Management has a long history of making up their own rules. The VA-AFGE master agreement says:

Proposed changes in personnel policies, practices, or working conditions affecting the interests of one local union shall require notice to the President of that local.

As you probably guessed, this doesn't always happen. Here's an example of what management has put out and bypassed the union:

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With all of the changes that have occurred in HR over the last several months, some the ways we paid time or leave have changed.... The main points that everyone needs to be aware of are:

 

  1. AL in lieu of SL: You will not be automatically be granted Annual Leave in lieu of Sick leave. If you do not have a sick leave balance and you call in SL and your absence from the floor causes overtime or the need to pull from another unit to cover, you will marked as AWOL and disciplinary actions may be taken. (Please note that if you have sick leave this will not apply.)
  2. Tardiness: All tardies > 15 minutes will be marked as LWOP. You can enter a leave request for the leave you would like to take (SL, LWOP, or AL) and we will follow the attached chart for the approval process. All tardies < 15 minutes will be marked tardy on your timecard. Again please know that regardless of how it is listed tardiness can result in discipline.
  3. Sick Leave Certification: If you call in sick, you have 15 calendar days to get the documentation to management regarding your call in. Failure to do so will result in the time being converted to AWOL and possible disciplinary action. However, with that said even if you provide the medical documentation but do not have a sick balance please refer to #1.
  4. FMLA: FMLA is considered in the flowchart so do not panic.
  5. Overtime: If you have an overtime shift and then have a day without pay the overtime is converted to regular time. You do not qualify for overtime if you do not meet the 80 hour requirement for your position.

 

Please understand that this email is not being sent to threaten staff (really ???) but we do want everyone to be held to the same standards hospital-wide.

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If your management tries to tell you these (or other stuff they feed you) are the rules, there are two things to do:

1.) Ask for a copy of the policy in writing.

2.) Contact us (comments@afge477.org) to let us know what's happening and get our guidance on the issue.