fired from job
patriotic
request time off work
spend time with husband in military
tactics against employees
Was this fair?
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
United States
July 6, 2008 6:38pm CST
When I was at work last night, I found out that a fellow associate was fired.
The gal had previously asked if she could have some time off so that she could spend more time with her husband who will be going to Afghanistan in a few weeks. She was denied the request. She is still in her probation period and is not 'eligible' for requested time off.
I heard that she had asked again a few days ago and was told again that she couldn't. She told them she was going to take that time off anyway to which she was told that she was no longer needed.
The company I work for is "supposedly" people friendly and "patriotic". I do know that the company does take an interest in several charitable causes. But I do think that the company should also take an interest in its own associates' personal causes. After all, this gal's husband is in the military, which is about as patriotic as you can get!!
There are several people on my shift who are quite upset about the decision that was made by the company. They even suggested that the gal take her story to the newspaper to expose yet another tactic this company uses against its employees. Whether she will or not, I don't know.
I can see both 'sides' to this. The company has to follow its policies and procedures. The associate wants to spend time with her husband before he goes somewhere that he may not even come home from.
What are your thoughts on this?
6 people like this
13 responses
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
6 Jul 08
I think the company should made an exception for this young lady. Now she has to face her husband going away, as well as being unemployed.
Many companies these days, are only thinking about their bottom line, and not their employees.
I think she should take it to the media, expose this company. I worked for a company that would allow you to take 24 hours off even if you were still on probation, you would just have a negative vacation balance, and if you quit or was terminated before you were eligible for vacation, it would be deducted out of your last check.
They could have done something like that for her.
I wish her the best.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Now the store will have to replace her along with a few others, too. I hope the best for her, too.
2 people like this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
7 Jul 08
How much time did she request to be off? The company would have to arrange for her to be covered by someone else during her time off. They do have to stick to their policies -- policies to which employees agree when they accept the job offer. HOWEVER, they could make some sort of allowance, you'd think.
She did put her family (husband) first and even sacrificed her job for him. I hope she can find another job soon, and I hope he comes home safely!
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Oh, I was thinking the other employees could have maybe stepped in and offered to cover her shifts for her without pay for themselves, but letting her have the pay so that she wouldn't have missed out and maybe the employees could have negotiated with the company in this way to hold her job for her.
Since she has lost the job, maybe the employees could all get together and raise some funds for her and bring this to the forefront of attention and it might help her get job offers coming out of the woodwork!
2 people like this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Yes, I would assume, at this point, that she would wait to begin a new job after he leaves. That is why I thought a little fundraising from fellow employees would be a nice gesture. And, notes of encouragement while he is gone would be nice, too. She's going to be lonely, scared, and have to deal with everything on top of that.
1 person likes this
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
It is my understanding that she originally requested up to two weeks time off. We are short-handed now so the arrangement of covering for her is near impossible.
She did put her husband first and I feel she was right in that.
Like you, I hope he comes home safely, too.
I'll bring it up at work about raising a small fund for her, but I know that won't cover everything. It would be the least we could do to show her our support.
I hate it that she lost her job and I hope that she can find another one soon. Although, she might wait until after her husband goes to Afghanistan.
2 people like this
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
7 Jul 08
IF they have a written policy stating that there is a designated probation period, and new employees are not allowed to take time off, then they had every legal right to let her go.
Yes, people should be allowed time off to spend with family, but businesses also have to be able to rely on their employees. Having a job is not something you take lightly. You do have to play by the rules, and I am sorry, but she should have sucked it up until her probation period is over. You need to learn some responsibility and how to manage your job and your life at home. If this job had too many hours for her, she should have taken a different job that was more flexible or was part time. Her boss has expectations and if she didn't meet them, he can fire her and find someone who will.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
8 Jul 08
You are right, Cassidy. A job is not something to take lightly. Juggling several roles in life is definitely a learning experience.
@djmarion (4898)
• Philippines
7 Jul 08
i understand that the company has to follow certain rules and regulation but i don't agree with what they did, that employee could be and asset to the company and so the company really lost one of its greatest employees.
sometimes a company needs to take care of the welfare of its employees to and that includes emotional welfare, they deserve a break and i guess the company should give that specially when important matters arise.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Djmarion, she was a very good asset. It's going to be hard to replace her. It has just got to be a very emotional thing to go through with your spouse going to country that is in an upheaval.
@roberten (3128)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Oh my, Wally World at it again! Yes, I know lots of people who work there and this is similar policy they have in place. Although the dismissal is legal, it is not very moral but that is the price one pays for working at "this" firm. Welcome to military mind set in the civilian workplace--it's their way or the highway. There seems to be a silent attitude that they do not employ, they indenture. This was probably a blessing for your former coworker; maybe she will find a more compassionate employer.
