Most folks in my department arrive a few minutes late a few times a week and no one ever made a big deal about it. I am chronically late and usually more than a few minutes, but I’ve never had a job where being on time was crucial to the business (including my current job), or had an employer who ever did anything about my chronic lateness. I’ve always put in many more hours than expected, completed my time-critical work on time and never left on time, either. (Just information, not a defense of my behavior) If my alarm went off at 7:00 a.m. and a credible threat was made on my life and I was cognizant enough to evaluate the threat, yeah, I’d probably make it to work on time that day rather than hit the sleep switch.
After two and a half years in my current dept I’ve received two verbal warnings and complied to the letter of the law on the first one, if not the spirit. #1 was “You’ve got to stop coming to work at 9:30 a.m.” So I shot for 9:00 a.m. and usually hit about 9:10 - 9:15 a.m.
Today the supe says “Starting Monday, you have to be here at 9:00 a.m. Not 9:15 a.m., but 9:00 a.m. Zero-tolerance. If you are late we will have to let you go. We do not want to lose you, but after two and a half years, your starting time is no longer negotiable. Do not be a minute late on Monday morning or thereafter.”
Throw into the mix that management is aware that I am just now beginning to be treated for sleep apnea and that so far the treatment has been unsuccessful but that I have a referral to a specialist in two weeks. I’ve had sleep apnea for a long time but like many ignorant males I do not usually visit a doctor unless I have uncontrolled bleeding or broken bones (slight exaggeration.) I do not know whether the literature would support my belief, but I think the sleep apnea strongly and negatively impacts my ability to wake up in a timely fashion. It feels like being a 9-5er and not falling asleep every night until 1:30 a.m. and being asked to wake up at 3:00 a.m. and go to work every morning on 90 minutes sleep. One has a very difficult but not imposible time awakening under such circumstances.
A few questions: anyone else getting (got) treatment for sleep apnea? What worked and what did not?
Anyone else personally threatened with zero-tolerance on lateness while almost everyone else was frequently a little late?
Anyone else threatened with a job loss for a behavior at least possibly partially explained by a medical condition?
So beginning Monday a.m. I re-double my every effort to arrive by 9:00 a.m.
I understand that by most workplace measures I have been engaging in rebellious, childish behavior regarding arriving at work on time. Please don’t take unfair shots at me.
I’m curious about others’ experience with sleep apnea and whether my employer’s actions, given the circumstances, are defensible. I cannot afford to lose this job and do not intend to find out whether the supe is bluffing.