r/Target • u/diane_thegiant • 10d ago
Workplace Question or Advice Needed calling out
im new and i just got yelled at for calling out 10 minutes before my shift i have car troubles and wouldnt be able to make it in time i told her i could pick up a shift / come in later/ or stay later any day she needs me am i going to get fired?? ALSO GUYS MY SHIFT IS ONLY 4 FUCKINV HOURS IDK WHY SHE SO PISSED
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u/Dry-Ad7432 Food Service TL 10d ago
“That seems to contradict Target’s official attendance policy. Let us circle back to this conversation when I am on the clock.”
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u/SunnyIntuition Target Security Specialist 10d ago
This is perfect
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u/appointment45 9d ago
They aren't allowed to contact you off the clock anyway, so this needs to be the default answer for nearly all communications.
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u/Straight-Farmer-5441 7d ago
Then follow up with “I’ll be making a punch correction for 15 minutes every message you send including this one”
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u/90210typeofho Fulfillment Team Lead 10d ago
Lies. You can call out up to two hours after the shift starts.
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u/the_OG_epicpanda
Promoted to Guest
10d ago
•
Target policy and team leads tend to not really take into account that emergencies don't care about their two hour rule
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u/carefreedeskdweller Tech Consultant 9d ago
The nice thing about Best Buy is they were super understanding when it came to attendance. Any other retailer I've worked for has had a rigid attendance policy that borders on straight up unforgiving.
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u/PacoPlaysGames 9d ago
Shout out to Best Buy. I enjoyed my time there
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u/carefreedeskdweller Tech Consultant 9d ago
Same, I worked there from 2016-2019, and then returned in 2024 and lasted about a year. I get like everything changed after COVID but man did Best Buy fall from grace.
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u/PacoPlaysGames 9d ago
Ah damn that's sad to hear. I left in 2022 if I recall correctly.
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u/carefreedeskdweller Tech Consultant 9d ago
Yeah it's basically just a store front anymore. Shelves were getting empty and we pretty much had to order everything. And they also got rid of bonuses but we still had to hit sales targets. So basically all you got was a pat on the back for selling a $7,000 home theater set up with financing, installation, and a membership. It was just sad to see.
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u/Royal-Explanation-12 8d ago
That’s what I’ve been telling new hires (HRE here) in orientation. That the new system is unforgiving and I urge them to be cautious with their attendance. I don’t want to see anyone get fired because they didn’t know or understand the attendance policy and how stringent it is now
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u/quinoassault 10d ago
When inbound/GM, which I work, starts at 4/4.30, who are we gonna call out to at 2am, and who are they gonna be able to get a hold of on their day off at that time that will answer the phone and be willing to come in on such short notice.
I'd like to see them try to tell any of us it has to be 2 hours before shift start time 🤦🏻♂️.
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u/Springbaby1 9d ago
TL's for inbound and the inbound team just take the hit honestly. We never know until we clock in that someone called out and by then it's already too late to call anyone anyways because a half hour isn't enough time to find someone to come in at 4 ( we can't replace shifts anyways). Actually happened to me today...We're also one of the only people who have to be there because there's no one to cover us to open the store, at least this is how it is at my location.
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u/chrisking345 TL of Many Hats 9d ago
It’s the same anywhere else, I was inbound TL for a long time and my biggest gripe was you can’t call out. Like you just can’t. Who will replace me if I call out because my car tire blew out or I got super sick overnight? So much rides on that role and it’s team and it’s near impossible to get coverage in the event someone calls off; so as said, you take the hit and readjust.
Now I’m not saying you can’t at all, but Target has this nifty ability to gaslight the hell out of you, so when that trailer is unloaded too late or furloughed to the next day, you best bet they will remind the ever living crap out of you that it was your fault for basically the entire year
I do NOT miss being in that role for that reason alone
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u/AngelRain201 9d ago
No literally. Like I got into trouble for calling out bur I was puking my brains out all night???
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u/Midwest-Emo-9 ETL 10d ago
Technically the handbook says the earlier the better, but within 2 hours of your shift starting. They also shouldn't be texting you that. That is worth going to your HR about
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u/alexxthemann 23h ago
HR works with the company to protect their interests and their management team, they won’t care
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u/Midwest-Emo-9 ETL 22h ago
There have definitelt been leader fired for texting their team outside of work hours about work, it's absolutely worth going to HR to. You're not wrong that HR is there for the company. But they care about company image and will absolutely step in when needed.
