So, I need some un-biased advise from people who don't know me. :-)
I have worked as a CNA/Secretary for 3 years on the same unit in a hospital. I am just coming off of medical leave---I had to have surgery.
I requested a week off over the summer many months ago to attend my sisters wedding, which is out of state. (I moved away from my family)
The time off was approved, but unfortunately, I have used all of my vacation time while I have been on FMLA, and my boss isn't letting me have the time off.
I am not allowed to get it covered, only to switch, which isn't possible because I am limited to only working Secretary right now and no one is able. The kicker is I am only working 2 shifts that entire time because that's all they can give me with my restrictions right now. So I'm missing this entire wedding for 2 shifts.....
I understand where she is coming from, as the rules are the rules and the policy does in fact state that approved time off can be revoked in the event you don't have PTO.
I could take another vacation, purchase new tickets ( yes they are non-refundable) BUT I will never get another chance to see my Sister get married.
I have spoken to HR and they told me she is indeed within her rights to do this, but they advised me I could speak with the head of HR to attempt to get special permission for this extenuating circumstance.....that there are always "grey areas" that can sometimes be worked out.
What do you all think? Is she being unreasonable? Am I over-reacting?
Should I escalate it to the head of HR which is going over her head, or just leave it alone and be thankful I still have a Job???
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
It's better not to let people know if you have an important family event so if you don't have PTO or can't get off you can always call in sick or absent I suppose.
Since hospitals are being run by corporate business people lots of rules, regulations and policies are being added to micromanage employees. This is very unfortunate and I think decreases overall morale.
This has become a common practice to demand PTO to take time off already approved, even to have the PTO by the time the schedule is approved even though that may be months ahead.
I suppose you could go to HR but then if they decided to deny you it would escalate matters if you decide to call off to attend the wedding. I would call off if it was me, but there may be consequences so you will have to be prepared for that. If your boss already knows about the wedding and still is refusing to let you off, I would try to find someone to work the days as a favor for you, even offer to pay them a little extra money if that would get them to agree.
Can you use the FMLA to take the time off?
I've heard it said it is better to apologize after than fact than have to ask for permission first. If you ask for permission and they refuse it only make it more difficult for you to call off! I think it is sad that your manager would try to keep you from attending a family wedding because of policy and overlook the human factor. Maybe it's a sign to look for a new job. Under the circumstances the manager seems cold and unreasonable if she knows the situation.
FMLA is not for vacations. It's meant to cover serious illnesses of the employee or to let the employee care for a member of the immediate family who is seriously ill.
I just wrote a whole answer, and realized that due to your restrictions, any PTO that you would usually earn is being taken by the fact that you need to show 40 hours for your benefits, and they are only giving you 16.
I would make an appointment with the head of HR. I would explain that you are looking to attend your sister's wedding, which plans were made well before you realized you were having surgery. That your unit can only give you 16 hours per week due to your restrictions limiting your work to secretarial as opposed to a combined secretarial and CNA. That could you take a personal leave for that week, and pay out of pocket for the insurance (pro-rated) for the lost time?
There are small necessity leaves in such circumstances. I would be the first one to question why it is that they are only giving you 16 hours due to your restrictions, and that they could (could) accommodate your restrictions for 40 hours, therefore, earning you PTO in time for your sisters wedding. (Light Duty CNA activities? They don't need a secretary for 40 hours a week?)
I would not call out sick, that would only put your job in jepordy. And if you are going to a wedding, the last thing you want to do is stress about your job.
I'm sorry to hear that, but now you can go to the wedding and you should also qualify for unemployment. You should apply right away. They are cold and heartless jerks. You have insurance till the end of the month then you will need to choose cobra to continue if you can afford it. Maybe this is a sign you should move back home by your family.
It is sad that so many hospitals can be so heartless and have no compassion for their employees. May you find a better job where you will be appreciated and happy!
Me too! Three years manual labor, a dislocated knee, broken foot and heel with nothing to show for it. Makes me very very sad. I really really loved my work family.
