Getting written up at work...

[kingnebwsu]

What exactly does it entail? I've been tardy a few times over the last several months and the boss will be writing me up at the end of the week. I work at a large, blue, video store chain. I was wondering how it will affect my future. I figure it'll just affect me with my current company, cuz they can't give out info like that to others cuz of legal reasons. Will it stifle my movement up the company ladder? Or is it just something that if it happens enough times, I'll get fired? I'm currently an assistant manager.

There are people here from many different backgrounds so I thought I'd throw this out there. Even though I'm late once in a while (this is the second time I've been seriously late in 4-5 months), I still get more done than every other manager who works there (including the head boss).

I just have issues getting up in the morning, I never have trouble with the evening shifts. EVER.

Thanks in advance for the replies.

-Employee of Bloc*****er

[Eaglesfan27]

My wife has been written up at work once. It is a disciplinary action which can help justify them firing you if you continue to do the behavior that they have warned you about in the official write-up. I don't think there are any legal prohibitions from them sharing this information with other companies as some jobs will make you sign a waver giving your new prospective employer the opportunity to research your background. But, I could be wrong about that aspect of this as I'm certainly not a legal expert.

[SackAttack]

It depends on the company. Usually the first write-up is just a written warning that gets placed in your file for a certain period of time, at which point it gets expunged.

One write-up isn't an issue, at least as far as raises go. If it becomes a pattern, that's their paper trail that they can use to justify termination, or, yes, to justify declining to promote you.

Don't worry about it too much if it's the only write-up you've had. If it becomes a regular thing over the next few weeks and months, THEN you need to worry.

[Subby]

They are creating a paper trail if the time ever comes where they want to fire you and need documented instances to back their actions up.

This information does not follow you. Recent caselaw suggests that when a prospective employer call Ballbuster for references they can only verify employment dates, not speak to your work qualities.

Are you calling ahead to let them know you are going to be late? If you are able to contact someone before your shift starts, then usually stuff like that slides a little better.

[Franklinnoble]

"I usually sneak in the side door, so Lundburg doesn't notice me getting here late."

You should probably go rent "Office Space." At Hollywood Video.

Anyhow, piss on their write-up. Like Subby says, there's no "permanant file" (unless showing up late to work becomes a felony in the state you live in), and all they can tell future employers is when you worked there, so don't sweat it.

[bosshogg23]

The only time I was written up was because a friend and I took a golf cart around the clubs golf course for about 2 hours(should have taken 15 minutes). My boss had this big write up, asked if I had any changes, I said I didnt. Later that night, after he left, another friend took the paper from the file for me. Nothing was ever was said of the incident.

On another job, I did look in several personel files for the company. Mine was empty except for my app and some verified references. A friend who was looking with me, had her record "expunged" while we were looking.

[Franklinnoble]

Originally posted by bosshogg23
The only time I was written up was because a friend and I took a golf cart around the clubs golf course for about 2 hours(should have taken 15 minutes). My boss had this big write up, asked if I had any changes, I said I didnt. Later that night, after he left, another friend took the paper from the file for me. Nothing was ever was said of the incident.

On another job, I did look in several personel files for the company. Mine was empty except for my app and some verified references. A friend who was looking with me, had her record "expunged" while we were looking.

That's a great idea!

I wish I knew where my company kept personnel records... I'd love to see what they have on me...

[bbor]

Usually companies have their own policies on this sort of thing.Write ups are generally kept for a year and then tossed.They are kept "in case" they wanna get rid of you,it usually takes 3 of these write ups before they can fire you.

Write ups are usually kept in house and not given to future employers...but if you use them as a reference they may tell them you were written up.

[ice4277]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. There's almost no chance that it would follow you to a new job. As for your current job, working in retail, I think it would take a lot more than a write-up or two to get you fired, especially if you are a halfway-competent worker.

[Jets80]

Originally posted by kingnebwsu

I just have issues getting up in the morning, I never have trouble with the evening shifts. EVER.



