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Attendance review question

Started by person7, 17-08-20, 05:28AM

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person7

hi

Got my attendance review tomorrow but never been told why I have it. I'm not worried or anything about it as its the first time but I'm a little confused and wonder if it's a new thing or policies changed? I'll explain whats happened in full (hopefully not too long) to see if anything has factored in. But my question is at the end/bottom.

Due to covid19 and my Asthma (just under severe level) I was told to stay off work and shield until June. Medical assessment said I cna return but tesco needs to make changs. . I had to fill out my very first welcome back pack which at the time I thought was created purposely for covid as it had my return to work terms which is to stay in back/warehouse sections and not go on shop floor until after my dinner break when shop is quiet. Several employees with asthma have same conditions.

(although as facemasks are mandatory to customers and I can wear one without breathing issues for several hours, this is to be reviewed soon)

Last week I woke up and felt SUPER dizzy. I rang Dr in emergancy at 9am as needed to try get it sorted before my shift that afternoon. I said my symptoms and she replied "it's probably an inner ear infection caused by a virus but due to your other symptoms for your protection stay home and get a covid test as some have reported dizziness with that.

So I rang work to inform them what Dr said

Got my results 4 days later as negative. Rang Dr back and she said its probably another virus and the inner ear infection and got prescribed medication for the dizziness.

Rang duty 2 days before my Next shift (day after results) to inform I can come back to work as got medication for my dizziness which is working and explaining the results.


_________________
Start of shift, filled the welcome back form. (2nd time ever but first time I heard of it after being off for a shift because I've never had to fill them out before when I was off sick 2 times last year when I started)

Terms were to inform anyone I'd I got dizzy and stop work and not to use any footstools etc for the shift etc. And next week I'll have an AR meeting.




So my questions.....

I've worked for tesco for 2 years and never heard of welcome back meeting/forms until after returned from the covid shielding. Is this a new thing?

I was off for one week (I only work one day a week) but this had now triggered an attendance review? Is this normal/correct? Because I was off twice last year and once the year before and never had any of these meetings before.

My Dizziness has completely gone now and I even offered to do an extra shift tomake up my time as I always had done in the past (working 7 hours a week = no sick pay = big chunk of my paycheck is gone which right now I REALLY need as my oven blew up)

But they said they can't check until they do the AR and then review my health and safety issues with covid still going on as there's local lockdown still.

I'm just confused as to why it took 2 years to hear of these welcome back meetings and I have heard Of attendance review before.. But as I rarely ever off work I've just never had one before.

But just wondering if its triggered due to being so close after returning to work since covid shielding? Or is it because I rang up 3 hours before my shift last week?

My new manager and a supporting manager told me as I work only 1 day week and was off for the week it counts as 1 day off which triggers an AR.... Except if that's true why have I never had one or anything for the 2 days last year and the 1 day year before?

Have the policies changed and have I been informed correctly?

Katarn2000

Welcome back meetings are normal and should be held when you get back any time you are off sick. If you were off sick before I have no idea why they didn't hold one then.

Attendance reviews are held generally if your sickness absence is above a certain level in a 26 week rolling period.

This all sounds very normal to me but your manager should really have explained why they are doing an attendance review in the welcome back meeting.

If you don't understand the process here my advice is to find a union rep or experienced colleague who can explain how it works because your manager is obviously incompetent if they haven't explained it to you.


person7

Thanks for your advice!

I've only been off once so far this year unless you count covid.

There's been staff changes. So seems. The old managers just never did these meetings and the new ones did but seems to assume we did them before/know about them

Either way like I said I'm not worried as I'm aware it's more a support then disaplinary. Just wondering what triggered it but I'll ask before I go into the meeting for more in depth. I'm sure the union rep should be in as he tends to finish 30 mins after I start so I'll find and ask.


thecleaningwoman

They go back 26 weeks and check have you been off , Sometimes they go back longer say 52 weeks to see why you had been off before . it was 3% before a AR steped in

ihavequestions23

I have a related question but for some reason can't make/start posts (do I have to pay for a membership or something or am I just really dumb?)

I've heard of AR's and I've definitely had several welcome backs, but I've not actually had an attendance review. I'm not complaining, I'm actually very lucky, because I have been terrible this past six months. (My mental health took a turn for the worse after several outside issues and it caused me to miss shifts, be late, leave early etc) I always made the time back and then some, I work up to 50 hour weeks, probably not helping the attendance/tardiness and lateness issues, not to mention my mental health.

