I'm 31 years old, been working since I was 15 1/2. Never been fired, written up, or had a disciplinary talk at any job.... Until today where I got written up for being 34 minutes late....

The first time I ever got written up, I decided that since nothing I did made me less likely to be treated better, I would only do enough to not get fired

Please discuss any workplace accommodations you may need with your doctor and get your request on file with HR. TBIs can increase your likelihood of simple mistakes like this, and the ADA requires your workplace to make reasonable accommodations for you as long as they are notified about your symptoms and need for accommodations in advance. List out all of your ongoing symptoms and come up with ways your employer can make it easier for you to continue to work while experiencing them. If you see an occupational therapist, they may be the best person to brainstorm this with.

Now that you have a "medical history" is it possible they are trying to write you up for every tiny thing so they can fire you with reason in the future?

Seeing you had a stroke and a TBI you should consider putting in requests for accommodations. When your not working you might consider reaching out to the "Job Accommodation Network." www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/jobaccommodations

let the rage consume you.....

I had a meeting about attendance once and having no leave left. I had 2 surgeries in a year which i gave advanced notice for and I had my leave paid out so i could put it torwards a house deposit. I was making 25% more than my salary due to over time. How do you make 25% more by not showing up?

I ended up just leaving one day and never going back. No sacrifice ever mattered because they would never remember it.

Whether you're five minutes or a half hour early , whether you do no OT or endless OT, you'll get written up like everyone else, company's aren't your family or your friend, they don't and won't ever care about the workers that build them up, do your job and nothing more take your money and enjoy your life , it can make you feel worthless to give so much and not have it matter

See? They don't care how much OT you put in to help them out, they will still stab you in the back while saying good things to your face. That is why I simply act my wage, and nothing more.

Companies don't care how much overtime or extra work you put in. But if you are one minute late waiting for you on their time it's inconvenient for them, they have it in for you. They are not your "family". Keep your head down and be a good employee and don't rock the boat.

Life sucks and then you die. Oh, sorry, I also forgot about the whole suffering part in the middle where you have to work for jerks who treat you like dogsh!t. Then you die, hopefully peacefully in your sleep. My point: life is short. Don't worry about it. Move on.

I feel for ya. I had a situation where I had multiple skull fractures and TBI, missed 2 months of work, and when I came back, I had to put in for my last 24 hours of PTO for the year or I'd lose it. So I fumble through navigating the new digital time clock system for the request. I get the hours approved and take them off... Well, color me surprised when I returned and they said "sorry, you only had 18 hours to use, you took 6 hours too many. You're fired." Fun times. I hope it gets better for you.

I got wrote up for being a minute late 3 times a few years ago. Here is the kicker. I was late one time in January the next in may, and then on July. My employer at the time said they noticed a "pattern forming". This is all after I busted my ass for them. 

This led to a moment I'm not proud of but I told them to that write up and shove it up their asses and literally tore into management. I was also underpaid and that pressure finally boiled over. These companies don't give a fuck about us we are just there for what we can do for them. 

Show them what kind of employee they THINK you are. Only do the bare minimum. Extras are reserved for those who treat people with respect, kindness, and understanding. They have proven they are not those people, and therefore only get the minimum.

I would knock off the ot if you can afford it OP. Just work your shift and concentrate on your healing.

Don't turn up early, take your full lunch, leave on time

The only people that remthe long hours and late nights are you and your family. The company doesn't give 2 fucks but they will definitely fuck you if you ever so slightly step out of line.

You need to go to HR and start the process for 1) intermittent FMLA and 2) ADA accommodation.

Intermittent FMLA gives you the right to basically take off as needed. Doctors appointments. Not feeling well. Etc.

For ADA accommodations, it’s more of the same thing—your employer has to reasonably accommodate your disability.

If they try to fuck with you on either, it’s retaliation. Very easy lawsuit that plaintiffs employment attorneys would gladly file on your behalf.

I don't know if this is starting to happen across multiple industries but it seems like the hardest working, one thousand and ten percent dedicated workers are getting written up for the tiniest of infractions.

Meanwhile there are workers who clock in late, leave early, seemingly always on break, barely help beyond what it takes to stay employed and... nothing. No write ups, no threats, nothing to even give them a tiny jolt of anxiety.

