No Call No Show

Robert Dreesen

0 posts

9/15/2013 9:09 AM

Just curious how everyone handles their no call no show situations. As a manager, I would like our policy to be cut, dry, and strict(zero tolerance). But in our maintenance situation, sometimes we have no choice but to be lenient. We are a new club(renovated with new ownership and management). We hire employees thru the visa program to work for us March-November. We try to have atleast 6 full time employees to help us out in the summer and we also need to have someone in the winter months as we never shut down for the year.

The full time employees that we have are low income and have had their share of personal problems throughout their life, whether that be prison time, medical issues, drug problems, or all of the above.

I had an employee no call no show yesterday. She lives within walking distance of the maintenance shop. She came in late this morning due to "having a migraine". She told me this morning that she didnt come in yesterday due to the same migraine. Her excuse for not calling yesterday was that he phone only works about half of the time and she felt too ill to walk to the shop to inform me that she would not be in. She is a single mom with 5 kids, lives in a very low income house, and is our lowest paid employee on staff.

I am contemplating giving her a 5 day unpaid suspension with her next no call/no show being termination. What are your thoughts? (now need to stop writing this message because she just texted me saying her cart died on her and she walked on home because I fired her anyway...which is not true...just said earlier that she needed to see me for some paper work before she left)

Wahlin Scott B

9/15/2013 11:09 AM

I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Keith Pegg

0 posts

9/15/2013 3:09 PM

Robert, Life is hard: You are only as good as your weakest (worst) employee. If she is going to make you look bad, then good bye. You can forgive her once and maybe two times then you need to find a new person. Why is she the lowest paid employee? Is my only question if a man was to fill this position would he make the same? I am luck here The Japanese government sets the pay and many of my people own homes and over half have 15 years plus in this job.

Keith
Japan

Holt Michael

9/15/2013 7:09 PM

I always had a no call, no show, no job policy. No call, no show to me is voluntarily leaving employment, not me firing you. I always thought that if a person couldn't let me know they weren't going to be at work, then I surely couldn't trust them. Recently because of staffing issues I have relaxed on my no call, no show, no job policy. I must say that I am sorry I gave in on this policy because I have had more trouble with no calls than I have ever had. My crew seems to try me on it more often and since SC is a right to work state, I'll be putting this policy back into force soon.

Jason Boyce

0 posts

9/16/2013 6:09 AM

I have always tried to institute a three strikes and your out rule. Warning, written, then you are done. It is important to be clear to the employee what your expectations are. Did she know if she did not call or communicate to you that she could be terminated? In step one and two (and hopefully at start of employment) it is important to communicate what your expectations are, and what the consequences will be.

Some have told me they don't see me as someone who would easily terminate an employee. It is easy for me... as I say " I don't terminate people, they terminate themselves".

Sean Hoolehan

0 posts

9/16/2013 10:09 AM

Robert,

My advice is be consistent and have a written policy. Our policy for NO Call No Show (NCNS) is you can only have one NCNS a year. You are terminated after #2. This is usually what trips up my attendance problems. Other wise our attendance policy is pretty lenient. The key is you have to show up or call in within a hour of your start time. The best advice for employees with problems at home is "it only gets worse when you have problems at work to".

30+ years of employing golf course groundskeepers, i have just about seen it all. I am very honest with prospective employees, they will work every weekend and holiday, they will only work 29 hours a week (new this year due to PPACA), they have to be here at 5 AM. During the interview process I am careful and look for a good fit with the existing crew. If they trip up early I usually terminate them "at will" during the 90 day probation period. Sometimes the best help you can give is a dose of reality.

Ronald Conard

4 posts

9/16/2013 11:09 AM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

9/16/2013 1:09 PM

Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

That is a point I think about Ron, with some of my seasonal employees, do we not help them for the future because we might be a little flexible on things? Have we become more flexible because good help is hard to find?

As for as this women's work ethic, with 5 kids, I'm guessing her work ethic isn't lost, she had to have one at one time with all the diaper changing and feeding of the young ones, (I could be wrong because maybe the oldest is doing a lot of the work, Robert, maybe that is who you need to hire?).