1 person likes this
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Perhaps she should have been more up front with the company when she was hired and they could have made arrangements at that time. As one who has been a regular employee, a manager, and a business owner, I can see all sides of this. I do think the company would have been better off trying to accommodate the employee. It could have earned them better PR from customers and employees.
1 person likes this
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
8 Jul 08
Oh wow Kenzie. Even one hour is not enough for a doctor's appointment!!! Did you get to go through with the application process again and how did it come out?
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Companies do have rules. I was once in a 12 week training program for one of the big phone companies in the mid-west. Half way through, I had chest pains one night and was taken to the hospital. I missed one day of training. Even though I ranked the highest on my tests in my training class, the rules said that one could not miss more than one hour (for a doc appointment) in the 12 week training program. At the end of the 12 weeks, I would have been part of the union and they would have helped me. But the rules were the rules. I was asked to re-apply and was told that I would certainly get in a future training class.
1 person likes this
@Marley76 (109)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Maybe it was her attitude that got her fired. Saying I am going to take the time off anyway. Is not a very good way to go about it. She was still in her probation period and that shows an employer that they might have problems with this person in the future. You said that you were short handed and that probably had a lot to do with them denying her leave in the first place. Not that they were just un-patriotic or just to be mean. You said yourself there would be no way to cover her.
Maybe if you and fellow co-workers went to management with her and explain that you would all be willing to let her go on vacation and pick up some of her work. The outcome might have been different. It would have let managment know that you guys are behind her and support her taking the some time off, but work would still be done. Which is what the company really cares about. As a manager I would have listened to that more than "I am taking time off wether you like it or not."
@cutepenguin (6431)
• Canada
7 Jul 08
I think this is unfair on the part of the company. I can see how a company has policies, but each person is an individual and each situation is unique. While they would not want to make an exception for everyone, this person's situation was/is clearly not one that is going to happen to everyone. Nor is it a situation that is going to happen to her again. It seems like they were firing her because she put her husband before the company, and a family friendly, patriotic company should make it possible for employees to do so in special circumstances.
@James72 (26790)
• Australia
7 Jul 08
As with everything there are always two perspectives here. (As you have already mentioned at the end of your post). Companies need to be firm on policies otherwise policies end up being abused. It is like precedents in law; once a precedent has been set then others will use that precedent to further their own cause! It is unfortunate that this has happened and given that her husband is about to leave to serve his country you would hope that an employer would be more flexible. Even if they had of allowed her to take the time off without pay it would have been a more positive outcome for everybody concerned. Maybe she chose to take on a negative attitude as well? I don't know. But I can definitely relate to both points of view here.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Yes, Irishidid, unfortunately, that is true. I guess that many employers would feel that if allowances made for one, they would have to made for all.
@Alucifer89 (292)
• India
7 Jul 08
Well, definitely a hard one to call on. The company has a right to follow its rules and procedures no matter who is concerned. The soldiers and their direct families already get many benefits (at least here, dont know about US) .. so private companies dont need to follow.
HOWEVER ... If the company has been publicly claiming to be a patriotic and people friendly company, they made an error in judgement. If the girl takes her story out, it'd be bad publicity. More appropriate i think would've letting her take the time off but also mentioning she 'HAS' to do certain extra work. This way, they could still claim to be patriotic and people friendly.
@latriciajones (846)
• United States
7 Jul 08
i understand that if the company is always talking about how patriotic they are then it would have been nice of them to allow her the time off. but at the same time if its not really on paper that they are patriotic then you cant argue with them on that. and if the companies policies say that she cant take any time off during her 90 day probation period then she has to respect the papers
@calajane (1003)
• Poland
7 Jul 08
Ouch. While I am completely against military conflicts, I think one should support the boys and girls in the military forces, because they are doing what they thinkis right, they fight for their country. And if your company has this 'patriotic' policy, they should support the cause even though it might be a conflict with their policy. It wouldn't hurt them to actually give the girl time off. But for example to make it more towards their policy to give her less days than she requested. Both sideswould be happy! Do keep us posted as to what the girl decides to do.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
As I mentioned in the comment for #5, I don't know if there is a "hidden" policy or not for this situation. Letting her off for maybe even 3 days adjacent to her "weekend" would have been better than none at all. I do know that the company has lost a very good worker and they are definitely hard to come by.
I didn't know her personally, but I hope I do hear about how she is doing later on.
@bluerubymoon53 (3286)
• United States
7 Jul 08
Yes, I agree bensceviour. Even 3 days adjacent to her "weekend" days, though not enough in her situation, would have been better than none at all.