Yeah they don’t care. They’ll write you up the second you slip up no matter what your reasoning is. Depending on how much you do or don’t allow them to exploit you, they’ll probably fire you on the 3rd write up no questions asked. They’ll let you finish the shift though, then tell you not to come back.

So now you realize all that overworking and giving extra is not worth it

31 is a good age to learn this. Some learn it earlier many, later in life. It doesn’t matter how much you give to the company. How loyal you are. How dedicated you are. How much OT you do. It makes you feel great sure, and that goes a long way for your self esteem and confidence etc. But for most companies, you’re just a number. They don’t give a rats ass about you. Especially when it affects their greed. Sorry you had to find out this way. Hope you’re healing from your injuries and realize this a definite red flag. For some personalities it is very difficult to not give the proverbial 110% or go the extra mile. If this is you, find an employer that truly deserves this and actually rewards you and recognizes your dedication.

They're starting a paper trail to fire you for cause. You're now a liability to them.

For us, it's company policy for automatic write ups for any tardy if you don't call it in 30 minutes ahead of time. Bosses used to pick and choose when to enforce policy, so they could work the system to fire underperforming employees (union) and protect the people they liked. Too many people cried that "so and so was late on these dates and didn't get a write up" during their termination grievance, and the higher ups got sick of the double standard.

Stop showing up early and work your exact time then leave.

i feel like they’re intentionally looking for little things like this to continue writing you up and fire you for those incidents instead of claiming they fired you for your work injury.

You are not your job. Your job is not “family”. You need to take care of yourself right now. Unless you desperately need the money stop the OT for a while you just had a stroke.

If you have paid leave use it. That sick and vacation time is part of your pay package. Would you tell payroll to keep 10% of your pay each month as a donation to the company?

Do you need the cash that you get from the OT, if not, work your contracted hours and enjoy your time on this planet my friend.

You have had a major health scare and hopefully you are over the major problems.

When I was younger, an older colleague of mine once asked me "have you ever heard of anyone on their deathbed saying that they wished they worked harder or longer?"

Having been in management for quite a few years, I may have a shitty answer.

1. Is it company policy to write someone up for being a certain amount of tardy?

2. I noticed that you were injured on the job. (Correct me if I am wrong) At a business I used to work for, it was an unwritten rule to do everything in the management's power to "get rid of" folks who were injured on the job. Fault was not a factor. How much you cared for the employee is not a factor. How hard the employee works is not a factor. How long the employee was with the company is not a factor. All that factored in this equation was that the individual got hurt, and the individual costs too much.

3. Are they actually targeting a different employee and masking their intentions by "making a statement" so the targeted individual doesn't have grounds for wrongful unemployment? You may have just been caught in the dirty web of someone else's issue.

4. I would not have written you up for being late.

Getting fired is actually a goddamn good thing. Once you pull that babd aid and stop giving a fuck you get to enjoy life 

Whatever you guys do never sign a disciplinary write up.

Immediately go to HR!!! Request any accommodations you might need. Demand them.

Start looking for a new job.

Start documenting instances. If your employer is ‘self insured’ and you are enrolled with their insurance, you are costing the money and they know it. I had a regional manager try to talk me out of hiring someone who was/is obese because they would cost us more $$ health insurance wise - did not care one bit that they were qualified for the position.

That’s good record, and maybe they should have given you a pass. But it is still your responsibility to know your schedule and show up on time.

Two-weeks notice expected if you quit. Zero notice when they fire you.

HR protects the company, not the workers.

Whistleblowers are punished in varying ways.

We owe them nothing more than what they pay for. They rent my time. My loyalty and integrity is not for sale.

American with Disabilities Act should cover this. You had a stroke and you are now disabled.

And now you know that all that OT means nothing

This place doesn’t deserve you. When you find another job make sure you tell them you left because of this if they ask.

It's not just a write up. That's insane. 

Some jobs will write you up easier than others. I don't know how your job is. But it could be retaliation because of your medical leave. Or them wanting to avoid having to legally accommodate you if you need FMLA in the future.

Don't take it personally. It happens to everyone.