GET UP ON TIME AND GO TO F'ING WORK.

[ice4277]

I'll trade somebody my shift for a day; I have to be to work at 4:30am :(

[superbama]

The law doesn't prevent your employer from giving your personal files to the masons, so this could affect your climb up the invisible ladder.

[superbama]

Originally posted by ice4277
I'll trade somebody my shift for a day; I have to be to work at 4:30am :(

I work 4am to 2pm most days (sometimes later).

[TroyF]

It really depends on how your boss is with write ups. Is it something he does all the time? Is it something he rarely does?

Having been a supervisor, I hated writing people up. I usually gave them EVERY chance to get out of the write up. When they finally were written up, it was a dark cloud over them moving up the ladder inside our company.

When I spoke to a new batch of employees, I'd always explain that your reputation can be made within a couple of weeks and take you years to change. I know we used to go over personell files very carefully before we determined who would be promoted. The supervisor who gave the write up would be called in and talked to.

Your write up won't follow you outside of your current company. It will impact you at your current one. As has been said here by others, if you make any other mistakes, this write up can be used to push you out the door.

Good Luck.

TroyF

[Jets80]

No offense but when you rent and rewind videos for a job I dont think getting wrote up is that big of deal. They should be glad that you just show up for work at all.

[SackAttack]

What ticks me off is that I've had managers be, like, half an hour late almost as a matter of routine, and nothing ever seems to happen to them. Double standards suck my nads.

[Subby]

Originally posted by Jets80
GET UP ON TIME AND GO TO F'ING WORK. If there was a Post-of-the-Month feature I would submit this one every five minutes.

Of course Galt would then censor it, but that's a fun refreshing fruity drink for another time...

[STK]

I've never been late to work, save one time when I walked in two minutes after 6 AM because <a href=http://kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=1304146>21 fire trucks were at my aparment complex</a> and I was forced to take a detour.

I usually step out for my first smoke break around 8:15 and watch the IT guys stumbling in late every morning.

[Jets80]

Originally posted by STK
I've never been late to work, save one time when I walked in two minutes after 6 AM because <a href=http://kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=1304146>21 fire trucks were at my aparment complex</a> and I was forced to take a detour.


Only 21 trucks? You should have been written up.

[damnMikeBrown]

When I was in high school, I worked at Kings Island as a life guard during the summer. Well, come August, football season & 3-a-days started. I told them that. I told them not to schedule me, as I wouldn't be working there anymore.

It was insane. I came in to pick up my check. Wait. . nothing. Waiting, people talking in background. They make a phone call, and got one of the roaming supervisors for the water park to come in. She then proceeded to write me up for not having come into work the past 2 weeks. They wanted it in my file, in case I wanted to come back next year, I'd be downgraded on the list of saps working there. All this despite the fact that I'd told them well ahead of time that I in fact, would not be there anymore.

That also reminds me, seasonal employment for minors is criminal. I was working up to 60hrs a week and not getting a dime of overtime, because it was seasonal. Criminal. . .

[kingnebwsu]

Thanks for some of the thoughts/opinions guys.

Yeah, I'd GET UP TO GO TO F'IN WORK if my job wasn't primarily a second-shift job. 90% of the shifts I work are second-shift and having to wake up sometimes for the first shift sucks. That being said, I don't intentionally oversleep. The first thing I remember this morning is the clock saying 9:30 (had to be there at 9:00). But the point of this thread is not to make excuses.

I'm quite a competent worker and this shouldn't screw me over forever. I was just looking for some feedback, as I'm not familiar with "disciplinary" action (this is my first full-time job).

Yeah, double standards suck hardcore. It's like, I've filled in/switched NINE times for my boss in the last 2-3 months. And I'm late for work twice (granted, very late) in a 4-5 month period and time to bust out the paddle.

It's okay for me to come in for my hungover boss on my day off...it's okay for me to come in and close for her while she goes and fucks her "friend with benefits"...it's okay for me to work 6-day shifts all month long while she never works a minute of overtime...but being late in the morning (while still opening the store on time!) is unacceptable.

