What's wrong with Sainsbury's absence policy?

Ever since being a student I have been working in Sainsbury's to earn extra cash during the weekends. But they have this stupid policy whereby if you have more than 3 days off in a year they give you a disciplinary. I have had 5 genuine days off sick now in 2008, and when I return to work next weekend I will probably get a written warning despite being almost like death warmed up for the past week or so.

Reply 1

OllyThePhilosopher

11

Ooo kinky. I wish someone would discipline me...

Reply 2

no-sunlight

Yeah, it sucks but that's the same as most places. I was off twice from Tesco and got a informal discussion about attendance. It's directedly correlated to how many hours a week you work in there though. I didn't care that much.

Reply 3

nuodai

17

It's similar in a lot of workplaces: you need a doctor's note for more than 3 subsequent days' absence.

Reply 4

blahhh

18

I've booked off 6 weeks with sainsburys for my work experience next year :biggrin:

'Planned absence'....my store said its fine :s-smilie:

no 3 day thing! Ask your doctor for a note?

Reply 5

Dionysus

15

I would tell them to either be quiet or terminate my contract. If they do the latter, sue for unfair dismissal. Also do you have a union?

Reply 6

Joanna May

15

If you signed the contract, there's nothign you can do about it.

I really don't understand people who have so much time off. I've been in my job two years and I've had maybe two days off sick.Supermarkets have policies like that because people get slightly bad colds and phone in sick, because they think "oh, its just a part time job".

Reply 7

silverbolt

19

ok i think you need to check this - you can self cert sick up to 5 days for one so 3 days and then disciplinary is rather harsh.

re-read your employee handbook i think you may have it slightly wrong. In most companies its three instances of sick not days before being called in for a hearing whcih does not need to be a disciplinary. an instance of sick is from the first day you call in sick to whenever you come back, whether its two days two weeks two months etc. Bear in mind if you call in sick monday come in on tuesday then call in scik on wednesday that counts as two instances (one however easily explained away). If you break your leg your going to be off a hell of lot longer than three days.

companies usually frown on one day sickness the excuse being the employee either cant be bothered to come in or has something else to do instead of being at work

Reply 8

GeorgEGNT

14

Yeah thats standard policy. Usually you are dismissed if you take a day off during your probation period too.
I worked night shift there for a bit, and if I didnt finish my aisle in the time designated you received a 'strike' and it was a 3 strikes and a receive a disciplinary.
Quite strict are wor sainsburys, but at the same time, a decent company to work for.

Reply 9

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

OP

19

Dionysus

I would tell them to either be quiet or terminate my contract. If they do the latter, sue for unfair dismissal. Also do you have a union?

Yeah I think we do, but I'm not part of it lol.

TBH, what infuriates me is that they never believe I am ill anyway. I have had 6 days off in 2 years (I also work for another company in the hols), and I do not consider that to be bad at all.

Doctor's won't give me a note unless I have had over a week off, all I do apparently is get a self-certificate, but that's not even worth the paper its written on.

Reply 10

fidrildi

5

It wont be anything huge.
A meeting, a discussion on how they feel let down by this, how you need to keep yourself well. So long as you sit there nodding your head and saying you appreciate what they're saying but you cannot help the unfortunate circumstances that led to your days off. Unless it's your second/third one it means nothing really.

Reply 11

kayleywalker87

Joanna May

If you signed the contract, there's nothign you can do about it.

I really don't understand people who have so much time off. I've been in my job two years and I've had maybe two days off sick.Supermarkets have policies like that because people get slightly bad colds and phone in sick, because they think "oh, its just a part time job".

The main reason people take time of in supermarkets is because when you are trained (even at Sainsburys) they clearly tell you that if you have anything contagious like a cold or a stomach bug then you must not go in otherwise you will contaminate the food and make customers poorly. Plus it looks bad if a customer is walking through the store and see ill people touching food, it wont exactly make them want to come back. But then they do have this ridiculous policy that if you have one absence in the first 12 weeks then you won't go any further in that job. They will let you go. Which is very hypocritical of them. It's not like people get ill on purpose.

Reply 12

silverbolt

19

kayleywalker87

The main reason people take time of in supermarkets is because when you are trained (even at Sainsburys) they clearly tell you that if you have anything contagious like a cold or a stomach bug then you must not go in otherwise you will contaminate the food and make customers poorly. Plus it looks bad if a customer is walking through the store and see ill people touching food, it wont exactly make them want to come back. But then they do have this ridiculous policy that if you have one absence in the first 12 weeks then you won't go any further in that job. They will let you go. Which is very hypocritical of them. It's not like people get ill on purpose.