Join a union. I've been written up a bunch of times, but the business can't do anything to me. I have to be written up multiple times in a six month period for them to take action against me.

You want to get there early because that works better for your travel and to allow extra time. Thats fine. Me too.

After a thing like that, I still arrived early, but unless you are getting paid, you are unavailable. Spend that time away from your desk. No little things to help like answering a question or talking about roster.

Unless you need the money cut back on the overtime. You are saving them the cost of another employee.

Take time to fully heal and take care of yourself.

Work life balance is important!

OP, you're a number. and when there's an error in the numbers they are corrected.

enough with the OT unless you're getting something out of it

This write-up was retaliatory - hence, unlawful.

You are being retaliated against for having a work injury and filing a Workers Compensation claim.

You need to go ahead and prepare a Charge of Discrimination (on the basis of disability) in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the "ADA").

By the time you file your charge with the EEOC, you will have already been written up again for such obviously pretextual reasons like drinking water, or taking 'too long in the bathroom.'

Get your Right to Sue Letter, and take it to your state labor department for a referral to an employment attorney.

My first and only write was as a working supervisor. An employee of mine (I supervised 10) wanted to work 1st shift (we were 2nd shift). He told the boss that I threatened his job, which of course, I didn't. I came to work and my boss had my write up ready, without even asking my opinion of what was said.

I called HR, they told me my boss called them with the complaint, HR told him to deal with it, so he wrote me up.

Their solution, to avoid a hostile work environment (their words) was to move him to 1st shift, which meant I could never work 1st shift as long as he worked there.

I quit a month later, they hired my replacement who robbed the place blind and was eventually fired. They could never find a supervisor, so they closed second shift.

That was 10 years ago, and they still have ads posted looking to restart 2nd shift. Karma.

Good luck OP. Don't let your anger eat you alive, use it to better yourself.

I'm a little confused.

had a car accident at work? Was it while working?

How many employees at your company?

USA is a shithole people- do whatever you can to get out

Sorry this happened to you. Not that it should make you feel better, but this is a lesson all of us (hopefully) learn at some point, and vast majority only after we were exploited and mistreated. Please no more OT and going any extra miles. Find a way to completely deprioritize work without them noticing it. Lie, pretend, steal time if you can get away with it. Put yourself first at all costs.

Also, if you are still experiencing symptoms or even if you aren’t, I hope this work injury is well documented. Although I would probably have ptsd if I continued working at a place where I got severely injured. Good luck with everything.

Usually if an organization starts writing you up especially for being late one time and being exemplary employee never calling in sick going above and beyond, then there is a reason they are doing it which is to create a paper trail so they can have the documentation gathered towards firing you. Especially if you were a workman's comp case against them and they see you as a liability now.

STOP WORKING OT FFS!

About 5 years ago I was the only graphic designer at a small marketing agency. Marketing manager was incompetent, didn't know what the fuck he was doing, how to scope projects, or how to manage a department.

We were in the middle of a big website design for a client. Marketing manager kept changing expectations, overpromising to the client and when I told him realistically how many man hours it would take to complete (way more than budgeted), he found some bullshit reason to write me up (some contrived bull about not logging hours the right way even though we had no official process for it) so the paper trail would make the fuck up look like my fault.

Copied portfolio items to a hard drive, emailed myself proof of fuckery just in case, and handed in my resignation the next day. As the only designer in the company, in the middle of a bunch of client projects. Left them hanging in the wind with no handover, no offboarding.

Fuck those games.

I got written up for transposing a number on a deposit slip 20 years ago - it still stings...I hated that place so much.

Nobody remembers what you've sacraficed for a company except you

This may be the first step in papering, an indication they are creating a paper trail justifying termination, such as involuntary disability separation for your TBI.

I’ve been working since I was 14, so I hear you on this. I agree with the sentiment below. I haven’t been a model employee at my current job for a while because of crap like this. There are things people don’t have control of, and while I’m not in a union, I do stand with my fellow employees when something isn’t right. At worst, your situation should have been a verbal warning. Even then, I feel like your manager should have talked to you and asked about the situation, giving you the benefit of the doubt based on your track record…

I was written up for something completely put of my control, while I was doing work that was above and beyond my normal duties. So, I instituted "Operation Malicious Compliance" I do ONLY what my job description says is my job and not a single solitary thing other than that. I also punch in exactly on time and when 530 arrives, I punch out and leave... doesn't matter what I'm doing, or what else might be going on. End of shift, I punch out and leave. My supervisors are irritated as hell, but because I'm not doing anything that violates any rules... company policy states they can't touch me. It is absolutely delightful... lol

Learn the lesson. Also, never put your life or others in danger just to get to work faster. That's dumb.