I guess I just need to learn to say "fuck them all" more often or something.

-Disgruntled employee

[mckerney]

Originally posted by kingnebwsu
What exactly does it entail? I've been tardy a few times over the last several months and the boss will be writing me up at the end of the week. I work at a large, blue, video store chain. I was wondering how it will affect my future. I figure it'll just affect me with my current company, cuz they can't give out info like that to others cuz of legal reasons. Will it stifle my movement up the company ladder? Or is it just something that if it happens enough times, I'll get fired? I'm currently an assistant manager.

There are people here from many different backgrounds so I thought I'd throw this out there. Even though I'm late once in a while (this is the second time I've been seriously late in 4-5 months), I still get more done than every other manager who works there (including the head boss).

I just have issues getting up in the morning, I never have trouble with the evening shifts. EVER.

Thanks in advance for the replies.

-Employee of Bloc*****er

Well, I'm not real familiar with the store BlocFucker, though the advice I could give to you is try to get a job at a smaller independent place. From my experiences and those of friends, retail chains are almost always more strict. I personally have not been late to my job, save when I was supposed to start at 3 after school and didn't get there until around 3:10-:15, which was understandable to my boss. For example, the person I was working with today showed up half an hour late, and more than likely nothing will come out of it.

I think your main problem is that your boss is a dicik.

[mckerney]

Originally posted by damnMikeBrown
When I was in high school, I worked at Kings Island as a life guard during the summer. Well, come August, football season & 3-a-days started. I told them that. I told them not to schedule me, as I wouldn't be working there anymore.

It was insane. I came in to pick up my check. Wait. . nothing. Waiting, people talking in background. They make a phone call, and got one of the roaming supervisors for the water park to come in. She then proceeded to write me up for not having come into work the past 2 weeks. They wanted it in my file, in case I wanted to come back next year, I'd be downgraded on the list of saps working there. All this despite the fact that I'd told them well ahead of time that I in fact, would not be there anymore.

That also reminds me, seasonal employment for minors is criminal. I was working up to 60hrs a week and not getting a dime of overtime, because it was seasonal. Criminal. . .

Wow, that sucks. My job allows me time off whenever I need it, provided I ask before the schedule comes out. I'll find out what I get for holiday pay on my next paycheck, though I may get time and a half for part of this weekend, though I always get paid extra for sundays.

[neofied]

One time I was working a shift that started at 1 a.m. to 10 a.m. (or even later most of the time). Anyway, this one time my alarm didn't go off and I woke up six hours late. Now being that late was cause for enough points to get you disciplined up to and including termination.

Fortunately, my boss loved me and my work ethic. He just brushed it off and allowed me to stay and work a little bit longer. I ended up helping him out with a project that day and pretty much made up for it working on the same project on my final day with the company.

It was actually cool, because I got to see what the place was like during the day. It was quiet and a great chance to do the data entry work they wanted me to do.

I wasn't too worried anyway, since I was getting ready to tenure my resignation to go back for the fall semester at college.

On my last day the boss begged me to stay with the company going as far as saying why go to college (he wasn't aware I had a year under by belt) and said with my work ethic I'd advance really fast.

I sometimes regret not taking him up on the offer. I'd probably have ended up getting a better position right than and there. And by now would probably be a manager making good money, collecting stock options and enjoying life.

This company liked me so much they were willing to overlook what was to be considered a serious transgression and go as far as giving me a better job.

[vex]

Here's my story.


I work at ***MART, electronics dept.

On Friday, me and this guy sprayed some of that spray air used for electronics on this girl's wrist(She works in the Cingular booth). Her wrist got red. So the dept. manager of Lawn & Garden sees her wrist. She tells the Electronics manager (who is lesbo with the other dept. manager).

She in turn, tells one of the Co-managers. This guy is not an employee fave. He goes, corners the Cingular girl, demanding to know what happened.



Monday morning, I get called into the little office with CO-Manager and the Store Manager. I have no clue why I'm there since I didn't know they knew, and it was such a big deal to them.

