Adverse weather and work

Submitted by SecretLadyMe t3_11e5a0s in Connecticut

My daughter lives in an apartment complex. New management this year, and it's the first storm. She wakes up to go work at the Bezos company but can't get out. The driveway is very steep and not plowed. Work says if she doesn't get there, it's termination, or she can take an unpaid 2 week leave. This seems unreasonable, but is it legal?

Update: I updated the current status below. My only request here was to help my daughter protect whatever rights she has in her current predicament. I find the company unreasonably rigid and short-sighted, but she has to decide what job she has and what type of life that is - leaving for less money and more flexibility or staying for the cash.

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marjorymackintosh t1_jacexwq wrote

It is not illegal, unfortunately. Just extremely unreasonable. Source: I am an HR professional.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jacf49w wrote

Thank you! Unfortunately, all of the policies are very rigid and don't account for the fact that they employ humans.

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scottyf_ct t1_jacsbs1 wrote

Amazon is destroying our country. Hard stop.

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Jelopuddinpop t1_jaf2hxy wrote

I agree with you.

However, until the stupid high number of people that use Amazon realize this, it's going to continue. They're a massive retailer because people like the service they provide.

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Enginerdad t1_jaebuxd wrote

A period indicates a hard stop. You wrote

>Amazon is destroying our countryhardstop Hard stophard stop

Or alternatively

>Amazon is destroying our country. ..

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AquaNines t1_jadl8pp wrote

Do you ever feel regretful about being an HR professional given what the world tells us you do (help out employees in struggling situations) vs what you're actually supposed to do (help the business achieve it's goals)? I only ask because I see memes like this all the time

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marjorymackintosh t1_jae7veb wrote

No, I don’t. At least where I work, employees are very clear that our job is to support the company by ensuring we are adhering to employment laws, our employee handbook, and by working to attract and retain talent by creating a good place to work. Luckily, adhering to employment laws in place to protect people and retaining talent are best achieved by creating a safe, pleasant workplace with good pay and benefits, so I don’t find that my job is often at odds with helping employees. The only part I have really hated is having to lay off employees in the past, through no fault of their own. But at the end of the day, I work for a business and those are business decisions. That’s why I tell people I know that they don’t owe a company their loyalty - it’s a business relationship, not a personal relationship, and that is true on both sides. Do what’s best for you and move on if you need or want to.

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Enginerdad t1_jaechag wrote

While it's true that HR official side is with the company, not all companies go out of their way to screw over their employees in the name of profits. Lots of HR professionals spend their time genuinely helping employees with things like hiring, benefits and leaves of absence. It's only the companies that tell you "HR is here to help you," and then use that against you in case of conflict that times get shitty.

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AquaNines t1_jaellz6 wrote

I don’t think they do but the last part you said there I think is what the meme is really referencing. I know most companies aren’t trying to be unkind towards their workers. That being said, it’s nothing unheard of.

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Enginerdad t1_jaeunfj wrote

Of course it's not unheard of, but there are also corrupt doctors, abusive veterinarians, and murdering foster parents. Nobody asks people in those professions if they "feel regretful" about being those things.

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AquaNines t1_jaewb98 wrote

Idk where you’re going with the foster parents part but in those professions when someone is playing outside the lines it’s usually seen as like a solo act by a person and not as a profession as a whole. HR as a whole profession is not really seen in the best light. I have a professional here who could answer a question I was curious about and well within my rights to ask, why wouldn’t I?

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Squidworth89 t1_jaeikqb wrote

Not everyone has such a juvenile outlook.

HR is employed by the company. Not the workers.

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AquaNines t1_jaek2vm wrote

The format it’s presented in may be juvenile but it’s sentiment isn’t. There’s a lot of people working right now who are told HR is your friend. This can be true. They can also be your demise. The demise part is what companies tend to sweep under the rug which is why HR gets a bad rap.

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1234nameuser t1_jacsuco wrote

Amazon & Bezos can kiss my ass, that is all

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Kolzig33189 t1_jacja5r wrote

It sucks that the company’s policy is so ridiculously rigid. Perhaps she can call a taxi/Uber, or coworker to give her a ride to avoid the termination? Short term solution but she should look for work elsewhere when possible.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jacoe57 wrote

She went in as soon as the driveway was clear and is just hoping she has the hours to cover the time missed. The way and rate that they generate time off seems like a setup for things like this.

I used to work at a call center many years ago, and they had strict rules, too. Except when weather was a factor or a huge accident on a highway, they relaxed the rules, realizing it cost more to fire and rehire half the staff.

