Was I Wronged For Getting Fired For Occasional Lateness When Another Coworker Has Been Late Everyday?
OK, so, hi! I watch you, Charlotte, a lot and enjoy your vids. Also, congrats on your wedding, your dress was gorgeous, say hi for me to your sweet pup, and that beetle on your wall is so cool. Every time I watch, I think about possibly adding my story(s) here, but get scared on what others would say. But, it's been since January of this year '26 that I was let go from my job. And I just need it off my chest.
I'm unfortunately 40 this year, and have been fired from 3 different jobs (different years, not back to back) for either no acknowledgeable reason to stupid S to the T that wasn't my doing or not on work grounds. Also walked out on another one...this is not what this post is about, so...
This last job I lived 34 min. away. There are days and seasons when there is and isn't much traffic. I would leave 5-15 mins early (sometimes it works out, others not). There were occasional times when I would leave the house late because I'm taking care of something first.
Anyway...We got a new manager after the other one got a new position at one of our other stores that is 10 mins from me. (I like driving and wanting something out of my town. That's why I don't work at that mall, but a different one. 🤷♀️) 'Reg' we'll call her. She's not new, she's old fashioned for how long she worked with this company. We are allowed to be 5-10 minutes late. There were 5 completely different days I was 20-25 minutes late. They were either because of construction or car accidents! Literally! I would call or text her, even my Captain. I would even send photos as proof.
Here she is giving me a warning to show up on time for my team...Even though my team starts late because of scanners not working for when we need to do markdowns or because we talk a lot (that would be our Captain mostly), she nice and cool though. If I got there 20 mins late, my team is literally still talking, just walking to the elevator or already just about to start scanning, moving things, or merchandising. Even my Captain said I'm not jeopardizing the team.
So, amazingly, I got good days to prove that I can get there on time. But it happens again random days where traffic sucks! This was like three-four weeks past and she calls me to the office telling me, "I gave you a chance because I don't want to lose you. You are a good worker." How I'm in the red zone, I don't know.
Me: "But I gave you notice on why those days were late."
Her: "Those don't matter. You have to get here on time. I get here an hour early everyday."
Mind you, I know that when a manger and or Captain has to open the store they have to have someone with them at all times. Reg goes in alone.
I didn't say a word, at this point my words were deaf to her ears, even before this. In my head I'm thinking, So you want me to wait in my SUV for an hour. And even if you are working those days to open, I can't clock in until my scheduled time! I can't help do anything anyway!
There's this other lady that's on our team, and obviously Reg knows everyone's clock in time...so her not ever talking to Yas#1 ever about her evey day tardiness was beyond me (She should be in the fiery red zone). My mom thinks it's because Yas#1 is an immigrant and they feel sorry for her.
Also, to point, I have called out a few times because I have depression issues and another coworker (Yas#2) we work with is negative all the time and blames others for something they didn't do, so she's hard to work with.
But this post is really about why is someone who is rarely late getting called in and never the one EVERYDAY late?