Should I be Annoyed with a Work Policy?

[erobert]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

[backagain]

It's a job.
You are expected to show up at a certain time and it is what is expected with employment.

[HunterM]

You could go talk to HR about changing it. If you don't like the company's policy...find another job.

[Beachguyj]

Sounds fair to me. I had a person tell me that if you work for the post office and are late more than 3 times you are canned.

[loveguys72]

If you find it inconvenient to show up to work according to your posted schedule, I'm sure there are any number of people who will glady take that full-time paid internship.

Now quit whining and grow up.

[jensu846]

that sounds fair. Im surprised they would even let somebody be 20 min. late more than once. at my job if you punch in even 1 minute late you get a tardy, and if you get 3 tardies in a month, youre gone.

[bankside]

I don't get it. That sounds like a fair and flexible policy. If I'm late, I'm not going to grovel and beg and apologise, but I'm more than glad to stay the same amount of time to actually earn a full day's pay.

[SC6201]

but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

No its worse...its the REAL WORLD. You are trading hours for dollars, get used to it!

[Beachguyj]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

To quote a comedian "you sound like one of those jerk offs"

[Hard-up1]

An internship is a proving ground.

I'm 51, and work as a professional. I see plenty of people around me, long time in the saddle, and I promise you that hard-working is not the adjective that comes to mind.

Thing is, they think they are. But, the same ones who say they are working long hours mostly aren't. They're getting in late, spending inordinate amounts of time in 20-30 minute gossip visits in one another's cubicles/offices, leaving early for lunch, and leaving early at the end of the day. Honestly, it is depressing how little gets done.

But, guess what, friend? They didn't start that way. I'm not saying it has to be a slippery slope, but it does seem to be a creeping rot of low morale that sets in, or maybe just entitlement.

In any case, unless you have personal time you are allowed to take, I see nothing unreasonable about your employer expecting you to be an available resource on the schedule defined. Asking for 8 hours a day doesn't seem unreasonable. Being forgiving enough to allow you to make it up seems fair.

If you want a job with more liberty, find a different employer or industry/profession.

It's not wrong to feel controlled and to chafe at it, but it is wrong to believe it is somehow unfair or unreasonable. If they didn't promise you flex time, then you have no reason to feel deprived of it.

Draconian is better reserved for policies that are harsh, not simply inconvenient.

[mitchymo]

If you are 3 minutes+ late where i work, you get docked 15mins of pay (+15 for every other 15). You don't have to stay to make up the difference, but if you do, you don't lose anything from your pay.

Sounds perfectly reasonable a policy to me.

[loki81]

seems reasonable to me, especially if you're paid by the hour.

I'm salaried and I hold to that policy even without being asked... my scheduled hours are 8 am - 6 pm, but I usually come in around 8:30 - 9 am and stay until 6:30-7 pm.

[pat grimshaw]

…I understand they don't want people taking advantage…

In one of my recent jobs we had those 'finger-print recognition machines' to ensure we weren't late.

Does your employer force you to do other annoying things —like telling you how to dress? —or forcing you to bake cakes for lesbians or somebody else you don't approve of?

[justsimon]

That sounds extremely lenient to me.

My office is pretty flexible about hours: as long as you let others know when you're running late or leaving early, it's fine. But that's an abnormal policy and I would never expect it.

[freefall]

You're better. We have floods here and still employees whose house are flooded or cannot go to work due to flooded roads are counted as absent the whole day.

The point of work IS time; unless your job is sitting around doing nothing, loss of time is loss of productivity, thus the policy. It seems reasonably fair.

[Beachguyj]

The policy is valid and is only to cut down on people being late because they want to. There are occasions when there is a traffic jam (but you should give yourself an extra 15 minutes for that) or your car won't start, or your alarm clock broke (and you should have a backup for it) or a weather related reason for you to be late, but not just because you feel like it.

[T-Rexx]

The last job I worked had a policy that if you were one second late on as many as four occasions in a year, you got fired.

[Harke the Boeotarch]

OP, you should be glad to have a job.

The last job I worked had a policy that if you were one second late on as many as four occasions in a year, you got fired.

Did they have a stopwatch?