You come a hour early and work overtime. So yeah they know you are a b*tch and they can do whatever they want to you. Never come early. Work on the minute! Do just a tiny bit more then the slowest worker. Never work overtime. These people aren’t your friends. They are your abusers. Never give them anything more.

Don’t over think it. I’ve been fired from every job I’ve had and rehired by those same companies. Point is you’re just a tool to them. Only way to fix this is be the owner.

I went through 15 jobs over a span of 6 years. Fuck em. If I’m late I’m late, if I can’t come in I can’t come in. Find a job that sees you for the skills you bring, not this dumbass high school perfect attendance crap.

and do was the first time you realized that your employer does not give a duck about you or your efforts. Stop putting in the extra efforts where they aren’t appreciated make work conform to your needs. Work OT cuz you need the money not cuz you wanna look good for the boss. clock out promptly at your assigned hours and dont pick up anything that wasnt assigned to you 48 hrs before hand as per company policy.

Tell HR about your medical issues so it's documented in case they're trying to build up a case to fire you. 

Start looking for another job

Did you call to tell them? I don't see how this is antiwork, when this is a perfectly reasonable response to someone that didn't read the schedule right, and showed up 30 min late.

My first big write up was because of an out of date product. The restaurant was open Tuesday morning, then closed until Friday. Something went out of date on the Thursday. Because I hadn't thrown away said thing Tuesday, it was apparently my fault, even though it was in date when I left.

It was bullshit

Quit your job, sell everything and move to a different country. This country has nothing to offer.

Meh, it's a write up. It can suck if they choose to use it for disciplinary, but a job I worked would be required by corporate to write people up, but no one was ever fired for being late.

The only firing I remember was a dumb ass who tried to throw a snowball at our bartender and hit the tv over the bar instead and broke it. He was an idiot in other ways as well, but again, write ups didn't necessitate firing, but all places are different.

If they do try to give you shit over it, I would definitely lawyer up since you were injured on the job and are experience difficulties due to that.

Man I show up 10-15 minutes late nearly daily it seems like sometimes. My employer knows I'll handle business, make money and stay as late as I need to. I make it happen, so what if my twins are clinging to daddy and I sit down with them for 5 minutes in the way out the door. I'm still stopping for a biscuit. The idea that employers deserve more respect than employees is the most toxic workplace culture in the world and this is a fine example.

I worked a restaurant job where a new manager came in and started writing up this one pretty girl she didn't like for petty offenses. Her shoes had a little line of white in them and she was written up for dress code. Then her belt. Writeups are a favorite tool of the power drunk and spiteful.

Noy to be cynical--is it possible they wrote you up as a precursor to pushing you out the door-- I read you were out for 6 months, they covered your health insurance, possibly disabled pay, etc. Yet "lost" 6 months of your work - as a way to prevent future liability, should you have another health situation--write you up, you leave, write you up again/final written warning- push you out the door- 1st time being late, after health issue, I feel that's a lame write up--again, just something you may want to consider--

Look for another job. IMO A write up is a runway to fire you. If they don’t appreciate all the hard work you’re doing just go find another job with a better pay rate and also you won’t be taking all the bagage from the strike and everything. Clean slate.

Once I get written up Id just leave for the day😂

Don't ever go above and beyond for a company. All it will lead to is more work for you and resentmentby you. You have more of a chance climbing the ranks brown nosing or networking (God I hate that term). Most companies do not care for you and would replace you in a née York minute given half a chance.

Being written up is so funny. We're going to write you a note that we were upset with you! I'm sorry I'm a freaking adult and stuff happens, could you not understand that? It's so childish

"Just a write up" is the first step on the paper trail to justify firing you.

