Unfiltered Story #254537

The supermarket I work at has a fairly strict policy on staff abscence. If you are absent from work at least 3 times within 26 weeks or if the ammount of absent time adds up to more than 3% of your contracted hours, you are imediately put onto a “next steps” program, this starts off with a meeting where a manager talks about your absence and offers “support” to ensure you stay healthy and working.

I have worked here for 3 years and in that time have had at most 3 days off total. I recently took a day off sick and when I returned to work was invited to an absence review meeting. I was confused but had to go.

Manager: So we have you as having been absent from work 4 times in the last 26 weeks, this adds up to 3.9% of your contracted hours as such we are having this meeting. Can you explain your absence on (date 25 weeks ago)

Me: No I don’t recall exactly why I was ill that day

Manager: Can you explain (Date near to Christmas)

Me: [This one didnt sit right with me but I couldnt recall working that day so again said no]

Manager: Can you explain (Date in March)

Me: That was not a sick leave that was a domestic absence because my Grandmothers Stair lift broke down and she spent that day trapped upstairs and I had to wait in all day for the repair guy to come.

Manager: Oh ok well we can remove that one from your record but you still have 3.4% of your contracted hours absent.

Me: How is that calculated because that doesnt sound right to me?

Manager: Well you work 35 hours a week minus 5 hours for lunch.

Me: No I work 38 hours a week and only get 3 lunch hours total.

[This goes back and fourth a little eventually the manager recalculates and decides that im only at 2.9% absence.]

Me: Ok so lets just be clear before we continue please. of the four instances of absence it was only 3, then it wasnt 3.9% it was 2.9% how can I be sure that the other instances are acurate?

The manager ignores me writes down a report that I should drink more water and adds it to my record. Frustrated I go home and review my holiday slips from Christmas and sure enough I was signed off on Holiday for one of those days. I went back to work the next day and demanded that the report be removed from my file but I doubt they will, I have kept copies of the notes from the meeting and my holiday slips incase they want me to have another meeting.