My family surprised me with a vacation to Disneyland. A place I Havnt been to since I moved out of California some about 4 years ago. Well, we got rooms and a plane ticket. Only for me to find my vacation's been blocked out due to "needs of business" in which they don't give a flying fart about if you spent a chunk of change on tickets and reservations. It's for March 29 through April 4th.
Guess im im calling out sick that week. I can get a doctors note no problem. Cause there's NO way I will miss this trip my family got me. And as long as I have that note... I'm in the clear!!
OP here. The union will only help if I was given approval and then they pulled
it from me. They has a sign stating the blackout days (1 week for ALL 12 months), on a piece of paper by the timeclock. That's why I'm calling "sick" that entire week. As stated, I'll get a doctors note, so i won't be term'd, suspended, or written up.ch9q
Does your union contract allow blackout days? Mine doesn't. I wouldn't mention the vacation to ANYONE in the store if you are going to call in sick. I would start acting sick a day or two before the vacation too. Have fun!
Check your contract book. Mine says vacations are permitted 52 weeks out of the year. Management can limit how many people can go in a certain week, but they can't eliminate a week completely.
what you're planning is fraud and it's going to cause chaos in your dept that will have to scramble to cover shifts in one of the busiest weeks of the business year.
you don't deserve to come back to a job from your "vacation"
OP here, I'm NOT loosing out on this vacation gift my family got for me. mainly it's FE that needs the help, and we just hired 5 new guys in addition to our 4 cc's, we have enough checkers. we have the help. even though it may be "busy" it's not "end of the world zombie apocolypse busy." I'm sure they can handle it just fine. And as long as I have my note, I'm in the clear.
The only weeks they blackout in my division are Thanksgiving and Christmas. They limit vacations during other holiday weeks. The people calling you a baby and claiming that it's one of the busiest weeks of the year are full of sh**. Easter weekend is kinda busy but not the whole week and it's far from being as busy as any of the other holidays or even super bowl weekend.
I've tried explaining. It falls on deaf ears. And as for being a baby? I'm NOT LOOSING out on this EXPENSIVE trip they set up. It's not cheap flying and booking a room. Why should I loose out on a trip my family bought for Me and why should they loose out on the money spent? The answer: I shouldn't and I won't. Neither will my family
I don't understand why they'd deny you if it's easy to make up with other help. The only thing I can think of is that they want to get rid of you. That's what happens everywhere, if a problem employee wants unpaid time off it is just automatically denied over and over again until they either quit or do something worthy of termination. I still don't see how easter is a blackout week, it's not that crazy.
Ok so don't take your vacation week then. ask for a week off without pay. from what i've heard, if you work in a department where they can afford to not have you there, you can do that. It's harder to do that in a small department such as if you worked in the bakery or in floral.
I've tried explaining. It falls on deaf ears. And as for being a baby? I'm NOT LOOSING out on this EXPENSIVE trip they set up. It's not cheap flying and booking a room. Why should I loose out on a trip my family bought for Me and why should they loose out on the money spent? The answer: I shouldn't and I won't. Neither will my family
I think you need to contact your union representative. Your supervisors sound like a bunch of a$$holes. Let us know who they are and one of us will beat the crap out of them for you.
Welcome to the world of working in a grocery store. Holidays are busy (and in my zone all are blacked out on vacation request logs) and I'm betting if it wasn't blacked out someone with more seniority would have picked it before you. I understand that your family got it for you without thinking but if you want to stay in this business then you better make it clear that you can't buy plane tickets until vacations are locked in.
There's a woman here who couldn't get her own wedding week off. She's going out of town. They told her "it's going to be busy, it's graduation week" even after she explained the situation to them.
This is not the same Kroger anymore! They care about noone. Hell , some upper mgmt barely care for their own families more. Its all about how they look to their bosses. I think their scared to death for their jobs! Why have they become so COLD? Take your vacation! Your family and yourself deserve it! Tell them you will take an un-paid week. Better yet, Do go to the Dr & get a note for the week and you can use sick pay! People do it all the time! Enjoy!!!
the sad part is you know this is wrong. you know you have to lie to get your way. a vacation trip isn't even a big deal. boo-hoo you haven't been to disneyland in 4 yrs. you should just quit. at least then you might clear the way for someone who wants to work honestly.
and for the love of God, the word is L-O-S-E. Loose are strings and your morals.
what you're planning is fraud and it's going to cause chaos in your dept that will have to scramble to cover shifts in one of the busiest weeks of the business year.
you don't deserve to come back to a job from your "vacation"
what a bunch of self-absorbed BS
IT IS THEIR "VACATION"............you are more than likely a troll. But since we work for Kroger, I will just assume you are one of those nice employees who gives your "ALL" for others to do.....you know....."SEASONED". You can stand around do nothing,put down everyone else about their work, boast how great you are....yet you never work alone....never really do what you say and will be sure you get your "DESERVED" vacation. Fraud.....my ass
There's a woman here who couldn't get her own wedding week off. She's going out of town. They told her "it's going to be busy, it's graduation week" even after she explained the situation to them.