[T-Rexx]

Did they have a stopwatch?

They had a computerized time clock.

[pat grimshaw]

.. my scheduled hours are 8 am - 6 pm,…

that's a long day! Do you have an hour for lunch?

[Harke the Boeotarch]

They had a computerized time clock.

Did they fire you?

[T-Rexx]

Did they fire you?

No. I was only late (by about 40 seconds) once in a year.

But an awful lot of people did get fired because of this policy.

[HunterM]

If you think your employer's tardiness policy is annoying, my employer is much more annoying. My company actually expects me to work ...instead of surfing and updating my Facebook status and organizing my weekend social events on the phone with my buddies during work hours. Surfing porn sites is strictly prohibited. Drugs are not allowed on company premises...and no groping coworkers. Where's the fun in that??? These policies annoy me to no ends.

[ravenstar]

I once received an official written warning for being 3 seconds late back from lunch despite having been stuck in the lift between floors for 8 minutes. If you're working you have to do what your employer wants. At my current company my staff need to be at their desk ready to work at 8:30. Your starting time is not when you should arrive at the office, it's the time you should be ready to start working.

I think your companies policy is more than fair. If you're 15 or minutes late why should the company pay you for that time?

[voyager1994]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

Sounds fair - and if you are required to be in the job at a certain time then you should make every effort not to be late. In my previous job, if I can't arrive on time I have the obligation to call, it sucks but that's reality.

[Harke the Boeotarch]

The point of work IS time; unless your job is sitting around doing nothing, loss of time is loss of productivity, thus the policy. It seems reasonably fair.

Some jobs pay you for your time, some pay you for your work and some pay you just for being around.

The important thing is that you do what you promised to do in your contract.

[HunterM]

Some jobs pay you for your time...

Yes...that's called an "escort".

[LeicsDom]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

If you get paid to work 9-5 then you should attend 9-5. You will have agreed to that when you took the job
Whether the position is time sensitive or not is beside the point.

[blackbeltninja]

Hooray for the lab policy on flexi-time which we use here. You work late or over a weekend - many of us do; it's the nature of our research that the animals or parasite cultures or mass spectrometry-linked chromatographic systems needing looking after during after hours - you can trim your hours later in the week or the month to compensate.

And as long as the work gets done timeously, since we're not particularly dependent on each other in order to get the job done and we don't provide an office-hours-regulated service per se, starting times for work vary from person to person according to what's easiest for them. It has caused some issues for people whose work is a little more dependent on someone else, but we're normally able to compromise fairly easily.

But at the OP, no. You shouldn't be annoyed. The policy might suck, but that's what you signed up for, so suck it up.

-d-

[bullwing413]

Actually there are very strict federal and state wage and hour laws about how companies must pay their employees that deal with this type of thing and there are companies unaware of just how serious breaking these rules -which are sometimes nonsensical- are. Penalties that are double and triple and go back years are mandatory and the rules cannot be waived by employees. What your company must do regarding your pay and work schedule is one thing...what they can discipline you for or fire you for is actually another. for example, if you work even a few minutes overtime they have to pay you (depending on how they pay and the fractional hour they pay by) but they can discipline you for it if you do work it without permission. Ask an HR professional in your company about this, or you can always call the fed or state department of labor who will also give you the correct information.

[rareboy]

@ the OP.

As an employer, I am quite flexible about when people come in if they are only occasionally tardy; I expect they have a good reason.

I used to have flexible hours when I worked in a firm and often would be around at 6 or 7 pm, depending on deadlines.

However, if you are in a company that expects you to be working a 9-5 job, then get your ass in there on time and when you can't, call to tell them you are late and make sure you work the extra time. I sure as hell wouldn't be putting up with someone coming in 19 minutes late regularly otherwise.

Only twice have I had to speak to someone about their tardiness over 25 years though.

[mark1111]

I used to work construction. I got paid by the job. Over bid and you lose the contract. Under bid and you work for free. I would work 12-14 hours in the summer - more daylight, to get things done. Due to the recession, I work retail now, it sucks, time clock, if late more than x minutes your fired.

[BFizzle]

You should deal, that's what you should do.