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zdipi t1_jadkt7d wrote

Just a reminder Amazon kept their workers working until the very last moment during a Tornado which resulted in 6 people dying. Amazon doesn’t give a shit about their employees.

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smooshybabyelephant t1_jachq2a wrote

That's definitely unreasonable. Has she started looking for another job yet? It sounds like a very unhealthy work environment.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jacnyun wrote

She has. Just not a lot to match her pay. She is over 3 years in and it only gets worse.

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HealthyDirection659 t1_jae5d8w wrote

Tell her to apply at post office. Mail carriers start around 19 per hour and usps is unionized.

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Pancrat t1_jadgzcs wrote

Sounds like she has to make sacrifices and work hard to keep a high paying job-idk if I agree with the advice that she should find something easier going and less lucrative. Sounds like bad advice.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jadsxaz wrote

Ultimately, it's up to her, and I will support her in whatever choice she makes. She has to decide how she wants to live, be it at a less rigid job for less money, or sticking this out until she finds something comparable. I just want to make sure her rights are protected, whatever choice she makes.

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Synergiance t1_jae1g82 wrote

I don’t think putting herself at risk in order to get there on time was part of the contract. Shit happens and a job needs to respect that.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jad5fi0 wrote

She got to work 2 hrs late, and they still hadn't plowed the facility, so she had the most difficulty getting into the building. smh

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TreeEleben t1_jacw7vp wrote

This is common in the retail and food service industry as well. I've seen numerous people fired due to weather causing buses to be late or not running at all, or because roads are blocked by snow or debris. These big corporations don't care if their employees live or die, and the employees they fire can be replaced almost immediately.

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MrMeritocracy t1_jadeh2q wrote

We need to stop voting for lawmakers who allow this to be legal

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TreeEleben t1_jae6b5y wrote

You'd have to just stop voting. Our laws allow companies to buy politicians.

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avgeekCT t1_jae1naa wrote

She should tell her boss to get fucked and move on. Amazon is a horrific employer. I’m sorry she had to deal with that. It seems on-brand coming from the company that forced their delivery drivers to piss in water bottles to make their numbers.

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anothertimewaster t1_jadfzwk wrote

I'm setting a personal goal to stop using Amazon. I've heard too much about how bad their working conditions are.

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Chemical_Ad7629 t1_jadk9uv wrote

Completely legal - CT is an “at-will” state. Unless she has some kind of contract or union protection that suggests otherwise, Lord Bezos has final say.

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Ambitious_Relation92 t1_jadwr4r wrote

If the apartment didn’t plow yet, what does the lease say regarding the timeline for plowing. We have a management company take care of ours and it says within x amount of time after the snow that it must be plowed for us

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Joansz t1_jaeixsk wrote

I read through the comments and apparently it's legal. I have one word for people who work for companies who treat their employees so horribly: UNIONIZE!

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n00dlegoat t1_jad6v8u wrote

I used to work for an Amazon warehouse. (Which I personally loved). Did she not have time she could have used? My understanding was it was a fireable offense if you had negative time off.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jadbj1i wrote

Nope. She had to take the little time she had to see the doctor.

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n00dlegoat t1_jadco5i wrote

That stinks, some warehouses don’t need the employees right now. Negative UPT and they are letting people go. I would,and I’m sure she will, complain to the management company.

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JMAcevedo26 t1_jaf0bnz wrote

I know that it is easy for me to say because I am not in her situation, but based on the lack of empathy, she should consider finding a new job. I am a firm believer in having a job that you don't mind going to every day, based on my personal criteria.

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SouthOrangeJuice t1_jad3pc1 wrote

Sounds like the complaint should be with the management company, not the employer. She should walk to a passable road, call an uber and send the bill to the management company. Not an ideal situation, but an easy workaround to avoid termination.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jad56ok wrote

She can't even get her heat to work right with the new management company. It's either off or 90 degrees. But that's another battle.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_jadaz1g wrote

the management company would never pay an uber ride.. they don't care.

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SouthOrangeJuice t1_jaehkq7 wrote

Well, there's at least 4 additional options in that instance: 1) foot the uber bill yourself, 2) check what the agreement says in the lease amount snow removal - file a complaint if they've exceeded SLA, 3) look for a new place to live that treats snow removal as a priority or 4) look for a new employer.

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TreeEleben t1_jadbr44 wrote

Management would tell her to leave several hours early and walk to work. With these types of jobs there is zero tolerance for not working exactly as scheduled. If you punch in/out 30 seconds late, you will face consequences, up to termination.

