Call in procedure

txls · Aug 26, 2013

Our policy for calling in sick says call your manager at home, then "as a courtesy also call the business office." We have an individual who failed once before to call the office. She was given a copy of the policy with that portion high-lited and a note on it that said "please be courteous." Once again she failed to call the office. Because of the way it's worded "as a courtesy," would you call this a failure to follow call in procedure? Or should we reissue the policy and change the wording?

hrforme · Aug 26, 2013

I would reissue the policy without that wording. It's just too relative and doesn't really add anything. And it would avoid any issues in the future.

However, you can (and should) hold her to that standard especially since it was already explained to her once that she was supposed to call both places. She couldn't claim she didn't know.

Betty3 · Aug 26, 2013

Actually, it was a failure to follow call-in procedure (particularly since she didn't call in twice to the office) though it could be worded better.

ferretrick · Aug 26, 2013

I would change the wording, but I also wouldn't accept it as an excuse this time when you explained it verbally to her last time.

cynthiag · Aug 26, 2013

Agreed with the others. I would definitely change the wording of the policy, and since she had already had it explained to her the first time, I wouldn't accept it as an excuse for doing it a second time.

I guess I'm pretty jaded after all my years of doing HR, but I find that asking somebody to do something as a courtesy and to be courteous just doesn't mean much to some people, and you're likely to get better results by just having a policy that says "this is what you have to do".

txls · Aug 26, 2013

I've never had a problem with this before and this person has been with me long enough to know that when I "ask" them to do something, it really means "do it!" We've also had many discussions where they've all been told, "when I tell you something, I expect you to listen. But by gosh, when I go to the trouble to put something in writing, there are no excuses." What made it worse is that she didn't actually reach me to talk to me, she left a message which she couldn't be sure I would get in time (and I didn't get until 30 min after her start time,) so here we were wondering where she was. So we are definitely having a serious discussion, however she is currently on FMLA intermittent so I want to be a little extra cautious.

lda01 · Aug 26, 2013

"As a courtesy" = "It's optional" I have enough trouble getting people to make one call-in, much less two.
good luck

Betty3 · Aug 26, 2013

I can see/understand you being a little extra cautious due to intermittent FMLA but she is still required to follow normal call in policies.

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Call in procedure

txls Law Topic Starter Well-Known Member

hrforme Active Member

Betty3 Super Moderator

ferretrick Member

cynthiag Active Member

txls Law Topic Starter Well-Known Member

lda01 New Member

Betty3 Super Moderator

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