I was employed by Wal-Mart, starting in June 99. I worked in the Jewelry Department. I was a hard worker, I enjoyed my job and my co-workers, and my attendence record was spotless. The only problem was, as is always the case at Wal-Mart, communication between management and employees, and employees amongst themselves. Policies would change at the drop of a hat, rules would bend or break depending on who was using them, and any decision a new employee made reguarding policy would be overruled by management.
The Jewelry dept is a little different, I'll admit, than the rest of the store. (I dont know if this has changed since) We actually rented the space from Wal-Mart, and the actual company (can't remember the name) that employed us was not Wal-Mart — but most of our general policies were Wal-Mart policies.
My manager had come from another Wal-Mart department anyway, so her miscommuncation was all from the store, not the Jewelry company (the bad management wasn't just her either — most of the CSM's and Personnel didn't know what they were doing) therefore most of the time WE, the regular hourly staff, didn't know policy from a hole in our heads.
But I still enjoyed my job and was doing well. I planned to stay there as long as I could, at least through college. Nov 3rd, I recieved a phone call that my father was in the hospital. This was on a Saturday. I was frightened (he had a near-death experience two months prior), so I called work and said I had to drive the 165 miles back home, and I didn't know how long I would be there. I told this to my manager (the Jewelry Dept manager) and she said it would be fine, just to call when I had more information. That was on Saturday. Late Monday morning my father died, and Wednesday I traveled back, quickly, to get some personal effects so I could stay longer home with my mother. I went to work, and since my manager, nor the Personnel managers were there, I left a message for both stating that I had to attend my father's funeral (on Thursday) and then stay with my mother for a week or so (until my aunt could effectively move in, as my mother had cancer at the time and was needing rides to chemo) and I would come back the next Wednesday to discuss my options for transfer.
Now a big problem with this was at the time, the Jewelry Dept manager position was being switched — the old manager leaving, a new one coming in. I did not know who would be reading the message, but I let all my co-workers know the situtaion, so they could fill her in (I never got a chance to meet her) and I left for home, thinking I had done the right thing.
The whole reason I am telling this story, is because when I returned that Wednesday, I found out that I had been terminated for failing to file the proper leave-of-absence paperwork with personnel. The manager coming in claimed to know nothing about my situation, nor even that I was employed in the Jewelry dept at all! Personnel just said that my note was not good enough and I had to call them, and to come in, in person, to file the paperwork. I explained that I was very busy with most of the funeral preparations, as my mother was too sick to take care of a lot of it, plus I was never told by my manager that I would have to file anything, though I told her that I didn't know how long I would be gone. I said that I wanted to remain employed with Wal-mart - and told them I simply wanted to transfer to the store back home. They said that I could just apply there, but they couldn't (couldn't? WOULDN'T) file the transfer because they felt the termination should stand. I tried to appeal it with them, explaining that I didn't know, and hadn't thought to ask because I was too emotional at the time (I WAS 19!!! I'm surprised I remembered how to DRIVE!) It wouldn't be a big deal, but if I had been transfered, I could have started working at the Jewelry dept back home immediately, since I KNEW they were looking for staff, so that's why I wanted that so much.
I was too distraught over my father's death, or I would have tried to do SOMETHING about this gross injustice. This kept me from getting the job back home, and kept me from getting rehired (even though my position was still there!) when I moved back.
I guess I should be glad I had gotten fired, or I REALLY would have gotten in trouble when my mother passed away the following month!
I have heard other stories from people who have been terminated for not following the proper paperwork procedure in the case of immediate family death or illness, or even personal illness, and I think this is disgusting. I really wish I had sued, I know it's too late now, but I will never work at Wal-mart again, and I haven't shopped there since. There are other things that go on, if you dont' know anyone who works there, you don't know how BADLY Wal-Mart treats it's employees. Especially the old ladies that are there for years upon years, they always get screwed in the end. Wal-Mart does NOT reward loyalty. Family store, my ASS!
PS - It's been a few years, so if I got company department details wrong (like calling it Personnel) I apologize.
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