When I worked in the hospital, they had a rule that you wouldn't be granted vacation if you didn't have the PTO to cover it. In fact, I vaguely recall that they made some weird rule that you couldn't be granted vacation time for the summer when the schedule was done in March if you didn't have sufficient time when the schedule was being made. So, say you only have 20 hrs PTO in March and want to take 40 hrs PTO in August. You'd be denied on the grounds of insufficient PTO, despite the fact that you will have more than enough by August. This was a rule made up by my manager, we were non-union and HR always sided with management so we basically didn't have a leg to stand on. Several people challenged this and I don't remember what the outcome was.
If it were me, I'd probably do what mds1 says. No way in h-e-double hockey sticks would I miss my sister's wedding (if I had a sister) for work.
You can't really be sure what you would do. It depends on how much you need your job, doesn't it? At least for some of us, the income and benefits trump even sis' wedding, sad to say.
For OP: Don't win the war but lose the battle. Go back to your Manager first, not over her head to HR Director. Beg, plead, cry, make promises to never get sick or have any more weddings to go to. Or just quit your job, find a new one after the wedding.
Why would they act like this? It sounds like someone wanting to punish her for being a "bad little girl" In my mind, if you ask for a day off, your asking because you NEED to be off. I'm not sure I want to work at a place that disrespects the RNs like this. I just want to get out of school, pay my dues for a year or so, and go on to travel. I hope she gets this worked out, though. I don't like people messing with other people's lives.
Because they already know about your desire for that vac/wedding time, they would most likely play really hard ball to put the screws on if you were to try to call in. And they could be really nasty - like wanting you to have an MD note, or getting medical clearance with the medical director a day or two later (and then you'd have to do it twice). They can do truancy home phone calls (on a land line). Yeah, they can be real nasty, all the way to suspension and/or termination.
Are you in the wedding party? Maybe that could have had some leverage?
Since everybody knows your plans already, I don't see many options except to take your case to the head of HR and hope for the best.
You may just have to miss the wedding. That is so sad, and I feel sorry for you early.
Sounds like maybe Workers' Comp case re: your broken heel. Get lawyer's advice.
Sorry you are fired, but that might be wrong, too. They might not be allowed to do that to you - not sure. Again, check with employment attorneys.
Just my 2 cents about weddings: I know they're huge deals these days, but they cause so many people to lay out all kinds of money they can't afford, emotions are too high, clear thinking lacking, jobs are lost. People should really not expect the world to stop because they are getting married. Same with having kids. Routine, just routine. Totally special for those intimately involved, but a pain for those who are not. Sorry if I offended, just my view.
Me too! Three years manual labor, a dislocated knee, broken foot and heel with nothing to show for it. Makes me very very sad. I really really loved my work family.
Speak to an attorney. Workman's comp? Can make a difference with their ability to accommodate your restrictions...as well as the whole FMLA thing. Workman's comp is a different animal in its entirety. And not sure you would want that specific job back, per se, but to be able to transfer within the facility? Or to another facility within the same company? Or to not have a "no rehire" status?
Also, I would find out if they have the right to terminate your employment based on the fact you are out on FLMA.
I know it would be "weird" to return to your position after all of this. However, I would negotiate what I could to look to the future. And as a pp said, apply now for unemployment. Also check if part of your benefit package included short term disability insurance. A lot of places have that as part of an employees benefits.
I know nurses who had work related injuries and fought with their employers about inability to accommodate, they went through years of stress and ended up working in desk jobs at different employers in the end.
It is difficult to fight an employer's inability to accommodate, most staff nurse positions require physical labour and an employer can argue that they are not required to pay a nurses salary for secretarial work. I would start looking at the requirements for alternative nursing positions and upgrade my education or qualifications to make myself marketable for a less physical nursing job.
OCNRN63, RN
5,979 Posts
FMLA is not for vacations. It's meant to cover serious illnesses of the employee or to let the employee care for a member of the immediate family who is seriously ill.