What the other guys have mentioned about letting them know the expectations is probably the most important thing to do before they get started. But some other questions that come out of all of this, what are our pay rates, hours given, seasonal aspect of the job, type of work, expectations, how do they all play a part in the type of people who typically are applying for these positions? Could that be a factor as well? And I suppose locations will play a part in all that too.

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

Ronald Conard

4 posts

9/16/2013 1:09 PM

Melvin Waldron, CGCS said:
Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

That is a point I think about Ron, with some of my seasonal employees, do we not help them for the future because we might be a little flexible on things? Have we become more flexible because good help is hard to find?

As for as this women's work ethic, with 5 kids, I'm guessing her work ethic isn't lost, she had to have one at one time with all the diaper changing and feeding of the young ones, (I could be wrong because maybe the oldest is doing a lot of the work, Robert, maybe that is who you need to hire?).

What the other guys have mentioned about letting them know the expectations is probably the most important thing to do before they get started. But some other questions that come out of all of this, what are our pay rates, hours given, seasonal aspect of the job, type of work, expectations, how do they all play a part in the type of people who typically are applying for these positions? Could that be a factor as well? And I suppose locations will play a part in all that too.

Mel

Sorry Mel, but what does being a single mom with five kids, drug problems, prison time, have to do with having any sort of work ethic? More likely she has learned that society will take of care of her so why grind away day after day? Take the lazy road out. Why not?

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

9/16/2013 3:09 PM

Your right Ron,

I forgot about the other issues this women had, it's too bad though that society has allowed her to take the easy road (although I wonder how easy it really was, something I'm sure none of use would want to go through, but was there anyone to show her a better way?), should have been given her training and mentoring during a drug rehab or while in prison, but I suppose many of those programs have been cut since we don't want pay for it up front with our tax dollars, and not encourage those to help themselves. The conservitieves typically do not want to pay for social programs to help people, (of course helping people can possibly make them productive and inturn provide valuable employees for employers), yet they are willing to build more jails and prisons that cost who knows how much to run....(wait the conservitives in our county don't want to pay anymore for their overcrowded jail either). Of course the liberals want to rely to much on social programs, where a balance needs to be found in my opinion. But of course we're hijacking this topic and heading down a different path, maybe better discussed in another forum.

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

Wahlin Scott B

9/16/2013 7:09 PM

Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

You have to hire her because you do not offer anything that anyone without her background would be interested in. You're a manager of employees who are at the very bottom of the totem pole. They are either illegal, or felons, or messed up in one way of the other. Being a tough guy and beating up on these weak people results in packages of sugar in the gas tanks of $24K green mowers. I think you should be a tough guy Ron. I think young, new guys ought to seek an alternative.

Sean Hoolehan

0 posts

9/16/2013 8:09 PM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said:
Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

You have to hire her because you do not offer anything that anyone without her background would be interested in. You're a manager of employees who are at the very bottom of the totem pole. They are either illegal, or felons, or messed up in one way of the other. Being a tough guy and beating up on these weak people results in packages of sugar in the gas tanks of $24K green mowers. I think you should be a tough guy Ron. I think young, new guys ought to seek an alternative.

Scott, you nailed it. Unfortunately many of us are thrust into this situation by the nature of the work. Hiring part-time seasonal labor often means we get marginally employable applicants. Thank goodness for retires who love golf.

Where do you buy $24,000 greens mowers these days?

Melvin Waldron

43 posts

9/16/2013 9:09 PM

Sean, maybe Scott hasn't bought a greens mower in about 4 or 5 years, that's what the last one we bought cost us and it was about 4 or 5 years ago.

Amazing that with what we pay our crews and we let them run equipment that cost twice as much as the vehicles they drive to work on a piece of property that is worth well over a millions dollars, (multi millions in some cases).

Although it's not rocket science either.

