How dare you not come in during a SEVERE storm?!!

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

EDIT NEEDED: Could a friendly mod change "are" to "Dare" in the thread title? Thanks.

*MOD EDIT - Done. Next time, PM for faster results.

We have some bad weather today (snow storm) which reminded of something that happened awhile ago to a friend of mine.

We were having similar weather, actually some nasty freezing rain. The roads were a mess and my friend chose to stay home from work because of how bad it was.

The next day when he returned, even though he had told them he was even willing to MAKE UP the hours for the lost day, he got a major talking to from his supervisor AND a write up from the owner for calling in due to the weather. The kicker? The reason on the write up read: "Jim (not his real name) failed to show up for work and gave an invalid explanation for his absence."

Jim asked about this and was told that a lot of the other employees did show up to work that day and if they could, why couldn't he? Truth is, those people that did show up lived no more than 10-15 minutes away, not 45 across two highways

He fought the writeup but lost, and quit his job there soon after. One of the smartest things he ever did.

I later found out there was more to the story. The owner of the business had been really stressed out due to lower than expected sales and a failing marriage and had been pushing his supervisor really hard to keep a tight leash on the employees, as he assumed their lack of dedication and job skills was the key reason for the low sales. (It was actually because this business had virtually no marketing, and what little there was sucked balls).

[blas]

I'm going to get hassled tonight for it. We always do. I called in last night because of the weather. I'll just get told I need a new car, a shovel, and an apartment with a garage, or that "It wasn't THAT bad, blas."

Coworkers have hassled me before as well. "I live 45 miles away and I still made it!" Yeah, and it probably took you an hour and a half to get here, spinning out and sliding at multiple intersections.

In weather like this, I am not going anywhere.

I don't give a shit what they think. Go ahead, write me up. Tell me it's not a valid excuse. I am proud that I didn't risk my life or anyone else's just to drive 15 miles on glare ice and 6 inches of unplowed snow to get to work!

What are they going to do, fire me? Then who would train everyone?

[Captain Kidd]

I hate responses like that. Just because you don't mind risking life and limb doesn't mean I have to.

[crazylegs]

If its unsafe to travel, its unsafe to travel, would they rather you arrive late/tomorrow or never again?

[Boozy]

EDIT NEEDED: Could a friendly mod change "are" to "Dare" in the thread title? Thanks.

I think you can do it yourself. Click EDIT, and then click "Go Advanced"....it will allow you to change your thread title.

[CaroPhoenix]

I have a phobia of ice/black ice. I have fallen down one too many times hurting my hips/lower back/knees/legs/etc. When/if we get snow/inclement weather/ice, I'm staying home. I have panic attacks just opening my door and contemplating going down the steps. I absolutely refuse to go to work like that.

[Monica]

I wold not go to work if the weather was real bad. I am glad that he tried to fight the write-up. It's just a shame that he could not change it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Last time I stayed home from work due to a snowstorm, the snow happened to let up during the time I would've been working, and started up again later.

Plus it turned out that almost everybody else who was scheduled to start that morning showed up. Except for one person who slid into a ditch so she had a good excuse. And I only live about a mile away from work.

So yeah, I had a lot of co-workers asking me why I didn't go in.

Last night I got stuck twice on the way to work and nearly broadsided by some idiot in a SUV, but yet somehow calling out never occurred to me.

And everybody who was supposed to come in last night and tonight made it in.

[Knightmare]

I remember bad snow storms.. not fun to drive in.

In Florida, we have a different problem: Hurricanes.

Back in 2004 (or was it '05?) when we got hit with 4 hurricanes in a row, I called in when I was working at RadioShack. Granted, it was only a 10 minute drive from my house to the store, ON A NORMAL DAY. But this day... oh, this day was different.
Tree limbs down, power lines down, debris in the roads.. Chaos! Confusion! The end of the world!
Or so it seemed.

So I called in, was chastised for not coming in, and was told I had better be there OR ELSE!

What? Who is coming to RadioShack in the middle of a hurricane to buy a cell phone?
I told the manager that there is "NO WAY I am going to drive in this weather. Unfortunately, I don't live in the apartment complex behind the store. If you don't like it, you can fire me right now (At the time, I was #1 salesperson across the board). My life isn't worth it."

