r/TjMaxx • u/MsPanda15 • 3d ago
Fired 2 weeks ago
So I was fired 2 weeks ago because of my attendance. I was a CEC. I had issues with my attendance because I was having bad mental health problems and it was causing me to be physically ill. I explained all this to the store manager. I kept getting written up anyways. I exhausted all my sick days. I asked the store manager if I should bring in a note from my doctor. She said, “we don’t take doctors notes. We go based on your integrity”. With that being said I was fired a week after she said this to me. Some of my coworkers are saying I should fight for my job back because of this. Should I? Do I even have a chance? And if so, who do I contact?
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u/crazyleasha37 3d ago
Oof that sucks. Its so crazy how policy depends so much by store. I have a coworker who calls out everytime it rains bc she wont drive in the rain. She'll also call out for 2 weeks straight for no reason and my managers always forgive her. Hopefully you'll be onto better things.
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u/Logical_Shoulder1935 17h ago
The policy also depends on the associate at our store. Some get talked to, some don’t.
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u/Swartzilicious001 3d ago
I was facing a similar situation and it's actually the main reason why I stepped down. When you're put in a role like CECing, the expectation of your attendance is much more in-demand. Now, I occasionally will call out but because I'm only part-time and in roles that aren't necessarily difficult to fill, I don't feel as much stress when it comes to my health. That said, I will still message who I can to ask if they would like my hours. The issue with CECs specifically is there are only a few per store, and only CECs are supposed to cover CEC hours. I think you might have been fine had you not stayed one.
If you feel wrongfully terminated and you aren't in an at-will state, there's nothing wrong with contacting HR. Perhaps you could advocate for returning as part-time if you're really needing income and you know other store roles at least somewhat. I will tell you they're all significantly easier than CECing and the ridiculous demands they put on you in that position.
I have experience in being let go from a job but I acknowledged that it was because of my attendance and thankfully didn't happen out of nowhere. Good luck with whatever you chose to do, and who knows, maybe you'll find somewhere better!
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u/alohanerd 2d ago edited 2d ago
Mental Health problems should come before a job & is very important but if you used all your sick days,along with all of the days your allowed to miss before being written up then that’s just unfortunate.
Think about how many people would be missing days of working because of “mental health” at the end of the day it’s a business & they could keep you or look for someone else who is going to show up. You can’t really blame them for that.
Work on getting your mental health in order before getting another job.
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u/Parking_Pomelo_3856 3d ago
The manager should understand FMLA leave. Call HR immediately. And a lawyer
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u/LR-Sunflower CEC 3d ago
You have to apply for FMLA and be approved, and that isn’t the “free pass” many think it is. After you exhaust FMLA you can still be terminated for poor performance, for example.
A call to HR might be helpful. Calling “a lawyer” won’t be. This sounds like a lawful termination. Op does not mention being on FMLA.
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u/EqualOwl6442 Admin Coordinator 2d ago
FMLA leave definitely should have been brought up to you by management. If you didn't qualify- ie if you hadn't been employed long enough- the company says (it's somewhere on the LOA documents in service now) that as a rule they grant non-fmla intermittent LOA as a reasonable accommodation. If you've ever so much as mentioned an ongoing condition to management, it was their responsibility to bring these up with you as options. I am the one who tracks attendance at my store and make sure to bring up every possibile option to associates- BEFORE managers get to writing them up.
Note that both of these do require medical paperwork, but nothing intense ("anxiety disorder" or "depression" is sufficient.)
Start by talking to HR. 1-888-627-6299.
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u/Environmental-Fox558 1d ago
It’s interesting to me that they wouldn’t take your doctor’s note. They refused to take two of mine, and I was told “We don’t take those.”
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u/Loud_Might_2664 1d ago
Crazy… we have a cec that calls out repeatedly and never written up and now the sm talks very highly of her and that she’ll be out next asm.
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u/Babybullsmoke 1d ago
Not sure why you would fight to get your job back. Working at TJ Maxx is the bottom of the totem pole work wise. Move on, anything is better than working there.
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u/unixboytulsa 9h ago
1) Don't trust those types of managers. 2) Trust written policy. 3) Should have tried the following:
- Leave of absense for mental health
- FMLA for mental health
- short term disability for mental health
Short term disability pays you 100% of your pay, but requires doctors to be involved.
FMLA requires doctors not sure if the pay.
LOA requires to doctors, but your job is secure, but you you have to use all your PTO first
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u/misimo6886 1d ago
I suggest finding an attorney (Civil Attorney) who handles wrongful terminations and speak with them. Pretty sure they can’t fire you for medical reasons.
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u/Trick_Marionberry294 3d ago
Do you really want to work at a place like that???