Mel

Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO

James Schmid

1 posts

9/16/2013 10:09 PM

Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

You seriously think that firing someone at this age in this situation is going to learn a "proper" work ethic from being fired? You are actually saying that you would fire her for her own good? Like you owed it to her?

I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.

Anthony Nysse

1 posts

9/17/2013 6:09 AM

"No call, No Show"= Write up #1. "No call, No Show"= Write up #2. "No call, No Show"= No job

Curtis Nickerson

0 posts

9/17/2013 8:09 AM

Anthony Nysse said: "No call, No Show"= Write up #1. "No call, No Show"= Write up #2. "No call, No Show"= No job

What he said...with all infractions of company policy.

Robert Dreesen

0 posts

9/17/2013 10:09 AM

Thanks for all the words of advice. I ended up going with a warning. Next comes suspension or termination. Sometimes I am too soft for my own good but it is hard to fire someone who doesnt have enough money to feed her kids. Her excuse for not calling in was her phone didnt work and she didnt walk over to tell me because her head hurt too bad from her migraine. First of all, her phone is a pile. It costed her 10 bucks at walmart and it often does not call out. 2nd of all when I asked why she couldnt just walk over and tell me she wasnt feeling well she said she couldnt get out of bed and the only reason she came in to work today was she had about overdosed on her medication and thats the only thing allowing her to come to work.

Keith, she is the lowest paid employee because she can do the least amount of tasks. She does do her tasks to the best of her abilities and with all of her issues at home, I can see this job means everything to her, so thats another reason I was soft and gave her a warning.

I dont know if the warning is enough to stop her from no calling no showing again, but atleast we have done something about the issue and still have another employee heading into our fall months. Until next time...

Ronald Conard

4 posts

9/17/2013 11:09 AM

James Schmid said:
Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

You seriously think that firing someone at this age in this situation is going to learn a "proper" work ethic from being fired? You are actually saying that you would fire her for her own good? Like you owed it to her?

I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.

Wow James, dramatic much. Actually I say b.s. to the notion that our entry level jobs are dead end and of no value to anyone but the bottom of the barrel in society. If a person is struggling to make ends meet maybe they should think towards the future and strive to find a place of employment and move up through the ranks. Is you golf course a welfare provider?

How many times have you had a full time position open and would hire one of your seasonals had they been showing you they had what it took to move up. And then if they stayed in the ranks moved up even further. That's what you are missing here. It's easy to move up in this business and better yourself. Just show up to work, call in if you are sick, send a smoke signal if you have to, and be the best employee on the crew, or at least the best employee you can be.

Explain to me again how allowing her to continue with the pattern of behavior that got her it this mess in the first place is helping her.

And where did I say anything about firing her.... yet?

Ronald Conard

4 posts

9/17/2013 11:09 AM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said:
Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I would not make her life any more miserable than it already is. I might try to see if she is eligible for government benefits that she is not currently getting like Medicaid for her migraines and food stamps for her kids. Call 2-1-1 with her and help her get set up. Have your members cover her Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. God will pay you back, he always does.

Or don't enable her poor work habits. How is coddling her like an eight year old a benefit to her? It might make you feel warm inside but is it really going to help her learn a proper work ethic?

You have to hire her because you do not offer anything that anyone without her background would be interested in. You're a manager of employees who are at the very bottom of the totem pole. They are either illegal, or felons, or messed up in one way of the other. Being a tough guy and beating up on these weak people results in packages of sugar in the gas tanks of $24K green mowers. I think you should be a tough guy Ron. I think young, new guys ought to seek an alternative.

Right. I've had the same pool of employees over the years that you have. Some actually make great employees. What I have found is that almost all of them respect an manager who is straight up with them, works with them in the field, and goes to the end with them day to day. Most feel like they are part of something they haven't been a part of before. If in the end they don't have the ability to figure out a way to respect the other co-workers that they are schlepping their work of onto, then I don't coddle them.

Ashton Alan W

9/17/2013 5:09 PM

Robert Dreesen said: ...she said she couldnt get out of bed and the only reason she came in to work today was she had about overdosed on her medication and thats the only thing allowing her to come to work.

