The New Employee Handbook...........

[BlueStreak]

We had a "learn the new employee hand book meeting" yesterday. I sat front and center, directly in front of the podium, in plain view of the HR manager holding the meeting and the plant manager.

The first thing she did was ask us to go directly to page 12.

I opened the book to page one. You know, the part tells us the rules therein are not contractual or legally binding in any way and that the company reserves the right to change any or all of the rules at any given time, solely at managements discretion.

Then I closed the book and began doodling on the back cover. I drew alien spaceships, geometric patterns, trees and stick dogs..............

After the meeting, she asked me if I didn't care. I told her; "I'll look it over later. But, I saw all I really needed to see on page one.".

I sat up and read the rest of it when I got home.

Here is a sample;

"If the employee leaves the facility due to illness or for personal reasons more than 2 hours prior to the end of his/her shift, he/she will be charged a full point......"

Two paragraphs later;

"Employees who leave the facility having completed less than half of their shift will be charged a full point......".

So, which is it? Also, we have two separate schedules, 12 hours and eight hours. See the problem there?

An 8 hour employee must work at least 4 hours, but a 12 hour employee must work 6? Or, an 8 hour employee can leave with a half point after 6 hours, but a 12 hour employee must work 10? Someone has already pointed this out........ So, we shall see.

We were also informed that Seniority now counts for.....Nothing. All things related to work assignments, shift preference*, vacation scheduling*, promotion, raises, bonuses, etc. are to be based on skill sets and merit alone, entirely at the discretion of supervision and management.

(* These are to be dealt with on a "first come, first serve basis" after the consideration of "needs of the business".)

It describes a "Committee" that will assemble in the event that their are any "grievances". This "committee" is comprised of the same managers who wrote and enforce the current rules. And took nearly EIGHT YEARS to get it to print.

We now have a new "grace period" rule; The employee can punch in up to 1 minute late or 7 minutes early with no penalty. However if it becomes evident that an employee punches in late and/ or out early "habitually" of "exhibits a pattern" of lateness or early out punches, that employee will be subject to disciplinary action up to termination.

No definition of what constitutes "habit" or a "pattern".

Nebulous, ill defined and no third party recourse.

These things are a TOTAL joke.

Why do they even bother?

Dog and pony show is all I can figure.......

[barbara]

We just got issued a new dress code. Just as vague and ambiguous.

Employees can't wear clothing that is too tight or too loose. What I think might be tight or loose might not be what the next person thinks. And.... The determination is up to the supervisor.

Also bad is the fact that it has been made clear that the dress code will be imposed on some employees, but not all.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by barbara

We just got issued a new dress code. Just as vague and ambiguous.

Employees can't wear clothing that is too tight or too loose. What I think might be tight or loose might not be what the next person thinks. And.... The determination is up to the supervisor.

Also bad is the fact that it has been made clear that the dress code will be imposed on some employees, but not all.

No burqas.

[donquixote99]

Don't know why they bothered to issue it (either the vague dress code or the non-binding unless they want it to be handbook.)

The real rules are 'do what we say or you're fired.'

[Tom Joad]

My favorite line from the movie "Fiddler on the Roof".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qI9PQAsTm0k

[Wasillaguy]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

Don't know why they bothered to issue it (either the vague dress code or the non-binding unless they want it to be handbook.)

The real rules are 'do what we say or you're fired.'

Well, that's kind of the definition of a job. They pay you to do what they say.
I've worked for small companies who try to avoid creating the employee handbook at all. They prefer to make the rules up and/or change them as they go along.

[icenine]

Unless it is a union shop there is really no seniority.

[donquixote99]

Originally Posted by Wasillaguy

Well, that's kind of the definition of a job. They pay you to do what they say.
I've worked for small companies who try to avoid creating the employee handbook at all. They prefer to make the rules up and/or change them as they go along.

That's the definition of a job in the USA, except where contracts say different, or the law says different under certain conditions.

But that's not a state of nature. It's that way because those are the rules we have made, based on politics and power as they have been. There is nothing that says firms HAVE to have that much power. They just like it, and have gotten their way in the legislatures mostly.

[d-ray657]

You need a union.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by donquixote99

That's the definition of a job in the USA, except where contracts say different, or the law says different under certain conditions.

But that's not a state of nature. It's that way because those are the rules we have made, based on politics and power as they have been. There is nothing that says firms HAVE to have that much power. They just like it, and have gotten their way in the legislatures mostly.

It's always been this way, which supports that this is a part of our nature. Clearly though, effective use of a legislature (assuming one exists) by the workers and significant segments of the ruling class supporting worker rights can improve upon this state.