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SouthOrangeJuice t1_jaeh46v wrote

To clarify, when I referenced management company, I meant the building's management company who didn't plow the parking lot in a reasonable manner.

Obviously the employer would expect the worker to be on site in CT after getting 3-6" of snow. Regardless of what you think about Amazon, they are not responsible for the employees' choice to live in an area where snow removal is not a priority. Still need to be at work on time.

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CaptServo t1_jad8f8d wrote

At will employment. Sucks, but it is legal

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justmaxmeup t1_jaelcp7 wrote

All I can say is, “I love unions job.” HR should change their names from “Human Resources” to “Employer Resources.” They don’t give a Phuck about their employees.

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FrankieLovie t1_jaelkiv wrote

If it's not this, it'll be something else. She needs to start looking

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Conscious_History812 t1_jaf2vuv wrote

My wife worked in a call center for a few years. It did a number on her mental health. Not only her but MANY employees ended up taking anti anxiety meds through a therapist. This is not the way. We need to treat employees better. There was a snow storm once and people got snowed in and worked for 3 days eating out of vending machines. Gotta work the phones if your cable is out due to 2 ft of snow and you can't comprehend that.

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jules13131382 t1_jaf4rnl wrote

that is nuts....I can't believe that they would terminate her for missing one day due to inclement weather....absolutely ridiculous. Tell the Bezos company to go F themselves

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[deleted] t1_jadgiby wrote

[deleted]

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jadsczm wrote

They don't have warnings. No time = be on time or fired. They also accrue so slowly that it takes months to accrue a single day.

I know my kid is not perfect, but she decided to move out and takes work very seriously because she has a lease and car payment. She also has no problem telling me if she's messed up, so it's not a pattern thing.

Regardless, it is what it is, and she has to work within it. I just wanted to make sure she has all of her rights protected.

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Current-Photo2857 t1_jad4mva wrote

My SO works in a decidedly non-Bezos related office that was fully remote back in the rona times, and while he is back in the office now, he has worked from home a few times. I asked him yesterday if that’s what he would do today, but he said his current project/meetings require in-person, so he was out the door at 7:30 this morning. Unfortunately, it’s not a situation that’s unique to only your daughter’s sector.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jad5nbl wrote

I understand needing to be in the building. Would he be fired if he couldn't make it today or was more than 5 min late? That's the ridiculous part.

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Current-Photo2857 t1_jada9po wrote

Depends on the employee’s history. There are certainly people on probation there due to taking too many days to WFH now.

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kmuz700 t1_jaes3v0 wrote

While i don’t agree with the employers actions, your daughter also needs to realize this is New England, and that her chosen mode of transportation needs to be adequate for our weather and terrain, and to take things such as a steep driveway into consideration when choosing a place to live. We didn’t exactly get a blizzard, we got a light snow on warm ground that was easily passable with the proper tires and driving skill.

My work vehicle is only 2wd, we do not get called off work unless it’s a significant storm, our customers require service as the world does not just stop for a few inches of snow. There was no issue this morning unless you are outright not prepared for weather we deal with every single winter. Again, I do think the company is out of line, but I’m also not gonna excuse lack of preparedness for such an insignificant weather event.

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0cclumency t1_jaf00l1 wrote

Light snow? In parts of the state this was a pretty wet and heavy 7 inches. Ideally everyone would have their pick of apartments with good driveways, and a car that’s good in the snow. But we all know that’s not always realistic for a young person on an Amazon warehouse paycheck.

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someGuy301 t1_jad6hxy wrote

Lol this is life in the REAL WORLD! Every commuter out there has been getting up early and planning ahead for literally generations if there's snow in the morning.

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TreeEleben t1_jadcjos wrote

People today are smarter than those older generations. We realize that risking our lives in order to get to work exactly on time is unbelievably stupid and pointless.

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phunky_1 t1_jadrm6t wrote

Right..

Fuck these companies that don't care about their employees, there are plenty of other companies to work for that do.

Then they will complain that "no one wants to work" at their shitty jobs.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jadbtpx wrote

I don't disagree. I do the same. But I'm not fired when I'm 5 min late. I also get a sick time allowance of more than an hour per month (it might be different, but it's similarly low).

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ZaggahZiggler t1_jadt7yt wrote

Agree. Grab a shovel and solve the problem.

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SecretLadyMe OP t1_jadxb67 wrote

When I lived in an apartment, I didn't have a shovel. Why would I? It's part of my rent.

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ZaggahZiggler t1_jae8u5i wrote

Because it’s New England and a shovel serves many purposes. I keep one in my car all winter.

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