Anyway, instead I have had maybe two or three let's talks over the months. I know they're supposed to be informal meetings and my manager has always made me feel comfortable and chatted with me, seemingly not in a negative way. However, maybe it's paranoia, but could these lets talks me adding up to become a disciplinary? My manager has filled these in, but not actually said 'this is a let's talk', but I know what one is from the OurTesco website and know that's where he is writing his notes. I'm aware these go in my file. Although the main topic of these informal meetings has been just the reason behind my absences and if there's anything they can do to help (again, seemingly positive), could there be a secret sort of agenda to discipline me outright, with these lets talks as proof?

Again, may be being paranoid, because I am a hard worker, which even my manager has told me on several occasions, but it's still there in the back of my mind that the reason why they are doing these let's talks, might just be under the guise of a concern for my wellbeing but instead actually be a way to discipline me. Any thoughts? How serious are the let's talks? I never come away feeling like I'm in trouble, but maybe I should? Maybe I just have a really understanding manager, lol. This is rare, but it happens!

lucgeo

#5
To start a topic, you need to be a supporter of VLH.

These "let's talk" are supposed to be informal, but they can be referred to, at a later date in a disciplinary. However....this should only be the case if there is a running theme, where the same issues are being discussed on a "let's talk", but no change or improvement.

If your working up to 50 hours a week, that is questionable on their side, as by allowing this, they are in fact contributing to future absences, not to mention the risks factors involved due to over tiredness. Any follow up from these meetings, could only result in them stating, that to support you, they would want you to reduce your hours, to your contract. They couldn't really discipline you, as they are partly to blame.
Live for today. Learn from yesterday.

ihavequestions23

#6
@Lucgeo

Thanks for the info, will look into that!

And yeah you're right I guess. To be honest, the most recent let's talk was pretty much my manager asking me if I need to do less overtime, because he is aware how much I am working and thinks it is affecting me, not performance-wise, but mentally, and wants that to be priority. Sounded all well and good but there was an incident of late where my feelings on overtime (not exactly positive ones) were expressed and he heard about them, so it seems a bit coincidental. I'm just hoping it's more that he wants me to be mentally well rather than waiting to discipline me. I'm sure by now they would have if it was becoming a problem for them, I'm just in two minds because if it ever came to a disciplinary, these let's talks could be used against me, because on the 'discussion' part he wrote vague things like 'wellbeing' 'overtime' 'starting at correct time'. In the meeting we may have mostly discussed my wellbeing, but theoretically if I was ever in a disciplinary it could look like he has had several words with me and I haven't co-operated, when in reality it was all just polite conversation to make sure I was okay and not doing too much overtime.

Ahh, I think I'm just overworked and paranoid, I need to just put this idea to bed and keep working hard and showing up for my shifts, on time, and on the right days. Guess I've just been burned before, but I do want to hope this really is just a manager caring for his staff. Only time will tell.

[mod]Ref: starting new topic. Please read VLH Supporter Benefits[/mod]

whatajoke2019

@ihavequestions23 - hopefully your manager is looking out for your mental health and wellbeing. Unfortunately I know from incredibly bitter experience by working far too much (yes I have opted out of Working Time Directives) that there are times you actually end up putting more pressure on yourself and it becomes a vicious circle.

I can't go into too much detail as I know some of my managers read this site but I learned a very hard lesson and it made me realise that you have to put yourself first.

Siwel123

Absolutely put yourself first, I've seen people including myself work stupid hours, out of need for money, loyalty to your team and manager, desire to progress etc, but it catches up on you.

Your manager should be looking out for you, if you need any help please do to go them. Mine was amazing when I needed some time where I did only my small amount of contracted hours to help me recover

Redshoes

There is a big push going on about the time between shifts. There should be 11 hours between shifts and you still need days off. The wages system flags up if someone has gone more than about 10 days without a day off of if less than 11 hours between shifts. If you are having health or time keeping issues and you are also being flagged by wages for both of these things you are not supporting yourself and you are not being supported either. If the lets talks document lack of time between shifts or lack of days off it could be seen more or a case of you not supporting yourself.
If you have signed to opt out of the working time directive you can be in the building for up to 60 hours but that's in total and includes breaks. It also states that it does not override other policies like the 11 hours between shifts etc. It should also only be used for short burst of time rather than long term.
Different terms for depot and stores and different agin for dot.com drivers. I don't know the differences I just know that they are some. What I have talked about relates to stores.

ihavequestions23

Quote from: whatajoke2019 on 18-08-20, 09:33PM
@ihavequestions23 - hopefully your manager is looking out for your mental health and wellbeing. Unfortunately I know from incredibly bitter experience by working far too much (yes I have opted out of Working Time Directives) that there are times you actually end up putting more pressure on yourself and it becomes a vicious circle.