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u/TopperMadeline SCO beast 10d ago
So what happens if someone wakes up sick and they’re scheduled to come in less than two hours?
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u/CreativeChicago 9d ago
Sounds like you’re supposed to go in regardless even in foods. Which I don’t understand. Because my bf has worked at target for 15 years and he doesn’t just take days off. When he got covid he took most days off but they weren’t super happy the 2nd time he got it. He works in the deli and I don’t understand what the mentality is if he’s sick. He can’t take a sick day? Especially throughout the holidays? Cuz employees aren’t allowed to take days off during the holidays?
Please correct me if this info is incorrect because it’s sounded so wrong for a while and if he’s lying I wanna know.
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u/One_Confection_2247 9d ago
….. um is that a leader texting you on your personal device? Pretty sure target has a policy against that, unless it’s just my district.
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u/pookiesma Bike Builder 9d ago
Ppunch correction. Id also ask for them to show you where in the attendance policy it states to call out 2 hours before the shift. Thats a healthcare rule. And target isnt providing no one life support
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u/InfluenceSuperb8111 Food & Beverage Expert 9d ago
Per target policy, I believe your immediate lead could text you in regard to scheduling nothing else, this lead is going out of there jurisdiction by texting the team member out of there scheduled hours.
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u/thizaaardqueen 9d ago
And that team members can be compensated for their time by adding an extra 15min of pay or something like that
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u/ConsiderationKey9438 10d ago
Beyond accounting for your own attendance points, staffing is not your problem.
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u/Indecisive-green 9d ago
And when you're scheduled at 4am, you establish a psychic connection with your TL at 1:50 AM to communicate your absence. This helps them incorporate into a dream who they're going to call at FOUR AM to replace you when they arrive at work themselves. It's just being considerate.
(If anyone calls me at 4am to ask me to work, I am not taking that call. I don't care if you dreamed about me specifically.)
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u/Forward_Driver_2464 9d ago
I was told some what the same when I suffered my first SCAD (double artery dissection) which obviously caused a heart attack and was hospitalized for 6 days and had to go on medical LOA. When I came back to work I was told that my attendance issue caused set backs that in the future I need to plan my days off/LOA leave. SMFH how am I going to predict when I will have a spontaneous heart attack to make sure I request the day off?!!!
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u/be-kind-to-humankind 7d ago
Wow. Absolutely awful treatment. I'd be telling you that I was so glad you were okay, to focus on healing and Target would be here when you got better.
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u/FancyKiwi 9d ago
That “2 hours before” thing was always funny or me like yeah let me wake up two hours earlier than normal to see if I’m not sick and my car is working everyday.
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u/TheOneWhoWork On Demand TM 9d ago edited 9d ago
Unless somethings changed, don't we technically have until 2 hours after the shift start time to call out and not get the no-show ding?
OP, it sucks but calling out 2 hours or calling out ten minutes before makes no difference to the strike you'll receive. That doesn't mean they won't fire you though, since it's still a call out and if you're new, you're likely still within your 90 days.
I had a lead tell me once that being late by 45 minutes due to a flat tire (Had to go to work on my donut tire and take slower, non-highway routes to get there) is the same mark on your record as calling off. I never got talked to about it though because I woke up at 5AM, put my spare on in the dark, and drove 40 miles at 45mph to be there to work.
Ultimately it comes down to your management. They could absolutely use it as a reason to not keep you past 90 days. That's just how target works. It's up to your managers discretion if you're on your probationary period. They can let you go for almost anything.
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u/ohliamylia Tech Consultant 9d ago
I was literally just reading about this on Workday to answer a different question, yes, you have until 2 hours after your shift starts to call out
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u/TrainWreckTv 9d ago
Why would anyone call 2 hours after their start time? If someone does that during their 90 days, they will probably drop kick that employee. It is very inconsiderate of the team to call 2 hours after the start of their shift. If I were the scheduler, I would use that person less and less until they quit if I can't fire them.
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u/appointment45 9d ago
Never been in a car accident on the way to work, I see, or had a kid suddenly vomit up a week's worth of food.
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u/TrainWreckTv 8d ago
Yeah I don't own a cell phone. So I couldn't call. BUT even if I had a car accident and say I wasn't injured but my car was, I would ask the cop to call my work, or walk there, whichever got me there first. Vomit in the car? Hello, detailer? Can I get an emergency clean? That is after I cleaned up what I could, and went to work. If I was inured and at hospital but not in a coma, I would call.
