Sunday, March 12, 2006

Could Not Accept Her Transfer

I'm writing this for my Daughter-in-law. She is too timid to cause any problems. She has worked at WalMart for over 8 years. She isa good employee and never causes any problems. She is never late andworks many hours at their request. I would term her the ideal employee.
Two years ago, my son (her husband) landed in the hospital with blood clotting in his legs. It was very serious and they were concernedt hat one of the clots could endanger his life. After many tests he foundout that he has Lupus and a rare blood disorder that causes him to havethick blood. He is on medication to thin his blood and has to do bloodtests weekly. When he went home from the hospital, the doctor told himthat he was not to get up and walk. No problem, since he couldn't standlet alone walk. They have two children and his doctor told him not todrive at all. He had to go into the doctor every two days for testing.
His wife asked the assistant manager for time off to take care of her husband and children. The assistant manager agreed, so she took offfor two weeks. During this time she was paid for sick leave. After shereturned to work and was there every day for a month, they called herinto the office and wrote her up for not showing up to work during herhusbands disability.
Being the timid person she is, she did nothing. One year later she and her husband needed to move to Missouri from Sacramen to California. The manager said he would not approve the transfer. Afterseveral months he finally approved her transfer. This was necessary tokeep the medical insurance on her family. She applied to a store inMissouri, and was informed a few weeks later that he could not accept her transfer because of the write up. She applied to a second store who toldher they were only 30 minutes from her new home which turned out to be 1hour each way and his the fact that she had a write up. They gladlyaccepted her transfer.
The town in which she lives built a new Super WalMart store andshe applied for a transfer since she had worked at this one for 9 months. Two weeks later she was informed that they could not accept her transferbecause of the write up.
The temps where she lives can consistently go under 20 degreeswith snow and ice storms. The long drive has already caused her to haveone accident due to being over tired. Having to work 10 hours on thenight shift then having to get up early (5 am) and open the store thenext day.
My inquiry to the store manager about their denial of a transfer,when they had already approved one, was that it was corporate policy thatyou could not be promoted or transfer is you have a write up. Heexplained that she should have been given a packet for "Family Leave" tofill out and turn in. She never received such a packet.
I believe that the Assistant Manager screwed up by not delivering the proper paperwork to her and the store manage covered the assistantstracks by writing her up.
We have tried to encourage her to go to corporate with this, butshe feels that it wouldn't do any good.