I wouldn't let an employee start work if they made this statement. I wouldn't even want them on a shovel, much less a moving piece of equipment.

Travis Anderson

0 posts

9/17/2013 8:09 PM

I don't know about the rest of you guys but I would think most of us started out as crew members and have made the right choices and done what was required of us to move up on this field( years of hard work and a degree), so to say we have to hire and retain people that are the lowest on the totem pole is BS. Scott your post about " new or young" guys trying a new path is condescending and typical of what you spill onto this forum. The reality is we do end up hiring people that do not wish to move up and make a career of this and we have to make due with what we have but the rules must be made clear for everyone, regardless of whether they are as you put it "weaker" than everyone else. It is not picking on someone if the rules are clearly stated and apply to everyone.

Wahlin Scott B

9/17/2013 10:09 PM

It is funny how people who accuse others of being condescending are always condescending themselves. What are your job requirements for candidates at your course? Do they need to speak English? Do they have to be high school graduates? Do they need prior experience? Can they be a felon? Do you pay better than minimum wage? If so, why? Do you provide health insurance, vacations and holiday/sick pay? Once again, if so, why? You're always going to be able find someone as damaged as the last one. You can just switch them around with Denny's, Walmart and Joe's Grass Cutter Service. Be sure to kick them in the head while you have them. They really respond well to that.

I started out at a crew member too. I am a 25 year CGCS and am retired on what I accomplished during my career. I am not condescending enough to presume that everyone who enters the golf course maintenance industry is as strong as me.I am also not presumptuous enough to conclude that they only folks that made me successful were as strong as me.

Ronald Conard

4 posts

9/17/2013 10:09 PM

Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: It is funny how people who accuse others of being condescending are always condescending themselves. What are your job requirements for candidates at your course? Do they need to speak English? Do they have to be high school graduates? Do they need prior experience? Can they be a felon? Do you pay better than minimum wage? If so, why? Do you provide health insurance, vacations and holiday/sick pay? Once again, if so, why? You're always going to be able find someone as damaged as the last one. You can just switch them around with Denny's, Walmart and Joe's Grass Cutter Service. Be sure to kick them in the head while you have them. They really respond well to that.

I started out at a crew member too. I am a 25 year CGCS and am retired on what I accomplished during my career. I am not condescending enough to presume that everyone who enters the golf course maintenance industry is as strong as me.I am also not presumptuous enough to conclude that they only folks that made me successful were as strong as me.

I couldn't make any sense of 90% of your ramble but as to the bolded part, how is requiring someone to show up to work or call in if they are sick, kicking them in the head?? Please explain.

None of our operations are a charity case. They are businesses that sink or swim on the productivity of the employees. Once you let one be a slacker, and that is exactly what this lady is in this case, you are sending a signal that it's ok for all to be slackers. Maybe that's why your perception is as it is... that all we have to choose from are bottom-feeders . Because you foster it. I've had great crews over the years and they were built from all walks of life. You see people can't. I see people can. You perpetuate laziness. Thanks Scotty.

Wahlin Scott B

9/18/2013 1:09 AM

Ronald Conard, CGCS said:
Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: It is funny how people who accuse others of being condescending are always condescending themselves. What are your job requirements for candidates at your course? Do they need to speak English? Do they have to be high school graduates? Do they need prior experience? Can they be a felon? Do you pay better than minimum wage? If so, why? Do you provide health insurance, vacations and holiday/sick pay? Once again, if so, why? You're always going to be able find someone as damaged as the last one. You can just switch them around with Denny's, Walmart and Joe's Grass Cutter Service. Be sure to kick them in the head while you have them. They really respond well to that.

I started out at a crew member too. I am a 25 year CGCS and am retired on what I accomplished during my career. I am not condescending enough to presume that everyone who enters the golf course maintenance industry is as strong as me.I am also not presumptuous enough to conclude that they only folks that made me successful were as strong as me.

I couldn't make any sense of 90% of your ramble but as to the bolded part, how is requiring someone to show up to work or call in if they are sick, kicking them in the head?? Please explain.