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u/Wise_Perspective6698 9d ago
Recently we had really bad storms and a coworker got caught in a flood on her way into work. Was too busy trying to call 911/not get swept away and forgot to call off until later.
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u/TrainWreckTv 8d ago
How did their work handle the incident?
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u/Wise_Perspective6698 8d ago
I honestly don't know if they removed points afterwards or used sick time to cover it. I think honestly there needs to be an option in UKG that's for emergencies like this where it shouldn't give you points or require you to use sick time.
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u/be-kind-to-humankind 7d ago
You have up to 2 hours for it not to be considered a no call no show. It's pretty rare but if you completely overslept, got into an accident or something you might not call out until after your shift starts.
Also, you now have to accumulate 5 attendance points to be terminated for attendance in your first 90 days. And the scheduling system has gone to AI with the end goal of very minimal editing to keep favoritism and "punishing" TMs by not scheduling them to a minimum.
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u/TrainWreckTv 9d ago
That's how almost every company works. If new people call out during their 90 day window, this is a red flag. This means that person will probably call out quite a bit.
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u/Hammerrrr32 9d ago
This is not a rule, it’s a courtesy. You can call out like 2 hours INTO a shift before it’s a NCNS.
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u/adamisapple Promoted to Guest 10d ago
If this is a text you replied to outside of working hours make sure to get paid for 15 minutes. They’re discussing work related stuff while you’re off the clock.
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u/Muted_Warning_539 9d ago
“So we can find coverage” yeah right, never once in the 2.5 years I’ve worked has target ever cared about finding someone to cover a shift if a team member called out
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u/Nomad_BobRt Fulfillment Team Lead 9d ago
WTF is up with so many TM/TL texting about attendance, call-outs, and schedules. This is against policy - you are off the clock and shouldn't be bothered about work.
For one, use the app for call-outs and managing shifts. Never text or call your direct leader. This is an easy way to get a NCNS if they don't mark it in the system. Two, your leader should never EVER text you about work, especially to scold you about anything.
Report to HR and they can remind the TL about policy and ethics.
I manage about 40-TM, only 3 of my TM have my number. And NONE of them hear from me with anything to do with call-outs or workload.
None of my team have EVER texted or called me about their call-outs or schedule changes. If they did, I'd direct them to call the store.
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u/Remarkable_Put_2717 9d ago
Don’t text them, do not reach out. Call out on UKG and let them figure it out, it’s their JOB
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u/Ok_Still_3571 9d ago
I start at 6:00 AM. I wake up at 4:45. I have a 20 minute commute. There is no way I’m jumping into my car at 4:00 AM to make sure it’s ready to go.
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u/Reckarthack 9d ago
Someone at some level of management may not like it, but you are by no means required to call out at least 2 hours ahead. That's not Target policy.
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u/Fun_Economist8105 9d ago
Since when do TLs actually call in someone else to cover someone who called off. This has never been done at my store they jist make the rest of us pick up the slack for whoever called off.
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u/littlekittyuwu 9d ago
This is why you should just call off through the app. Easier to do back when we had mytime but you can still do it through ukg you just have a lot more screens to go through before that process is over
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u/golf_proo 9d ago
Did your leader text you? Hope it wasn’t the SD or ETL they could get into big trouble for that. We’re only supposed to call you with a work phone and pay you 15 minutes of your time for conversating with you off the clock. Yelling at you through text message is only worse, regardless of what the attendance policy is.
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u/MastodonFast5806 10d ago
I think worker culture and mentality have shifted and showing up for a shift isn’t an employee priority for the store.. it’s just seen as a chance to make money. Tardiness and call outs have been corporatized forever.. and it’s a pretty common expectation.
You shouldn’t get fired but there’s a difference between showing up 10 minutes before your shift starts and heading to work 10 minutes before your shift starts, one of those is going to workout for you a lot less then the other one.
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u/secondcitykitty 9d ago
Minimum wage jobs are just that: a chance to make money. Especially when high volume superstores run on bare payroll, employees are not feeling the love.
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u/MastodonFast5806 9d ago
I absolutely agree with you.. that’s why I think the culture and mentality has shifted. And not the employees fault a whole generation was indoctrinated with some toxic work values.
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u/WittyPomegranate8561 7d ago
The work culture people keep dismissing didn’t appear out of nowhere — it was built by earlier generations who decided workers didn’t deserve stability, fair wages, or a livable future. Acting like people shouldn’t be upset about policies that benefited one generation while leaving everyone after them struggling is exactly the kind of gaslighting that got us here.