Turns out, they accuse me of time clock theft, company theft, and horseplay. Just because of a stinkin air can. AND the Cingular girl told us we could, on top of that!

They talk of very possible termination because of "gross misconduct".

Ends up, I am getting a writeup, and a Decision Day(D-Day).

A D-Day is the closest thing they can do to firing you where I am(HELL).

I can't transfer to another store for a year now, I can't apply for an ass. manager position, or even switch dept. if I felt like it.

With D-Day, I do get a day off, with pay, but it's not worth it, at all. When I come back on Sat., I have to give a written statement on how I intend on changing. I'm thinking of ending the letter with, "I QUIT!"

Now, my reputation is ruined there how they do things, and plus I hate just working there now.

I think I'll apply somewhere I can get comission next time too. (I'm 19 btw)

[neofied]

Get the Cingular job. They pay commish!!!

[vex]

Actually the Congular booth will be no more in September. The Company has apparently decided they want to control something else as well and will be selling phones.

[sterlingice]

Damn, vex, that blows.

SI

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by damnMikeBrown
When I was in high school, I worked at Kings Island as a life guard during the summer. Well, come August, football season & 3-a-days started. I told them that. I told them not to schedule me, as I wouldn't be working there anymore.


This happened to me at Hechinger. I told them I had football camp that week, don't schedule me. So what do they do? They schedule me opening shift the Saturday after the first week of camp. I didn't even bother to check my schedule, and then they call me in the morning to ask where I was. I told them I wasn't coming in today, and oh - by the way - I was thinking of quitting anyhow, so I guess that will be that. Bye-bye!

[Hawglaw]

Originally posted by SackAttack
It depends on the company. Usually the first write-up is just a written warning that gets placed in your file for a certain period of time, at which point it gets expunged.

One write-up isn't an issue, at least as far as raises go. If it becomes a pattern, that's their paper trail that they can use to justify termination, or, yes, to justify declining to promote you.

Don't worry about it too much if it's the only write-up you've had. If it becomes a regular thing over the next few weeks and months, THEN you need to worry.

That's actually not correct. In many states, there is what is called a "qualified privilege" for employers to speak truthfully as to a former employee's work performance. Since it is "qualified," the employer will get in trouble only when they make statements they know to be false. Thus, it depends on the state to determine whether such comments can be made.

[FrogMan]

hey vex, just read your story. That sucks man. I'm not sure you were seeing yourself as a w-marter for the rest of your life, but it sucks to be stuck in stuff like that...

Good luck!

FM

[Axxon]

Funny write up story. The hospital I work at dispenses writeups more frequently than medicines it seems. I work with a few folks who easily have over 100 dings in their file and they're considered excellent employees. I've never seen anyone really negatively affected unless as others have mentioned, they want you out the door; the place just likes to write people up.

[I've even accidenty seen an email from my bosses boss to her suggesting that employee x hadn't been "screwed with" ( my words ) in a while and it was time to find something to write her up about. This is another story however.]

One day, in the ER, this guy comes in and he has a very sick man with him. He explains that he was driving down the road and saw the sick guy obviously in distress and disoriented. The sick guy said he needed to get to the hospital and the good samaritan agreed and gave him a ride.

The er charge nurse talks to the sick guy, disappears for a few minutes, comes back and tells them that they are at the wrong hospital. She tells samaratan, "you need to take him to (other hospital)."

Samaritan says, "No, I don't. The guy was sick, I brought him to the hospital."

She again tells him he needs to take him and he again says he doesn't even know the guy.

She gets really angry and then says "If you won't take him to the other hospital I'm going to write you up."

Wow. The rest of us look at each other and fight very hard to keep a straight face. The samaritan has a stunned look on his face for a moment then he shakes his head, says "you do what you have to do" and walks out the door.

Extremely funny stuff. I don't know if she did write him up or not though but if she did, I'm guessing he's screwed if he ever wants to work for us. :D

[ctmason]

Originally posted by superbama
The law doesn't prevent your employer from giving your personal files to the masons, so this could affect your climb up the invisible ladder.

