Advice please...occurrence/sick time

Been there,done that, ASN, RN · Mar 6, 2012

Don't forget to bend over.

Is it worth the 350 bucks, no.

Is it worth the respect you deserve... yes.

File the grievance, who CARES if they label you. That is what you have a union for.

I would not give them another minute of overtime.

OCNRN63, RN · Mar 6, 2012

Hello,
I got a verbal warning today from one my supervisors regarding occurrences (calling out sick). Our bargaining agreement is that we get 3 call-outs per rolling year and then a verbal and then two written and then termination. My time was set to renew late this month...
Our unit has been very busy as of late and there has been a lot of overtime available and lots of bonuses hanging around because they were so short-staffed (this generally happens once or twice a year, not a usual thing). I ended up working 72 hours in one week (got permission from the AD from our charge nurse who said yes because they were so desperate for nurses) and then 48 hours the next week. I was going to work 60 hours the second week, but it all caught up with me on the night before and I felt very sick. I could not get to sleep despite being so exhausted and my heart was racing (nearly went to the local ED). I called the charge RN around 4am (you have to call by 5am) to let her know that I just couldn't do it.
She said it counted as an occurrence, which is correct, and today I got a verbal warning since this was my 4th time calling out, although this time wasn't for my scheduled shift. I asked the supervisor if I would get paid out sick leave since they counted as a call-out, but she said it wouldn't.
I ended up talking to folks around and it seems like I should be paid out the sick leave (and later confirmed by one of our bargaining nurses)...I don't know why the supervisor said so otherwise because I do very much respect them and I think in general we have great management. I felt a little upset because it seemed a little ungrateful since I worked so much overtime and helped out the unit, but I understand that they have to follow the rules for everyone regardless of circumstances.
So...I can file a grievance, but I don't want to cause a lot of friction or labeled as a troublesome nurse. Is it worth the $350 (of sick leave time) to do this? Probably not, but then I feel like the occurrence should go away. It doesn't seem fair to be punished and to have this on my file when I really helped out the unit over the last two weeks. le sigh......
Thoughts?

Here is where you made your first mistake. No one is going to give you a medal for running yourself into the ground to work OT, least of all, management. Seventy-two hours in one week then 60 the next? You are going to burn out if you work like that. Your body gave you a warning...now heed it.

Check what your policy is re: sick time. It seems to me like you should have gotten it, regardless of whether this was/wasn't a scheduled shift. Check with your union rep.

wooh, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2012

This is why I don't sign up for extra shifts ahead of time. Getting dinged when it's not my shift is a risk that I won't take.

psu_213, BSN, RN · Mar 6, 2012

Unfortunately you are not going to get a lot of sympathy from managers when you work a lot of OT and then have to call off because you wore yourself out.

My hospital would count missing an OT shift as a call off. My guess is that the person would not get sick time if they were already over 40 or 36 hours for the week. Either way, check your work's policy.

I guess I don't really have an opinion on the grievance, but then again, I am not a member of a union (and not too upset about that).

peaches88 · Mar 6, 2012

My guess is that the person would not get sick time if they were already over 40 or 36 hours for the week. Either way, check your work's policy.

Yeah, where I work, we can't use any sick or vacation time to get more than 40hrs/wk. Definitely can't use it on overtime. It's likely to be the policy at your facility too. The way I see it is, you didn't work, so you don't get paid, but idk... I don't think it's worth rocking the boat over.

sharpeimom · Mar 6, 2012

where i worked, after being paid for two overtime/unscheduled shifts per pay period, we got the rest of our overtime in comp time off which i liked. i never worked so much that i got sick, but we could use one of our personal days as an extra sick day if we needed to do that.

where i worked, i was treated fairly and probably wouldn't have rocked the boat unless i really needed the cash. minority opinion... i know. hugs.:hug: