Canadian (QC) work related issue.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

So I've been working at a place for a little over 2 years now. Everything was fine until last week when I came in late on friday, by about 20 minutes. Before I explain my position, I must admit it's not the first time. It's not an everyday thing, but it happens.

Usually though, when it happens, my boss just smile at me, shrug and tell me that if I want to finish later to catch up on lost time, to knock myself out. Except for friday. I had to meet the director, and he sent me home, telling me to call on monday.

Monday come, instead of calling I just go and meet the director face to face. He told me that had he listened to himself I was done for. I get to keep my job, except I have been suspended for a WEEK, and I am not entitled to have any breaks anymore except for lunch. Oh and if it happens again i'm fired (obviously)

I know i've said it's not the first time i'm late, but this can be considered a first offence because i've never had any trouble for it. I'm pretty damn sure if I look at my file it's going to be damn near empty. Also, like the day before this happened, the director got me into his office and told me in a couple of weeks I would get a promotion to a higher post.

With that in mind, isn't a week suspension and the removal of my break privilege immensely harsh (I've never, EVER had to meet anyone for being late before)? I haven't asked to look at my file but if it is as I suspect clear, there has to be some sort of resort I can count on, yes?

[Cream Soda]

You're lucky you still have your job.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Black person please don't be mad because I thought your pageant was retarded ♥

[Cream Soda]

was a serious response.

You're no entitled to any on the clock breaks (or extra off clock break aside from lunch).

Week suspension, well, that one is a toss up for me, but even if your prior tardies weren't documented, if he knows about them, then rly doesn't make a diff. If you ust showed up late and didn't as much as call prior, then yea, also warrants a week.

[Pringles]

Most likely every other time you've been late, your direct boss has been noting it in your file. I'm guessing director got tired of it happening? On estimate how often would you say you're late? Once a week, month?

[solanis]

you should be thanking god you still have a job. take your lumps and make sure it doesn't happen again!

[jamesfk]

You're lucky you still have your job.

This

Not sure about the laws in QC but here you need 3 strikes to be terminated after you have passed 3 months (before that anyone can fire you for any reason at all) So its looks like now the bosses are starting the strikes in order to terminate you. The penalties they gave are well within their rights, other then termination you have no laws to protect on this. I have done this many times to employees that skate buy the 3 month probation then slack off. Once I decide to fire someone all I did was make sure to document them for anything at all that was a proven violation, after 3 there gone.

From what I can tell you have two options, one is take the heat actually SHOW UP on time.... its really not hard and being late for a job is one of the most unprofessional things you can do.

The other is just quit, if they want you gone you're gone and I give it 2 weeks tops before they find any reason to get rid of you legally .

[jamesfk]

Most likely every other time you've been late, your direct boss has been noting it in your file. I'm guessing director got tired of it happening? On estimate how often would you say you're late? Once a week, month?

Nothing can be put into the employees permanent file unless its signed by both parties.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Well then my file is absolutely definetly empty.

"Not sure about the laws in QC but here you need 3 strikes to be terminated after you have passed 3 months" this is a law in quebec as well, and is precisely why I made this thread. Usually a week of supsension is last resort before the door but you still have to do step 1 and 2 wich obviously were skipped.

I'd say I am late about 1 every month or 2. I know this is the most unproffesional thing you can do, but we're not talking high end job, it's a fucking retail job. I start at 6 in the morning, so the store is closed anyway. It doesn't put them in any trouble. Other than that i'm a very good employee. I do what i'm told, fast, and ppl like me.

Sure it's a retail job, easily replaceable by both parties, one might think. Except for the promotion and salary upgrade (idk how to say that in english) they were telling me about THE DAY BEFORE. I'm one of the few people if not the only qualified for it.

[Takedown3]

Quebec, Canada's Texas.

Honestly I don't know what to tell you bro, I live in Ontario and I run my own biz and I've never had to deal with nonsense issues like this, sounds like they might just be stressed out with personal/business issues and taking it out on the first chump that makes them upset in any way at all.

Good luck.

[Drakath]

I'm sorry this has happened to you, but being late is eventually always cause for trouble. I hope things work out.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

I think you meant something else there, Quebec is a fantastic place, paying 2M$ for artificial lakes inside government buildings and all.

I think I may have to take this to whatever resources we have here. Seems like everybody here is about as confused as me.

EDIT: It seems most people miss the point. I'm not trying to argue that being late is good for you. It's not. But we have rights, even when we do something wrong. The situation to me is like a 15 years old getting caught smoking. Do you give him packs? No.

Do you rip his lungs out? No.

[Melena]

Yea, i'd consider yourself lucky, and even luckier they have a crazy rule for terminating employment. Pretty much the entire US is considered at will employment and you can pretty much lose your job for any reason they choose. Just show up on time, and be thankful they haven't hammered you for being late in the past since even though it's only once a month, that would get you considered as a habitual tardy person at just about any job.

[Pringles]

Nothing can be put into the employees permanent file unless its signed by both parties.

It may not be an official documentation on his permanent file, but there'll definitely be a notation somewhere each time an employee is late. Payroll forms alone will tell when a person was late, unless you fill out your own timecards and are forging them to show you're not late.

Perhaps since the director had told him about the promotion, he went over all his information in his file and payrolls and saw the lateness and being that he was late the very next day decided to suspend to nip it in the bud. No one wants to promote a person whose late an average of 6-12 times a year, especially since it was said it's retail. Being late affects prepping the store for the day and making sure everything is all set for open.

Either way if you want to stay with the job your best bet is to take the suspension and come back and show up early each day from there on out. Arriving 10-15 minutes early each day will show that you're serious about making up for being late. If you're still upset about the situation after the week, it might be time to look for a new job.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

I'm going to take the heat on this one. The thing that annoys me the most is i'm not late because I lack the will to work or because I stayed up too late and i'm being irresponsible. It's the fact that nothing wakes me up unless it's eleventy billion decibel.

Last friday was like, the biggest chain of bad luck happening to me. I have 3 clocks to wake me up: My regular clock wich isn't loud enough to wake me up, my cellphone, wich crashed during the night and my big ben that I had forget to wind up. I know is a stupid excuse, but it's actually true.

Anyway, thx everyone for at least confirming that despite me being in the wrong, they still did shit wrong too.

[ziegh]

Can always check on the Commission de normes du travail's website (http://www.cnt.gouv.qc.ca/) though a quick look turned nothing for me. I'd say you're lucky to have a job still since from what I've noticed here in Montreal since I moved here, employers are very anal about punctuality, I sit in front of a team lead and whenever he has meetings about his projects, he points out who was late even if it was for 2 minutes and has always explained them that if they're late (ie, 1min+ of their shift start but <5min) more than once in a month, they'll get a notification. I don't see much you can do except trying to arrive 15 min earlier than your time start and take the whatever punishment they dished you out, get the promotion, move on to a better place, etc.

[jmc]

Look into your local labor laws, everyone has different laws pertaining to breaks... and termination.

For example here in ma, your required by law to get a 15 minute break every 4 hours of work (not including any lunch time) of course a employer can take away the breaks if the company is swamped, but it needs to be a written agreement by both parties beforehand.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

I just contacted Normes du travail, I'll update here when they reply in case anyone wonder where this goes.

[Cream Soda]

The thing that annoys me the most is i'm not late because I lack the will to work or because I stayed up too late and i'm being irresponsible.

Obviously too late if you're having trouble waking up. Go to bed earlier.

[hey]

That. Also, wake up at the same time every day, even if you're not working. If you can't wake up to an alarm, then you need to make sure you wake up on your own without one.