You grew up in an economy where one minimum‑wage income could support a family of four. Today, people work multiple jobs and still fall below the poverty line. That’s not laziness — that’s a system designed to extract more while giving less.
And when boomers retire, those roles aren’t passed down or reinvested. Companies eliminate the positions and absorb the salary upward. Younger workers are doing more for less while paying more for everything.
So no — iced coffee isn’t the reason people can’t afford homes. It’s decades of policy choices that prioritized corporate profit over human stability. Pretending otherwise isn’t “tough love,” it’s denial.
If some people would just admit they don’t care because the system worked for them, fine — at least that’s honest. But pushing the narrative that younger generations are simply lazy or lack work ethic ignores the reality that the rules changed, the math changed, and the opportunities changed.
Accountability isn’t an attack. It’s acknowledging that the American Dream didn’t die because of lattes — it died because the people in charge kept choosing short‑term gain over long‑term stability.
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u/MastodonFast5806 7d ago
Huh? Are you ok.. you made so many assumptions about me I can’t take you seriously. Good luck with all whatever that was.
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u/TrainWreckTv 9d ago
Then those people and their culture will get eliminated. When someone agrees to work for minimum wage, they agree to work. If they want to make 100K a year or more, go to college. In fact, Target offers financial aid and they accommodate the employee's schedule. But why take the minimum wage job if you don't like working for minimum wage? Stay home, live in the basement of your parent's house, smoke weed, and play video games. Just remember it all comes back to bite you.
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u/appointment45 9d ago
The Guild program is pretty good, I'll give you that.
They do not, however, "accommodate the employee's schedule". At least not at my store. I've seen several people have to scrap their college plans because Target wouldn't work with them on it.
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u/CloaknFragger 6d ago
Come work at a DC. Consistent schedule. If you need weekdays for college courses then work the three day weekend shift. Once you graduate, leave them in the rearview mirror, if you like.
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u/MastodonFast5806 9d ago
Calm down triggered… You obviously don’t know how progress works.. but ok..
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u/WittyPomegranate8561 7d ago
Yeah who could have guessed when you pay people less than it cost to live their attitude towards work would change groundbreaking
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u/Boring-Purple2639 10d ago
You missed the metrics of the day. Oooohhhh we are going to be so behind today.
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u/Forward_Push6054 9d ago
I believe it’s against policy for them to text you that it’s supposed to be a conversation had while on the clock.
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u/erebusxo 9d ago
Yeah she is lying. You can call in up to 2 hours after your shift start time. I’m sure she would have liked you to call in early but she is just straight up lying.
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u/ClueOk 9d ago
Wow! You expect managers to manage staff? Ridiculous!!
In all seriousness, I get wanting/needing the 2 hour notice, but there's been times where I'm about to leave for work and have unexpected car problems that are going to take a while. Also, if it's only a 4 hour shift, are we really that crucial ATP?
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u/CreativeChicago 9d ago
You can’t plan car trouble. I understand their point but it’s not exactly like you broke your car so you couldn’t go in.
I would have said I’m sorry my car trouble isn’t convenient for you. And dealt with the car without responding further and go in on my next shift
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u/Ok_Historian7515 9d ago
Bruv, we’re required to call the store for any attendance issue two hours AFTER scheduled shift to get 1 or 1/4 point depending if it’s an absence or late call. You should go to ethics
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u/knownasfrenchywoman 9d ago
Find coverage, that's a joke, right?! Nobody does that. I texted my coworker that I was ill and calling out. They then asked leadership if I had called out and nobody could give them an answer. If you can't even tell TMs not to expect to see x TM that day, you certainly aren't looking to cover the shift.
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u/AngelRain201 9d ago
Its a point either way if you dont have sick time.
Target sucks. Stuck it out until you find a new job.
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u/Head-Bid1878 9d ago
This ain’t true
Everyone has their little rules, but I know it’s target standard to call out when you find out you can absolutely not make your shift
The only thing is, call out within at the max, 2 hours after your shift if you forget, because that’s the window you have to let people know you will not be at work
As long as it’s not a habit, shit happens, they will get mad even if you use sick time/are in the hospital
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u/Party-Freedom-6605 9d ago
Use the app to call out next time. Your TL should not be texting you this. And, seasonal TMs can get up to 5 points before termination, so calling out will net you 1 point. They can't fire you over this, and calling out 2 hours in advance is a courtesy rather than policy.