Can’t a doctors note just be enough for the day. It should br

No offense, but it is important for people to not give a shit about “write ups” and childish nonsense like that. We are adults, not schoolchildren.

Write ups send a message: fuck you. So the response is: well since I'm not appreciated I'll do the bare minimum to not get fired. It such a dumb concept and research has shown it to be a negative way of doing things. Had your boss come to you and said "hey what happened?" Then heard your reasoning and then said "I make mistakes all the time, you're one of our most consistent and solid employees and we genuinely appreciate you. Just don't make this a habit" I'll bet you'd be just fine. So much quicker, easier, appreciative, and will get the desired effect from the employee

Contact your union asap. Sounds illegal to fire you for that reason

No, you are right to be livid. If that’s your first time to be late, they should not have written you up.Disciplinary action should only occur when there is a pattern of behavior. I would bubble this upwards. Seems like you are being singled out, unless anytime someone is late they are written up. And I doubt that’s true.

They will never remember your OT, but your kids will.

Fuck that company. If it's more profitable to fuck you over - they will.

Write ups are ridiculous. We're not kindergarteners. A conversation is how adults handle things.... Unless you're an adult in charge of other adults in some kind of business setting I guess.

First, are you a manager? If…. you would know better write ups at Papa John’s could mean many things. If you are a good employee, nothing to worry about. A write up is to fix issues or bad behaviors. My GM’s been write up like 30 times in 18 years working at Papa John’s and he’s still there. I had write ups?, yeah, different issues but I’m still here after so many years and they’re not going to let me go cause I’m awesome, a great employee. I have nothing to worry about. But on the other hand if you are a lazy one 3 write ups you’re out. No kidding, I never fired a good employee, those always have second chances but a lazy one, 3 write ups, he’s gone. I’m very patient. I evaluate people, lazy ones can be better doing something else somewhere else. If you are late and don’t call to say you’d be late, what do you want a hug? It could be a verbal warning though. It depends on the situation, your situation at store and if it was busy, busy the minutes you were late.

Report your manager to their manager, and ask if that's the culture they want, where there is no understanding of individual's circumstances.

If that's what they want, then do the minimum until you can find a different workplace. Only do overtime if you're getting double time, or you're desperate for the money.

And try to learn some new skills online to escape the wage slave rat race. There are easy jobs that pay a fortune if you just know more about something than most other people.

No, it’s not just a write up. It’s a representation of how they feel about you. You should really take that under consideration and look for a different opportunities. I’m a recruiter. Let me know. I’ll find you something better.

it's not just a write up, it's time stamped proof that no matter how much you give it will never increase your value to your employer. it's a document that spells out how little your life and anything in it matters. There's no grace for being human, as soon as it's one toe out of line it's all strict policy.

sorry about the gut punch that it is if you've had good luck and been raised to expect decency. a lot of companies don't keep the older social contracts of honoring the proven track record of a hard working, reliable employee when something goes wrong. there's no "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" left, or it's a rarity anyway. lots of times you won't see it until you're the one on the outs. a lot of the rhetoric blames employees. like the invented story to excuse this write up will be something like, you used to be reliable and hard working but that stroke messed you up and they just can't let things slide because then everyone would start showing up late. it's all bullshit.

please do not ever race anywhere on account of your employer. you've got a second chance from your previous accident, don't waste it on these chuckleheads.

Get ADA accommodations and get it all documented with HR. Also get your docs to get any FMLA paperwork done in case you need to be out from work if anything chronic starts to come up due to the TBI.

HR doesn't want this to blow back on the company and the manager writing you up is opening them up to a lawsuit if you get fired due to disability reasons that are documented.

That is the key part: the ADA accommodations need to be documented otherwise HR doesn't give a rat's ass.

Your team is your doctor(s) and a good labor attorney who has experience with clients having disabilities.

Your workplace needs to be aware and accommodate your limitations right now. If it wasn't a life threatening situation, then nothing should have been done. Talking with you about it at the most is all that was necessary.

You are dealing with a double whammy of a TBI and a stroke. Essentially TWO Traumatic Brain Injuries. This was a side effect of the TBI, so you can fight it.