I can't go into too much detail as I know some of my managers read this site but I learned a very hard lesson and it made me realise that you have to put yourself first.

Yeah I understand how you mean, I am sorry you've had a bitter experience, I

ihavequestions23

Quote from: whatajoke2019 on 18-08-20, 09:33PM
@ihavequestions23 - hopefully your manager is looking out for your mental health and wellbeing. Unfortunately I know from incredibly bitter experience by working far too much (yes I have opted out of Working Time Directives) that there are times you actually end up putting more pressure on yourself and it becomes a vicious circle.

I can't go into too much detail as I know some of my managers read this site but I learned a very hard lesson and it made me realise that you have to put yourself first.

Sorry to hear that you had a bad experience, I'm also afraid it may be a similar issue here, but I can't worry about that for now I guess, I just have to get my head down and carry on. Honestly I wish I was just in the background, a staff member who is just 'there', that the managers don't really speak to unless they have to. But for some reason I have made this really approachable and friendly and even flexible reputation that means I do get talked to a lot. The more noticeable I am, the more noticeable my mental/physical health and I don't really like that. At all my other jobs I've had similar issues but I've been able to hide them. It seems not anymore  :'(

Anyway, good luck to you going forward and thanks for the reply, yes I guess I do! At least for now me and my manager have put a plan together to suit my needs and that of the company. That's what I think will help. I hope.

ihavequestions23

Quote from: Siwel123 on 19-08-20, 12:16AM
Absolutely put yourself first, I've seen people including myself work stupid hours, out of need for money, loyalty to your team and manager, desire to progress etc, but it catches up on you.

Your manager should be looking out for you, if you need any help please do to go them. Mine was amazing when I needed some time where I did only my small amount of contracted hours to help me recover

Really glad your manager was there for you. I hope it's a similar situation here. He's always told me to go to him if I need him, and has been supportive of my needs, so maybe it's myself that's the issue here. I am extremely guarded and don't open up very well, so even when I saw myself going downhill I didn't speak up, leading to obviously these lateness and other issues. Good advice, I need to try to open my mouth when I'm not doing well, I think.

Siwel123

Honestly please do say, even if you're the noticeable and hard working colleague doesn't mean you should neglect your health, I personally did that too, worked stupid hours, would help everyone out with their work, come in on quick turn around, did 22 days in a row with no days off etc.

Your health is important, if you're struggling please speak out, message me on here if you need too.

MysteryTurkey

Quote from: Redshoes on 19-08-20, 03:30AM
There is a big push going on about the time between shifts. There should be 11 hours between shifts and you still need days off. The wages system flags up if someone has gone more than about 10 days without a day off of if less than 11 hours between shifts. If you are having health or time keeping issues and you are also being flagged by wages for both of these things you are not supporting yourself and you are not being supported either. If the lets talks document lack of time between shifts or lack of days off it could be seen more or a case of you not supporting yourself.
If you have signed to opt out of the working time directive you can be in the building for up to 60 hours but that's in total and includes breaks. It also states that it does not override other policies like the 11 hours between shifts etc. It should also only be used for short burst of time rather than long term.
Different terms for depot and stores and different agin for dot.com drivers. I don't know the differences I just know that they are some. What I have talked about relates to stores.

Just wanted to ask if there is any loophole to do less then the 11 hour gap?

80377494

Mystery Turkey

From the Partnership Agreement

Rest Entitlements
In addition to the break allowance, colleagues are entitled to the following periods of rest:

A minimum of one day off per week
A minimum of eleven hours between shifts (excluding split shifts). Tesco and Usdaw have agreed that, for adult workers, on occasion this can be reduced to a minimum of 8 hours between shifts, although where this is the case, compensatory rest must be given during the following four weeks.

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