Workplace gave me a death sentence...

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They're instituting a new zero-tolerance policy on time adherence. If I (or anyone else not on the "buddy list") is late for shift, break or lunch EVEN ONCE, they're terminated. Period.

This is a death sentence for me, since when my depression hits it's difficult just to get out of bed! I'm rarely late more than a couple minutes, normal human stuff, but these people are like computers... true or false. Checkmark or X.

Time to break out the suit and get another job before the axe falls! Dang... I'm going to miss that health plan... and my kid needs braces!

That doesn't seem legal. I mean, you don't any control over traffic. Accidents happen with buses all the time. Who's the boss? The gestapo? I don't know, but your job's lateness policy irks me and I don't even work there! Happy job hunting!

At most jobs the people in charge think in black/white terms about the employees for some reason. They act like you're in the Marine Corp. in a lot of ways. Even if it's a crappy job at a fast-food place or something.

It's probably some new person high up trying to make their mark on the company. "I'm gonna' save the company money by cracking down on those peons coming back from lunch 5 mins late, etc. Funny how they'll crack down on that but NOT calculate in all the free overtime by employees like myself who will stay late to finish things up.

Bet they made these plans during a 2-hour expense lunch.

I'd stay for now but leave when you are hired in the new workplace.
That way if it falls through the net, you still have the soft and bouncy safety mat of your job at the moment.

Yep... a good plan. I'm already gearing up to find another job because I hate the idea of working with an axe above my head at all times. I'll be extra early for every shift and make the best of this - but rather than being a victim of it, I'm going to hold the power of getting another job as quickly as possible.

Where do you work, out of curiosity?

That seems ridiculous. I'm glad you're going to look for a different job, you don't need that sort of stress. *hugs*

That's what I thought, a new manager. But some people are less understanding than others about tardiness. I remember when I first worked in the place where I spent most of my career, I was young, early twenties, and there was this older man who started keeping track of when I arrived at work. I'm not a clock-oriented person, so I was often a couple minutes late or walked in at the last minute. That's just pretty much who I am, and has no relationship whatsoever to my work ethic or the quality of my work. But this guy who had nothing to do with supervising me apparently started bugging my boss about that. My boss liked me, liked my work, thought I was one of his best people, so he just kept telling the guy to not worry about it. But when I heard about it I was half mortified and half angry that this person thought it was any of his business.

I've worked with others like that, and always been glad they weren't the boss. My direct supervisors never had a problem with my tardiness (and even my absenteeism due to various chronic issues). When I was a supervisor, then I had managers wanting me to come down hard on people. But for me it wasn't an issue if the person got their work done. If I had a choice between a super-punctual, well-dressed person who was a crappy worker and a consistently tardy person who worked circles around the others, I'd take the tardy one any day.

You might want to have a private sit-down with your boss and explain the issue and your fears about it. Maybe it has nothing to do with you, maybe your boss thinks it's pretty stupid, maybe they're behind it and don't understand. But at least then you would know. It might put your mind at rest, and stressing over it can't be good for you.

I've never heard of such a policy except in one place and it was removed.

Most places I've worked, they have the 6 minute rule. You can only clock in within +/- 6 minutes of your shift. If your more than 6 late and don't call, you get a warning, then progressive consequences.

^^^ Nope. In fact, I just got a scary phone call from my supervisor who was pushed into a corner by the head of the department leading the call. Everything I said got flipped around to sounds as negative as possible. "OOooother people can arrive on time and don't complain about a full parking lot..."
My explanation of no parking anywhere even close to the building got flipped to; "So you're saying you're late because you won't park in the offsite lot due because it's inconvenient? You're unwilling to walk the distance to get here? Others are..."

What sucks is that almost right from the get-go, the guy was backing me into a verbal corner and any idiot could tell he had an agenda that nothing would steer him from it. I think he wanted to impress the severity - accept it or be fired. Period. He was obviously offended at the suggestion of this being a "recent crackdown" because these policies have "always been in place". *barf*

Yep. Time to leave.

If someone is late because they are lazy or something, then they should be fired. Sure, if there is a car crash, or something like that then I can understand. But otherwise, they should fire them

Yuck.

One of the things I love about a lot of government jobs in Australia is FLEX TIME. Every company who can, should get on board with it.

Are you the type to be +20min early to every shift just to be sure? I wish I loved my job that much... or had the energy to get out of bed that peppy. I'm on time 99% of the time, but only just right on the wire - no "socializing time" before the bell. I guess the normies like their social time so much, anyone who doesn't is a weirdo to be shunned.

I am very early to my things to make sure I am not late.

No wonder you share the opinion I (or anyone else) should be fired for being a minute late starting or from break. I imagine you have no problems with getting/keeping jobs then - employers love that sort of thing, far more than actual work ethic, etc.