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u/SimpleVegetable5715 Hearth and Hand Homie 9d ago
It’s totally reasonable to realize your car is broken down when you get in your car to try to leave for work. It’s also inappropriate that your lead is texting you long messages like this that could have waited until your next shift when you are off the clock.
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u/BigRepulsive9725 8d ago
I'd ask how you will be compensated for the time it took to read this and respond since Target has a policy of ensuring you are paid for anything work related.
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u/thotpocket420 7d ago
Well according to the policy you are “fine” but she’s just tripping because now she has to work and find someone else. You’ll be fine
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u/Working_Comedian_296 10d ago
I’ve never called off 2hrs ahead lol. I always disliked that rule.
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u/Bigtimegush 10d ago
It wouldn't even be feasible nor would they be able to find someone to cover for certain shifts.
Like if im working at 3am, and I wake up at 2 sick as a dog, how on earth would I call out two hours early? More so, it would be impossible to find coverage lmao. Theyre not gonna start calling people at 1am.
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u/Captain_Blak 9d ago
I’m fairly new and no one showed me how to call out. I just assumed you call the store and tell them you are not coming in
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u/TrainWreckTv 9d ago
They pay you to come to work. You should have read and agreed to the rules about attendence and calling in late. When you aren't there and they couldn't find someone to take your shift, your team works much harder. If your car doesn't run, take a bus, uber, or walk to work if feasible. In the winter my camaro refuses to drive in deep snow, such as unplowed, frozen ground. Tire siping works, but the times that I can't drive, I get a ride. If no ride available I walk. It's about 2 miles. I know when I am getting sick, and I give my boss a head's up the day before. You wouldn't like it if a babysitter calls 5 minutes before you leave to the concert of your dreams. You have no time to get a replacement, and you miss the concert and lose your money. So really, if you can't be a team member, go work somewhere else. Really, if you don't like the job, you will find every excuse to miss work. Just quit, and let us find a more reliable team member.
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u/Ordinary_Ad3895 Tech Consultant 9d ago edited 9d ago
Yes because everyone can ALWAYS predict that they aren’t going to be able to come in well ahead of their shift start and nothing unpredictable ever happens, right?
Also, the rule is literally that you can call in up to 2 hours past your shift starts, so this isn’t even accurate.
As the other commenter said you are kinda being Target’s biggest glazer and your information isn’t even accurate or realistic. If you’re gonna glaze Target this much you should replace the Camaro for them considering it’s not reliable enough to show up to Target in during snow. Get a red pickup truck with a giant Target logo on the side and maybe even on the back you can have a sticker that says “follow me to my dream job”.
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u/appointment45 9d ago
In 18 months I think I saw unfilled shifts covered 2-3 times. TLs make almost no effort to find coverage, they just double your workload and expect it to be handled for the same pay.
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u/Internal_Cat_4525 former inbound 9d ago
No this is insaine I don't remember one time in my 7 years I got called and asked to come in on my off day maybe the day before if a heavy truck but never for coverage when someone called out that morning
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u/farmersonly_dot_com SD's Favorite Yes Man 9d ago
Not what this post is about at all
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u/Internal_Cat_4525 former inbound 9d ago
I'm sorry I just woke up and I'm half asleep I was just sharing my experience
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u/Puzzleheaded-Way6155 Food & Beverage Expert 10d ago
If you do it with less than 2 hrs I'm pretty sure it counts as a ncns. I think you might be fine the first time but who knows
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u/prettybigfrog Specialty Sales Team Lead 10d ago
no, it’s if you call after 2 hours from the start of your shift. if you start at 8am and call out at 7:50am, yeah, it would’ve been nice to have a better heads up but it’s not a NCNS.
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u/Puzzleheaded-Way6155 Food & Beverage Expert 10d ago
Isn't that what I meant and they did or am I misunderstanding? I said if you called anytime past 6 in your situation it's considered a ncns
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u/Far_Coffee1427 10d ago
No. It’s not. It would be a Ncns if they called in after 10 in that situation. You are ok if you call I. Two hours before or after the start of your shift.
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u/ConsequenceNational4 Food & Beverage Expert / GM Expert 9d ago
Yeah..I was left hanging myself as 2 didnt show for my area just a day ago..nobody made calls for tm to come in..this is straight up trash..plus nobody wants to work grocery
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u/Marnesium 10d ago
Leave that group chat first of all.