None of our operations are a charity case. They are businesses that sink or swim on the productivity of the employees. Once you let one be a slacker, and that is exactly what this lady is in this case, you are sending a signal that it's ok for all to be slackers. Maybe that's why your perception is as it is... that all we have to choose from are bottom-feeders . Because you foster it. I've had great crews over the years and they were built from all walks of life. You see people can't. I see people can. You perpetuate laziness. Thanks Scotty.

You are disrespectful and I did not generate the income in this business necessary to retire at 55 by perpetuating laziness, Ronny.

Tyler Broderick

2 posts

9/18/2013 8:09 AM

Just my two cents. I am a young super and have only been the boss since January. When I took over, the crew sucked. I was a hard ass for about the first four months in order to get my expectations met. It took time to weed out the bad employees and wanted to give them all a fair shake. I ended up firing 11 people (only 2 were full time) that were here before me. I made my 3 strike policy clear and stuck to my guns.

Since then I have relaxed. I try my hardest to make sure the crew knows that I appreicate them. We have had maintence golf days, BBQ's, gone for drinks after work on my dime. I think they can tell that I value them and they work hard for me. There have been a few people that I have hired that haven't made it past the 90 day probation period becasue they were cancer, and cancer spreads. I think right now I have the best crew that I have ever seen or been a part of.

As to the type of employees that we in the industrty find/hire, it is a mixed bag. I would agree that a lot of the guys we get are on the lower end of the totem pole. We are a no skill, no education needed, minimum wage employer. I have found a few diamonds in the rough and those guys are the backbone of my crew and ready to learn more, move up, etc. I have learned that I dont think that I can teach anyone work ethic, they got it or they dont.

This is what is I am dealing with right now. I had a irrigation tech when I took over. Back in March he got two write ups and the third was supposed to be the firing. I gave him A LOT of slack because I did think he was GREAT as an irrgation tech and he came from a terrible background and had a ton of baggage. In june, he missed about 4 days of work and was very late at least 8 times citing car trouble. Then he got a new car and swore that he would be my best employee. Well, in July and August he missed about 6 days and was late a bunch more citing medical problems. More slack was given. Earlier this month he clipped the back tire of the ProGator and ruined the wheel, tire and axle on a steel pole. More slack. Then he got into a head on collision with another employee and totaled a different Gator. I fired him after that. He doesn't understand why I fired him and it is my fault for ruining his life. Last night he texted me and told me his car got repossesed, wife left him, and he is going to kill himself and that it is my fault.

All that to say, I should have fired him in June. I feel like I have lost the respect of my crew because they are out there busting thier ass and I give this other yahoo all the slack in the world. I am SURE that I have shown them through my actions that it is okay to miss work and break stuff and there will be no repercussions.

My advice for the lady with 5 kids with migraines, treat her like all the other employees. It is a bussiness and you pay people to perform a job, if they can not do it find someone else who will. I treated my irrigation tech differently becasue I knew his story and felt bad for him, thats not fair to everyone else. Everyone has shit going on, everyone deals with life, working is a part of life. Bad employees can become a cancer, and cancer spreads.

Maybe more than two cents, but I think I worte a good bit of this just to organize my thoughts.

Tyler Broderick

Sandy Clark

0 posts

9/18/2013 9:09 AM

Ignore the no call issue for just a brief moment here and take a look at the medical side. I am not cutting her slack or condoning the no call but I do know a thing or two about migraines. For you that do not suffer headaches, they can be so severe that all you can do is curl up into a ball in the dark and wait. Talking hurts, you are sick to your stomach and nothing helps. Only a few migraine medicines are even available. If this is the first time she has done this, I would go with the verbal warning, followed by a strong written warning and then if necessary, do what you have to do. If her medicine for migraines is only over the counter pain pills, she needs some medical guidance. All those things do is result in rebound addiction. With some advice, she can get a prescription of Migranal, perhaps receive occipital nerve blocks, receive magnesium infusions or maybe even be treated with botox. Unless her migraines are caused by alcohol consumption and it is just a self created nasty hangover, if you see value in this woman, you could nearly save her life by directing her for proper migraine treatment. Give that some thought before you jump too quickly on the rules and regulations issue. I have experienced migraines and headaches in general as long as I can remember. I have learned to function through the vast majority of them. I hate to think how many times I have been on the road with one eye open just praying to get home, out of the car and into bed where I want no noise and complete darkness. She may be able to be turned around with help. Get her some guidance first and you may end up with a model employee!