This is correct, and we are everywhere.

Seriously, it's all about producing regular sleep habits, my man, and believe you me, I know how tough it is to do so working nights and then days. I work a weekend job working nights, and I feel like it throws my clock off for the rest of the week.

I've heard about people going to bed at 3 and getting up at 6...and doing that over and over, but I just can't do that.

So if you're like me, you can do what I do:

1) Score some premium white china and use liberally

OR

2) Be in bed as early as possible, foregoing happiness and fulfillment in life for the sake of appeasing your employer.

[ice4277]

Originally posted by ctmason
This is correct, and we are everywhere.

Seriously, it's all about producing regular sleep habits, my man, and believe you me, I know how tough it is to do so working nights and then days. I work a weekend job working nights, and I feel like it throws my clock off for the rest of the week.


That's how it is for me as well. Weekdays I have to work at 4:30am, then Saturday nights I don't get home from work UNTIL 3:30am, or later. Totally throws me off, and makes Mondays pretty sucky while my body gets adjusted again.

[WSUCougar]

No offense intended, but here's my two bits of sage wisdom:

From what you've described, you are a good employee in every other regard except being late on occasion. However, you display a bit of a defensive attitude about the "being late" problem, as if you should get some kind of slack for it.

Tardiness can wreak havoc on a work schedule, other employees' job performance, and customer satisfaction. Think about the customers who have one less person to service them...all those times at the video store where you're wondering "Why don't they have more people on duty?" It may not seem that big of a deal to you, but to the company it is.

A basic perspective that sometimes gets overlooked: the company you work for is paying you X amount of money to do a job. That's the arrangement - plain and simple. Being late is not included.

As you eye a career and progress up the ladder, try to develop impeccable work habits. It goes farther than you might imagine. Perhaps someday you will need a reference from your Blockbuster days, and you don't want that guy saying "Yeah, he was a good worker, but he had a problem being late." That's a red flag for hiring in a lot of places.

[kingnebwsu]

Thanks for the stories.

I guess I did sound a bit defensive about being late...it's just frustrating that because I'm late in the mornings, I'm dead wrong...whereas when the boss has to work the evening shift and she's hungover, she can call an employee in on their day off to have them work. I just hate the double-standard.

I'm also real pissed that instead of writing me up on the spot, she said "if you sell an insane amount (40) of our current promotion, I won't write you up."

It's like an f'in power trip. I sell a lot (20-30 would be a HUGE amount), I don't get the goal but she gets huge numbers for her store. It's like, why even try insanely hard? I'm a solid seller, but selling to cover my ass doesn't seem like the way I do things. Oh yeah, and the goal is unreachable. I wish she would have just written me up on the spot so it wouldn't be hanging over my head all week.

I make no excuses for being late, other than the store opened on time yesterday, and the customers noticed no difference in service. That's just the way it is.

I guess I need to buy another alarm clock eh? :)

-A still pissed, but less angry after much sleep employee

[mckerney]

Sure, you're a solid seller, but with a few weeks of training you could probably be an excellent one ;)


On another note, I'm glad my job doesn't really involve any trying to sell, because I know almost nothing about our products. Luckily in the area of business of which I work people usually know what they want and don't need to be talked into buying it.

[Syrinx]

Originally posted by vexroid
...
With D-Day, I do get a day off, with pay, but it's not worth it, at all. When I come back on Sat., I have to give a written statement on how I intend on changing. I'm thinking of ending the letter with, "I QUIT!"
...

Why not just start the letter with "I QUIT!", and be done with it.

[vex]

That would be the ending, too;)


And I will, if I can find another job by Saturday.

[Airhog]

Originally posted by kingnebwsu
Thanks for the stories.

I guess I did sound a bit defensive about being late...it's just frustrating that because I'm late in the mornings, I'm dead wrong...whereas when the boss has to work the evening shift and she's hungover, she can call an employee in on their day off to have them work. I just hate the double-standard.

