if it's that important to you.

Oh, and where do your work, MMSW, that you aren't aware of co-payments for doctor visits? I'd say the average is about $20 these days.

At my last stop, we had someone who got "the flu" for five consecutive days, twice a year, always at the same time. You could never reach her at home. But she'd call once a day to say she wasn't coming in.

They now require doctor notes if you're out for more than two days. I needed to get one a few years ago when I was out with something and the receptionist quickly scribbled something. I didn't have to pay a dime.

And yes, I pay co-pays, but I haven't always had to. Two stops ago I paid nothing. Same with the place before. Both were chains, by the way.

As for the personal day thing, I can understand not being happy about restrictions now being on them, but I don't get them to begin with. So I, personally, would be grateful if the company offered me more days off, provided I followed their instructions.

Nobody has to agree with me. And nobody has to like the way it is. But you can always go somewhere else. Personal days aren't guaranteed in the Bill of Rights. If you don't like how it is in your shop, find another place where there are no restrictions.

I'd say your place is just asking for it if they give employees 10 sick days a year, as your example would suggest.

 

[Terd Ferguson]

Why not discipline and/or fire the people who abuse the system? That would send a pretty clear message of how the system should be used without implementing this sort of drivel. Oh, wait, the ability to have knee-jerk reactions with no regard for the employees is a prerequisite for management (and not just in journalism).

Thank God for most of the bosses I've had.

Because in most states, you'd have to be able to prove they abused the system. You can't just fire someone for using their sick/personal days unless you have solid proof they were not sick when they called in sick.
You implement a policy like this, that helps you prove your case when you do fire them. We have a lady here who uses all ten sick days, most on Friday (she's a M-F 9 to 5er), and while we all know good and well half those days she's not sick but you have to have more than "we all know good and well" to can her.
Heck, for all we know she could be Catholic (which she is, although legally that's none of our business) and be too weak on Fridays when she cant eat meat.

A good company would deal with that by not making them "sick" days but by giving employees a batch of personal time or whatever.

You can call this woman a slacker, but others would say people who don't use sick days are fools, especially if the company doesn't compensate you for it.

The best companies give you the days and let you schedule some -- or all -- in advance. That way, you can plan for Ms. Friday Off or say, "Hey, we can't do this Friday, how about next week?"

You also don't have to feel guilty for calling in "sick" when you may need to stay home because your kid is ill.

Count me among those who think it's foolish not to use any and all days the company gives you to take off. I'm not about to feel guilty for taking time off I have earned/the company has granted me/. Lord knows they won't feel guilty about asking you to work overtime without compensation.

I have a friend outside of this business who is granted three weeks or so of vacation. He never uses more than 2 or 3 days (rarely consecutively) because he's scared to death that missing work will cause him to be fired because he's missed his sales quotas. I try to explain to him that if he doesn't take the time off, he'll get burned out and bitter, which will effect his performance and ability to work far more than taking a week off in June will.

What a miserable exsistance. [not that his antecdote has anythign to do with antyhing]

 

[Monday Morning Sportswriter]

Count me among those who think it's foolish not to use any and all days the company gives you to take off. I'm not about to feel guilty for taking time off I have earned/the company has granted me.

As long as you don't lie, calling in sick when you're not, I'm in agreement 100 percent.

 

[joe_schmoe]

Why not discipline and/or fire the people who abuse the system? That would send a pretty clear message of how the system should be used without implementing this sort of drivel. Oh, wait, the ability to have knee-jerk reactions with no regard for the employees is a prerequisite for managment (and not just in journalism).

Thank God for most of the bosses I've had.

Because in most states, you'd have to be able to prove they abused the system. You can't just fire someone for using their sick/personal days unless you have solid proof they were not sick when they called in sick.
You implement a policy like this, that helps you prove your case when you do fire them. We have a lady here who uses all ten sick days, most on Friday (she's a M-F 9 to 5er), and while we all know good and well half those days she's not sick but you have to have more than "we all know good and well" to can her.
Heck, for all we know she could be Catholic (which she is, although legally that's none of our business) and be too weak on Fridays when she cant eat meat.

A good company would deal with that by not making them "sick" days but by giving employees a batch of personal time or whatever.

You can call this woman a slacker, but others would say people who don't use sick days are fools, especially if the company doesn't compensate you for it.

The best companies give you the days and let you schedule some -- or all -- in advance. That way, you can plan for Ms. Friday Off or say, "Hey, we can't do this Friday, how about next week?"

You also don't have to feel guilty for calling in "sick" when you may need to stay home because your kid is ill.

I totally agree. I'm in favor of the system change, I was just answering why you can't discipline these people.
I'd rather have a personal day system, especially since I've only used two sick days in the past five years.

Honestly, the lady in mys story, I don't know what exactly she does, but some people I talk to consider her a slacker when she's here, so her being gone is probably an improvement.

Not only would it be beneficial for them to be personal days, in the scenario you described...parents with sick children...but there was a day a couple years ago where I had a water pipe busted and had to spend the day cleaning water and repairing the line. I wasn't really sick, just annoyed.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Word around the office, in the first two weeks of the new policy, is that most (almost all) personal day requests have been denied.

Word also is, that the policy wasn't the idea of the publisher (although he is all for it), but was handed down to him from higher up the corporate ladder.

i hope your resume is polished and in the mail. for your company to exert that much control over your life, you've gotta really love your job.

I also hope your resume is polished. ... Because if anyone at that joint reads this site, and if they are as heavyhanded as said memo's author, you're going to be on your can in no time.

Assuming they can figure out which of their employees posted that. There's nothing truly identifying in it.

Just wondering: Is it a chain that rhymes with "granite" or "urinal semester aberration?"

 

[MU_was_not_so_hard]

Not to stir the pot unnecessarily, but how many of you guys actually use "sick days" anyway? And how many of you just have PTO days lumped together?
I'm in the latter category.