I'm sure most of you, if not all who view this post, have heard of "FMLA". I will try to make this as short as possible so that you can reply. I work in a union shop, I also hold a position on the committee. From time to time I have to deal with members abusing the FMLA policy guidelines and have to turn a blind eye torward the issue because it is a "HR" matter. Unfortunately, this situation falls on everyone's shoulders because of the direct negative effect it has on production in our manufacturing plant - do to their absence.
For example: I have to deal with an individual who claims he has neck problems and has signed up for FMLA which allows him to use intermittenly. The funny thing is, he has a business on the side which invloves physical labor and running around on equipment that bounces you around - like, cutting grass on a lawn mower... get my drift? The company's HR director knows of the matter, and has seen this individual conducting business while out on FMLA, but is terrified to do anything about it. This past week, another individual applied for FMLA because of a physical limitation, but he can work on the weekend but not on Tue - Fri. He recently applied for another job in the city and put in his resignation but not until the end of Sept. Wow, get this, he threatend the union because he knows of another individual using FMLA to run his business and if we don't represent him, he'll file discrimination charges! Ouch!
What, if anything - can be done? I've read some of the "HR" sites but it seems as if the company is the one who gets the egg in the face for the problem. From a union stand point, we can't do anything but represent the member. I find that crazy but we have to do - what we do... Good, bad, or indiffernt. What makes me so upset is that unions do have a lot of good for the working class but we have the bad members that make us look like we're a bunch of "mobsters".
For example: I have to deal with an individual who claims he has neck problems and has signed up for FMLA which allows him to use intermittenly. The funny thing is, he has a business on the side which invloves physical labor and running around on equipment that bounces you around - like, cutting grass on a lawn mower... get my drift? The company's HR director knows of the matter, and has seen this individual conducting business while out on FMLA, but is terrified to do anything about it. This past week, another individual applied for FMLA because of a physical limitation, but he can work on the weekend but not on Tue - Fri. He recently applied for another job in the city and put in his resignation but not until the end of Sept. Wow, get this, he threatend the union because he knows of another individual using FMLA to run his business and if we don't represent him, he'll file discrimination charges! Ouch!
What, if anything - can be done? I've read some of the "HR" sites but it seems as if the company is the one who gets the egg in the face for the problem. From a union stand point, we can't do anything but represent the member. I find that crazy but we have to do - what we do... Good, bad, or indiffernt. What makes me so upset is that unions do have a lot of good for the working class but we have the bad members that make us look like we're a bunch of "mobsters".