My TBI was in 1986, and I still have what I describe as "number blindness" from it. It's not constant, but enough that it gets me stuck in a lot of different ways, from reversing numbers to as you did, reading dates wrong. My checking account statement is my worst nightmare.

If the accident was job related, get a work attorney ASAP. Otherwise, you are covered under ADA. You probably already had a Neuro-Psych exam done which will show your limitations. If not, request one be done. Your health care provider can write you a letter of accommodation. It is possible, too, you may be back to work (or full-time) too soon.

Check to see, too, if there is a TBI support group in your area.

Hoping you used an attorney for your injury and workers comp claim . It should still be open.

Add this to your case

Please get an ADA filed with the company to cover your brain injury. Talk to your neurologist and primary care physician.

Fuck em

ADA. I am sure your stroke is now a disability that affected your understanding of the schedule. I would contact a disability lawyer. I would email hr and explain that you misunderstood the work schedule. That could have been caused by the stroke you had. Print and save that email, if hr gives you more trouble. Now you have evidence to fight them.

I work 84 hours a week, 7 days a week, for the next 4.5 months, no lie. I know if I showed up late once, that would be my first warning. Only taken 5 hours of leave for Dr.s appointments this year and not going to take a day off until Thanksgiving and Christmas. We are the "low man" on the totem pole. I know my role therefor I save 30% of my gross, so, that one day I will not have to deal with this. Stay strong. Stay consistent.

It's always same thing. Company not respecting hard work of the employees and force them to do bare minimum. And then they complain that employees are becoming lazy.

My hospital employer gave me an absentism write up for calling in sick.

I’ve also been written up for very similar circumstances at a previous job, where my supervisor was well aware I had a disability and also knew I worked my ass off. I was even put on a PIP as a result. It had been clear from the beginning that my disability had me marked by HR as an employee they were more than willing to lose. As luck would have it, I was offered a much better-paying job by a random LinkedIn recruiter so I was able to quit by telling my supervisor I had a better job than she’d been working for years. Of course, the new job sucked too and my whole department got axed 2.5 years in, but I got much much better ratings and raises with no change to how I work.

The point, though, is some companies seem to use every method they can get away with to shed disabled people from staff. As inconvenient and frustrating as it sounds and is, if you keep getting this treatment I would really encourage finding a workplace where your dedication and talents are valued (I know—easier said than done, I’m out of work and trying the same myself.)

More than anything I just feel for you and want you to know that your complaints are completely valid and serious, as much as forces at work might you to think otherwise. Other responses have provided that validation but I just want to join the chorus. I wish you the very best.

If the minimum wasn't good enough it wouldn't be the minimum...always remember that. If asked to take on more ask what is the benefit to me?

Sounds like you employer is trying to rid of you. If they're now suddenly keeping track of everything and a writ up, sounds iffy...

Are the bosses killing themselves to do better by you?if the answer is no, them why are you will Ng yourself to do better by then. The Silver rule. Treat people the way you are treated.

Used to be the best employee, and an SME for 4 different projects. I didn't reply to a teams message on time (40min late) because I went to pickup my wife from work for an emergency and was put to PIP. From the next day on, till now I have been a subpar employee at best. I only do what has been assigned to me. Clock in right at 8a, clock out exactly at 4p. I make sure management knows what has been assigned to me, and the timeframe and I deliver. Nothing more nothing less. Not taking any SME approach to anything.

Last month I got the best employee award(not sure what I did that good), along with 24 other people (again) and this time I got a pen with the company logo on it. And it's a billion dollar government contractor.

You don't respect me, I won't respect you either. This is my job, not my passion.

I would express to the manager that you truly had no intention on being late, it won’t happen again and you hope that the write up is no reflection of the work you’ve been doing… I’m a business owner of a small company so if someone is late I typically ask if they are okay before just concluding to writing them up… shit happens we’re all human! We quite literally can’t be perfect all of the time. So I feel you on how they just immediately wrote you up as opposed to asking if you’re okay first..

I mean, you were late. You should have called or sent an email saying you had an appointment due to your accident and that you’d be a bit late. You probably wouldn’t have been written up.

You’re not entitled to not being written up dude. And that’s part of the problem, that some ppl still live under the illusion that your job is your friend. We’re not in this sub because we are friends with our job.

Well dont be late