He relented. I told him to be safe, close up and hunker down at home.

The next day, the sun was shining, it was nice and cheery (as cheery as you can get after 3 hurricanes - the 4th was yet to come). I went into work and asked my coworkers how yesterday was.

Turns out, 30 minutes after I called in, the district manager called all the stores in the affected area and told them to shut down and go home.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Normally in the past, I'd go in . . . but then working 3 blocks from home did make it easier to get there and I was one of the FEW who could make it in and could run register.

Only time I had to call out was when I worked at the Cone store (which was about 10 minutes from me.) We got hit with 13 inches (approximately) and the El Camino was practically BURIED under the drifts - we couldn't find it. It was one big snowblock.

Add to that the fact that my Mom has a phobia about driving in such weather, due totally to other idiots on the road, and there was no way I could go in. So I called out - store manager was understanding of the situation. I didn't get talked to about it the next day when I was able to get there (my street got cleared by the plows that night) nor was I written up.

We haven't had weather severe enough since I've been with the Kitty to have to call out, luckily. I know the Farmer's Almanac is predicting colder weather for the winter here in my part of the US, but it's supposed to be drier.

We'll see.

[blas]

My suggestion to anyone on here who was part of the big storm yesterday, or to anyone who has ever gotten shit for not coming in during a snow-storm...

If someone gives you the "You're a chickenshit. I drove 50 miles blah blah blah" just look them square in the eye, and in your most poisonous voice, spew back "What, do you want a prize for dumbass hero of the year award?" or something mean like that.

If a boss or anyone higher up tries to write you up, fight it. If they are stupid enough to write you up or fire you for it, fight for unemployment. If you have the means, sue for wrongful termination. You cannot be hassled for not showing up in inclimate weather. Situations like that are a danger to your safety and your life and others as well. If they are that selfish, they don't deserve you as an employee.

[purplecat41877]

A couple years ago, both of the closing service desk employees called out because of the weather so I closed the store for the first time. I did get paid overtime since I was working about ten hours that day (or nine if you count the one hour lunch).

[myswtghst]

I try not to call out unless I have to due to weather, since there are only a few coworkers who live closer to work than I do - I've even offered up my couch in the winter to coworkers who live far away and need a place to sleep for a night if the roads are particularly bad.

I would prefer no one risked their life just for work, and I'm willing to shoulder more work if it means someone is safe, so long as it's someone who truly lives far enough away and the weather is truly bad. Granted, if you're just unprepared, I'm going to have a lot less sympathy. There's a reason I paid for remote start on my car and I keep a shovel in my trunk at all times, just in case. I want to be prepared.

Story time Last year, we had a disaster recovery drill scheduled for a Friday, same day as the holiday party for work. The disaster recovery drill involved a few agents from each call center going to a back up location, where we would report if our call center somehow was shut down and we needed to remain open. The DR location happened to be about the same distance from my home as work was, just in the opposite direction, so I notified the scheduler and the sup in charge of the drill that I'd be going straight to the DR location to meet them there. Since I warned them, and no one called me the morning of the drill, I assumed it was still on, even though we had a major snow storm and a TON of snow that morning.

I assumed wrong. And no one thought to call me. I spent nearly 2 hours on the road getting someplace about 7 miles from my apartment. Then, I spent another 2 hours driving from there in to work. Thankfully, my supervisor was awesome, and I got paid for the 4 hours I spent on the road, did not get in trouble, and still got out of work on time, so I was happy. But man....at the time, I was ready to punch out our scheduler for not calling me, after I specifically told him to!

[AKWalMartCartGuy]

I have access to a awd(the kind with the computer that senses which tires are spinning) Honda Pilot with blizzaks, and if there's too much snow for that I'll pull out the snowmachine.


even though work is HELL with massive amounts of snow

[Ghengis51]

I always feel bad for the teenagers I work with at my part-time job. It takes a hell of a lot to close the center early, and 80% of our employees are 16-18 year olds. I'm just waiting for one of the to get in an accident going to or from work because we were open when we had no right to be.

My full-job is essential. No matter what the weather conditions I need to try to get in (though I can use leave if I got any left and we've still got enough people coming in). I haven't had to deal with REALLY bad weather yet, but I live in PA so sometime soon I'll probably be drining here during a friggin' blizzard.