I'm also real pissed that instead of writing me up on the spot, she said "if you sell an insane amount (40) of our current promotion, I won't write you up."

It's like an f'in power trip. I sell a lot (20-30 would be a HUGE amount), I don't get the goal but she gets huge numbers for her store. It's like, why even try insanely hard? I'm a solid seller, but selling to cover my ass doesn't seem like the way I do things. Oh yeah, and the goal is unreachable. I wish she would have just written me up on the spot so it wouldn't be hanging over my head all week.

I make no excuses for being late, other than the store opened on time yesterday, and the customers noticed no difference in service. That's just the way it is.

I guess I need to buy another alarm clock eh? :)

-A still pissed, but less angry after much sleep employee


go around her and talk to her boss. Im sure he wont be please to find out that one of his/her managers has not been setting a good example for those employees. And asking you to sell those promotions or be written up almost sounds like something she could get fired for.

I have bee nthere my friend. I was hated by the store manager I worked for at Compusa because I refused to sell those shitty replacement plans.

[ice4277]

Originally posted by Airhog
go around her and talk to her boss. Im sure he wont be please to find out that one of his/her managers has not been setting a good example for those employees. And asking you to sell those promotions or be written up almost sounds like something she could get fired for.

I have bee nthere my friend. I was hated by the store manager I worked for at Compusa because I refused to sell those shitty replacement plans.

I would wholeheartedly recommend NOT doing something like that unless you feel it is your absolutely last resort. Her manager could very easily think you are the one with sour grapes, especially as he will most likely bring this up to her, then she will tell him about your forthcoming writeup. That could lead to a very uncomfortable situation in all respects. Also, as far as her coming in late; well, rank does have its privileges, I have been on both sides of that coin, and managers do get more leeway than regular employees. Whether or not that's fair, I'm not sure, but that's the way it is a lot of times.

As for CompUSA, yes, as a former employee/supervisor, you are made to sell them quite heavily, and can get termed if you don't try. However, they used to actually be pretty worthwhile to get, as you could essentially bring your old product back and get a new better one. They don't work that way anymore though, unfortunately, mainly due to employees abusing the system.

[Desnudo]

In the future call if you are late. You don't even have to say why, just say you're running late and will be in shortly (shortly being <30 minutes). If they ask why, obviously you might not want to say you woke up on the lawn of a friend's house covered in beer cans.

What pisses people off most, including me, is not knowing the status of someone who is not where they are supposed to be. Once you know, the problem is lessened a great deal because you know what you're dealing with.

[Airhog]

Originally posted by ice4277
As for CompUSA, yes, as a former employee/supervisor, you are made to sell them quite heavily, and can get termed if you don't try. However, they used to actually be pretty worthwhile to get, as you could essentially bring your old product back and get a new better one. They don't work that way anymore though, unfortunately, mainly due to employees abusing the system.

I found it one thing to sell a warranty on a computer, which can be a time saver. But I had no interesting in selling replacement plans.From my own knowledge of computer parts, I have never had a computer part break down a year after buying it. If something is bad, its usually bad right out of the box. I have had stuff break down 3-5 years afterwards though. So I just never saw a need for people to waste 5 bucks on a 30 dollar item.

[kingnebwsu]

I couldn't call ahead, as I was the only person opening the store. So it didn't affect anyone but me. Calling ahead would have done no good (unfortunately). I do call ahead when running late for an evening shift (which is almost never). Why can't 9 AM occur at 5 PM too? :)

-Cap'n Always On The Clock

[kingnebwsu]

As a follow-up to my story...