[bankside]

Hooray for the lab policy on flexi-time which we use here. You work late or over a weekend - many of us do; it's the nature of our research that the animals or parasite cultures or mass spectrometry-linked chromatographic systems needing looking after during after hours - you can trim your hours later in the week or the month to compensate.

And as long as the work gets done timeously, since we're not particularly dependent on each other in order to get the job done and we don't provide an office-hours-regulated service per se, starting times for work vary from person to person according to what's easiest for them. It has caused some issues for people whose work is a little more dependent on someone else, but we're normally able to compromise fairly easily.

But at the OP, no. You shouldn't be annoyed. The policy might suck, but that's what you signed up for, so suck it up.

-d-

Is timeously actually a word in .za English?

[justsimon]

Is timeously actually a word in .za English?

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/timeous

[loki81]

that's a long day! Do you have an hour for lunch?

I usually just eat at my desk while working... but I only work 4 days/week.

[pat grimshaw]

^ I envy you.

[loki81]

^ I envy you.

it's a trade off... they let me work 4 10-hour days to make up for making me work Sundays.

[Kiwils]

If you think your employer's tardiness policy is annoying, my employer is much more annoying. My company actually expects me to work ...instead of surfing and updating my Facebook status and organizing my weekend social events on the phone with my buddies during work hours. Surfing porn sites is strictly prohibited. Drugs are not allowed on company premises...and no groping coworkers. Where's the fun in that??? These policies annoy me to no ends.

When I used to play online games, I met a lot of people who would be playing while at work and even complain about work getting in the way of their play time... Idk how these people have jobs. I understand if you work at home/for yourself and set your own hours, but most of the time, that wasn't the case.

[MisterMajestic]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

Let me Explain it to you and this should stay with you until you Retire decades from now...Your Biggest & Greatest Challenge as an Employee is to prove to yourself & your Employer that you have stellar work-ethics....I'm guessing you're young and whatever your work ethics are now will likely stay with you for the rest of your years. I'm not joking...

You have to make a GRAND effort to have strong work ethics...if you're struggling to get to your job now then you're likely to have the same problems in your Career....

I had my first job when I was 16yrs old...I showed up for work on time, ready, trained and 20yrs later I'm still the same way...I'm not saying i'm perfect because i'm not, but my Good work ethics have been a routine for me since I was 16...Now that I'm 36 it comes natural..

So you gotta do better and make it to work on time because that's the only way you'll shine for the rest of your Careeer...And YES it's hard to Teach an OLD Dog new Tricks, so you gotta practice good work ethics while you're young so it'll stick...

That's the bottom line...

[Stoowii]

You should deal, that's what you should do.

^Pretty much.

I think the policy they have in place is great. Where I used to work, it was based on a point system. If you're 5 minutes late, you got .25 points. Once you accrued 10 points, you're gone. Leaving early is .50 points. Calling in sick is 1 point.

Why would you be bothered that you had to make up the time at the end of your shift? Where I used to work, if the option of making up time at the end of the shift was an option, they would gladly do it. You're getting paid. But I guess it's different since we used to get paid for the time we worked.

To put it nicely, being bothered by coming in 20 minutes late and thinking it's not fair to make up the time is a little cynical. If it's an hourly wage, you should for sure make up the time. Or do you think it's fair to work 7 hours and 40 minutes (taking into consideration the 20 minutes you were late) and expect to get paid 8 hours?

I don't see anything wrong with their policy. Be grateful you're employed and deal with it. They sign your checks. Don't give them a reason to stop doing it.

If you don't get paid for the job, as blackbelt said, "The policy might suck, but that's what you signed up for, so suck it up."

[Keeland]

OP, you should be glad to have a job.

Thank you, Herbert Hoover.

[eastofeden]

My first thought reading this thread...I wonder how many people have been killed on the road by someone who is rushing to work?

[bankside]

^Pretty much.

I think the policy they have in place is great. Where I used to work, it was based on a point system. If you're 5 minutes late, you got .25 points. Once you accrued 10 points, you're gone. Leaving early is .50 points. Calling in sick is 1 point.

Why would you be bothered that you had to make up the time at the end of your shift? Where I used to work, if the option of making up time at the end of the shift was an option, they would gladly do it. You're getting paid. But I guess it's different since we used to get paid for the time we worked.