See, in a case like this, I would've told em to shove it because it's much easier to find another job after the wedding than it is to reschedule a wedding date, along with the venues and stuff. Not to mention how pissed out of town family/friends would be since they also took time off from work to attend.
In your case, I would just tell them that it was a planned vacation for a while. If they still act like douches, then get the union involved. You're on front end; they can easily find someone who can work that week. If they can't, then I think they need to start working on getting folks in (good luck on that).
Either way, start looking for a job outside of retail (or at least a retailer that cares about work/life balance).
Ok I have to comment on the whole "I haven't been to Disneyland in 4 years" thing.
I'm almost 25 years old and I've never been there.
The OP didn't say they haven't been to Disneyland in four years. They said they haven't been to Disneyland in the four years since moving to California.
There's a woman here who couldn't get her own wedding week off. She's going out of town. They told her "it's going to be busy, it's graduation week" even after she explained the situation to them.
OP - tell them you're taking the vacation, it's been bought and paid for, and too bad. If they value you as an employee, they won't do jack crap about it. But they WILL try to intimidate you just because you're stuck there, face to face, listening to their flapping mouths. I wouldn't lie and get a doctor's note. Karma comes around... you might actually get sick with the flu during your trip or something.
Also keep in mind that nothing's happened yet. You can't be written up or terminated today for something you're planning to do in 2 months. Gauge their reaction and if it's crappy, start looking for another job. The economy's picking up. These jobs are a dime a dozen and easy to get.
-- Edited by Pizza1029 on Monday 19th of January 2015 03:24:37 PM
Ok I have to comment on the whole "I haven't been to Disneyland in 4 years" thing.
I'm almost 25 years old and I've never been there.
The OP didn't say they haven't been to Disneyland in four years. They said they haven't been to Disneyland in the four years since moving to California.
No, i'm pretty sure he said he hasn't been there since he moved out of Cali, four years ago.
That said, what Pizza said is right on all counts.
If you did that in my dept. you would be taking a permanent vacation. You received a vacation sheet with that week blacked out, don't be an ass and make vacation plans on a week that is blacked out.
Honestly if my family had gone through all that trouble with all that money and time I would do the same thing.
Kroger rarely gives a damn about its workers unless they don't show up.
Even then you are easily replaced.
This company isn't worth putting off for something like that. Screw it.
I've made my decision and I'm going anyway. (Referring to the spelling police of loose and lose, this isn't a damned spellathon. Who cares if I spelled a word wrong) and yes, "Boo-hoo" I Havnt been to Disneyland in a few years. So, yes it IS a 'big deal!'
OP is gonna do what they're gonna do. I dont know if they are going to need a doctor's note for each additional day "sick" or if just one will suffice. But what I suggest is that the OP does NOT show up in ANY Disney pics taken. That would look "funny" especially if OP came in with a doctor's note stating he/she was sick. Kroger would consider that being fraud. All I can say OP, is be VERY careful if you go through with this. No pics with you in them.
Came back from my vacation yesterday and checked my cell phone for the first time. i counted over 240 missed calls from Kroger. Luckily I have a doctors appointment on Mon so when I get my note from him, it should put me in the clear. Now, problem is, do is one note enough for all days I was "sick" or do I need a note for every day I was "Ill"?
if kroger hassles me on it I can just say "I felt to sick to go to the doctors. This note will have to suffice.
side note: I did catch a bout of the flu when I was out and about so I was actually laid out a couple of days
Were you scheduled to work any shifts this week? If you were did you call in for those shifts? If not, I would say they will already be able to fire you for no call no shows. I really doubt if the union will be able to help you.
Same thing happened to my friend. He took his vacation anyway. He was fired, but was able to get his job back. He was transferred to another store.
The thing to do would be to get your doctor's note, explaining that you had a really bad case of the flu (which is true). Get the union involved if necessary. My friend didn't have a dr.s note. All the best luck to you.