James Gubricky

0 posts

9/18/2013 10:09 AM

A different perspective: I have been working in Asia for 20+ years and during that time my attitude has changed quite a bit on a number of things. I read through this topic and don't see much compassion on display. I have employees that don't show up for a few days because they need to harvest the rice on their family's small paddy. Or their son/daughter is sick and they need to take them to the doctor. Or their cousin is getting married and they need 3 days off. Yeah it used to bother me, but that's the way it is here and there is nothing I can do about it. Family is the most important thing to them. And there is something to say for that.

I have found that the staff who miss a lot of days usually don't stay around very long anyways. I try to reward those who work hard and give a good effort. Although it has taken a while to get everyone to understand this, my supervisors are expected to call in when they will miss work. We usually call in staff who miss work too often and explain that if they want to work with us, they need to come in to work every day. Most times, when they miss some more days, they don't bother coming back. It all seems to work out in the end.

A few years ago, I underwent treatment for throat cancer. The owners of the golf course told me to not worry about my job, take as much time as I needed to get over this and my job would be waiting when I returned. I was off work for 3 months and returned to part time duty for the first month or so. In all that time they kept me on full salary. Let me tell you, a life threatening illness certainly changes your perspectives.

Robert Searle

0 posts

9/18/2013 12:09 PM

Sandy Clark, CGCS said: Ignore the no call issue for just a brief moment here and take a look at the medical side. I am not cutting her slack or condoning the no call but I do know a thing or two about migraines. For you that do not suffer headaches, they can be so severe that all you can do is curl up into a ball in the dark and wait. Talking hurts, you are sick to your stomach and nothing helps. Only a few migraine medicines are even available. If this is the first time she has done this, I would go with the verbal warning, followed by a strong written warning and then if necessary, do what you have to do. If her medicine for migraines is only over the counter pain pills, she needs some medical guidance. All those things do is result in rebound addiction. With some advice, she can get a prescription of Migranal, perhaps receive occipital nerve blocks, receive magnesium infusions or maybe even be treated with botox. Unless her migraines are caused by alcohol consumption and it is just a self created nasty hangover, if you see value in this woman, you could nearly save her life by directing her for proper migraine treatment. Give that some thought before you jump too quickly on the rules and regulations issue. I have experienced migraines and headaches in general as long as I can remember. I have learned to function through the vast majority of them. I hate to think how many times I have been on the road with one eye open just praying to get home, out of the car and into bed where I want no noise and complete darkness. She may be able to be turned around with help. Get her some guidance first and you may end up with a model employee!

Couldn't agree with you more. No matter how well we can articulate the pain involved with a migraine people who don't get them just don't understand. The best thing I did was talking to my doctor about it and getting on abortive meds. If it was a true migraine I can understand how she couldn't even pick up the phone and make a call. I'm not defending her, I still would have struggled through a phone call. But migraines can be very debilitating. I count my blessing every day that I am fortunate enough that when I do get one I can leave work and get home to suffer through it. Most people aren't so lucky.

Wahlin Scott B

9/18/2013 12:09 PM

I suffered with severe migraines from 14yo to 35yo. They never found out what caused them. Mine had the very same symptoms as a stroke with paralysis and confusion, then went to pain. It would have been impossible for me to make a phone call if the phone was working. I would not have been able to get the seven numbers from the paper to the punch pad.

Sean Hoolehan

0 posts

9/19/2013 10:09 AM

James and Sandy,

Thanks for adding some additional perspective to this discussion.

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