To put it nicely, being bothered by coming in 20 minutes late and thinking it's not fair to make up the time is a little cynical. If it's an hourly wage, you should for sure make up the time. Or do you think it's fair to work 7 hours and 40 minutes (taking into consideration the 20 minutes you were late) and expect to get paid 8 hours?

I don't see anything wrong with their policy. Be grateful you're employed and deal with it. They sign your checks. Don't give them a reason to stop doing it.

If you don't get paid for the job, as blackbelt said, "The policy might suck, but that's what you signed up for, so suck it up."

That is a pretty ridiculous sick leave policy. I.E. illegal. They can't fire someone for being ill on 10 different occasions.

[Stoowii]

That is a pretty ridiculous sick leave policy. I.E. illegal. They can't fire someone for being ill on 10 different occasions.

Oh, forgot to mention that they roll out every 12 months from the date you incurred it. Besides, it's pretty rare for someone get sick 10 different times. Furthermore, the company is lenient on approving time for sick without incurring any points. Aside from points, an employee earns 15 hours of personal time a month. The points are only assessed if you call in sick 1 hour before work. Even then, the department is pretty understanding.

[Keeland]

I once received an official written warning for being 3 seconds late back from lunch despite having been stuck in the lift between floors for 8 minutes.

I hope you learned your lesson, leave home three hours earlier, take the stairs to the 102nd floor each day and eat lunch in the washroom.

[maxpowr9]

That is a pretty ridiculous sick leave policy. I.E. illegal. They can't fire someone for being ill on 10 different occasions.

I could understand if it was yearly, but the entire tenure is pretty ridiculous.The only real profession where sick leave is tied to performance is education.

[figjam]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

You are an adult. If situation causes you to be late - talk to your boss. Simple - been done for thousands of years.

[Telstra]

I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or not with a company wide policy on "tardiness" In my office at work we have a policy that if you're late more than twenty minutes you have to stay that amount of time so you won't screw up payroll with hours. (full time hourly internship for those wondering) I understand they don't want people taking advantage and coming in an hour late or leaving early but there isn't anything time sensitive about the job and this isn't high school...

It's only happened to me about twice but I think it's a bit draconian to do that since there's things out of control of employees such as unexpected delays even when leaving on time.

Thoughts? Agree? Disagree?

That is fair.
If you are half hour late, you have to stay back half hour.

[ravenstar]

I hope you learned your lesson, leave home three hours earlier, take the stairs to the 102nd floor each day and eat lunch in the washroom.

Actually I laughed at the person giving me the warning and stopped coming in half an hour earlier every day and working beyond the end of my shift if the call queue was overflowing.

A couple of weeks later the boss and his boss called me into a meeting to find out what was wrong and why my call stats were shorter than they had been previously. I pointed out that if I was going to be given an official warning for being a matter of seconds late back from lunch than I refused to do anything beyond my written job description. When they went back and checked the time logs they found that before the warning I was working on average an extra hour a day and after the warning I was working my exact shift, not a second more.

I hated that job it was a churn and burn salt mine. Having gone from being a Team Leader at the biggest Telco in the country to a shit kicker in one of the smallest carriage service providers proved to be a mistake for me and my career. I bought the story of getting in on the ground level, helping to shape the direction of Customer Service. When someone in my training group was promoted over me within 3 months of joining I realised it was a "jobs for the boobs" kind of place.

When I questioned the decision to promote a person with no experience beyond the 3 months in the job over someone with management experience, particularly given that team leaders used to escalate the more difficult calls to me, I was told that the person who got the job fit in with the existing culture better. Which was true, the company had no idea what they were doing so it made sense. I got the warning about a week later, and in the meeting was told that punctuality was extremely important, and that this was the 3rd time in 3 months I'd been late and that was probably why I wasn't considered for the promotion.

When I received a review I was late 3 times. Once was 3 seconds, once was 8 seconds and once was the 3 seconds I'd been given a warning for. I'd also been on a bathroom break - the phones were all computerised so recorded everything - for 2 minutes 30 seconds once when the allowed time to go to the bathroom was no more than 2 minutes.