That day when the boss came in, she told me if I could sell 40 of our current promotion (aka half the store's lofty goal), that I wouldn't get written up. After the best weekend of selling ever, I ended up with 41!!! That will end up being like 60-65% of the store's total. I'm the best seller in the store and one of the best in the district. So I avoided getting written up...THIS time. Time to buy another alarm clock :)

[Anrhydeddu]

I apparently overlooked something. What did you sell 41 of? Videos? I thought selling means you set up a display in the middle of an aisle and then sit behind a cash register. For someone like me who refuses to speak with any "salesperson" at chain stores (no offense at all, king), how can any get credit with a sale when the only criteria is whether they have product X on the shelf or not? To me, this applies to any stores like Best Buy, Media Play, CompUSA, Soundtrack, etc.

[GrantDawg]

Originally posted by Anrhydeddu
I apparently overlooked something. What did you sell 41 of? Videos? I thought selling means you set up a display in the middle of an aisle and then sit behind a cash register. For someone like me who refuses to speak with any "salesperson" at chain stores (no offense at all, king), how can any get credit with a sale when the only criteria is whether they have product X on the shelf or not? To me, this applies to any stores like Best Buy, Media Play, CompUSA, Soundtrack, etc.

I imagine it is one of those items they try to sell you at check-out. Like when they have the popcorn and a coke deal, or one of those cards pre-buying a video. He gets credit for ringing them out whether he actually pushed the sale or not.

[kingnebwsu]

It was this thing called the "Rewards" program. You get monthly coupons for the old movies, rent 5/get 1 free in a month, and a free rental when you sign up for $9.95/year. I sold 41 in six days which I think was about 60% of the store's total. I will now let this thread die. I'll be renting NCAA in 3 weeks...huzzah!

[STK]

my biggest work fuckup...

When I was 19 I worked graveyard at a grain inspection company in North Dakota. One of my responsibilities was to drag a 10 gallon sack of tested grain samples to the post office by 11 pm sharp. The sale of hundreds of tons of grain depended on it.

One night, a hooch coworker of mine lured me back to her apartment under the premise that she needed a ride home. I don't remember exactly what happened, but think I ended up on her couch watching as she flipped through her fucking high school yearbooks. Before I knew it, my "package" was 2 or 3 hours late.

I ended up making a personal delivery... driving 6 hours to the grain exchange in downtown Minneapolis in the middle of the night.

[Vince]

Ahh, the good ol' write up. In my 2 year career at Woodstock's pizza, I have only been written up twice, both times for being tardy. The first time, I was 7 minutes late. We are allowed 5 minutes to 'get ready' for work, so I was 2 minutes over. Now, Woodstock's isn't so tight ass so as to be this ridiculous, however, the GM was there training a new manager, and so I was used as 'practice' for writing people up. I can't explain how frustrating that is, especially when the GM is sitting there telling me "Don't worry about it, I don't really care, it's more for the manager's practice."

The second time, I had been forced to take a double shift on a Saturday night because a closing shift worker no-showed. I was at Woodstock's from 5:00 PM to 3:30 AM (I got a half-hour break in there somewhere), and then I had to be back at Woodstock's at 10:30 AM on Sunday. I slept through my alarm clock, and woke up to the phone ringing at 10:45..."Vince, I don't know if you know that you're supposed to be at work yet, but you're supposed to be here..." I walk in to find my shift manager Jeff (a short, short man with a stick shoved so far up his...you get the point. He's a lifer at Woodstock's; one of those people who is 25+ working where only college students work) with a write up slip entirely filled out except for one blank..."Vince was ___ minutes late," and as I walked in, he looks up at the clock "Oh, 22 minutes" and writes it down. Asshole.

Now, I can perfectly well justify to myself that the writeups were 'unfair,' and any person with half a brain realizes that those are questionable incidents. What a few people have mentioned here, though (specifically WSUCougar), is that although it's easy for us to fall into the trap of 'I bust my ass all the time, I deserve a little slack,' that's BS. I am an employee that is getting paid to do a job. Just because I do what I'm paid to do and the majority of my co-workers don't does not make it alright for me to slack off a little.

That being said...I feel your pain kingnebwsu. It's tough working at a place that others don't take seriously, and then getting called to task because you take it easy for once. It feels to me like I am held to a higher standard than my co-workers, just because they know they can rely on me, and it really sucks.