Established in 1960, Target is one of the largest retail chains in the United States, with more than 1900 stores nationwide.
Due to the scale of its operations, which includes diverse retail formats and discount stores, Target is also one of the largest American-owned private employers in the country, with more than 400,000 team members.
To manage such a huge workforce efficiently, Target has established many work policies and processes over the year, covering all aspects of an employee’s journey right from when he joins Target until when he leaves the company.
However, if you are an employee of Target, despite all the guidelines, there may still be one question in your mind, especially if you are sick and cannot report for your morning shift.
How To Call In Sick At Target When Store Is Closed?
Target offers employees an amazing work culture and many benefits to ensure their well-being. In addition, it has streamlined policies that help employees take leave for personal reasons as long as they are eligible.
Target also has a Call Out Policy wherein employees can call for leave once or twice weekly. However, it may so happen that you are not keeping well and have to report for a morning shift.
In such scenarios, it is advisable to inform your supervisor at the earliest so that they can make alternate arrangements.
In case you need to call in sick and the store is closed, you can try the following options:
- Leave a message for your supervisor at least 2 hours before your shift starts.
- Call the store and force a call to the store after the welcome message. Once someone answers, you can inform the LOD of your situation.
- Call your supervisor in the morning and inform him about your intention to take a day off for medical reasons.
While Target is quite liberal with its leave policies, misusing the same may lead to a warning from your supervisor and even your being fired in case of repeat violations.
In this article, we look at an employee’s options to call in sick when the store is closed.
Target’s Call-Out Policy
Keeping in line with the organization’s commitment to providing the best working atmosphere to its employees, Target has a liberal Call Out policy, wherein employees can call out once or twice a week without any repercussions.
However, misuse of this policy may lead to a warning from your supervisor and a note of the same mentioned in your records. That could affect your increments and promotions at Target.
Calling In Sick
Target understands that employees may face health issues and must take time off to recover. As such, it does not penalize employees who call in sick and have valid medical documents supporting the same.
If you need to call in sick, try to call your supervisor and inform him of the same at least 2 hours before your shift begins so that alternative arrangements can be made.
You can even call in the day before and speak to your supervisor if you are unsure of making it to work the next day.
It is best to be professional and courteous to your supervisor while informing them, so they understand the reason quite clearly.
Once you report on duty the next day, it is a good idea to carry the doctor’s note and share it with your supervisor, so they know why you had to take a day off.
Calling In Sick When the Store Is Closed
Sometimes, you may get up to work for your morning shift but not up to it for medical reasons. With the store closed, it may be difficult to communicate with your supervisor/team about your unintended absence.
In such scenarios, it is advisable to:
- Email your supervisor about your inability to make the morning shift and request time off to care for yourself.
- Try getting through to the LOD through the store number.
- Request a colleague/team member to inform your supervisor of the same.
While informing your supervisor/manager about your unscheduled leave when the store is closed may be difficult, ensure you try your best to do the same.
You can later share your efforts to inform the supervisor about the leave so they understand and appreciate it.
Also, check if your store has a process/policy to inform the managers if such a situation arises.
Employees with a good attendance record and professional work will find that Target can be quite accommodating with their leaves for medical reasons and give them the moral support they require.
Conclusion
There are unexpected situations wherein an employee needs to call out just before their shift begins in the morning.
Target understands the same and offers employees the option to call out once or twice a week based on the situation and the store’s policies.
In case the store is closed, employees should make all efforts to reach out to their supervisors via mail or message so that they can make alternative arrangements.
This is a sign of professional courtesy and is expected from all employees of Target.
Keeping the store informed of your leaves and their reasons will ensure that there are no repercussions and that it does not affect your progress at the store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Be Fired for Taking Sick Leave?
No. Target will not fire you if you have to take unscheduled sick leave as long as you call out for the same at least 2 hours in advance or have a genuine reason for not informing the store in time.
However, misusing the call-out policy may lead to warnings about not repeating the same in the future.
Can You Take Sick Leave During Your Probationary Days?
While you can take sick leave during your probationary days, it is not advisable as it may not show well on your record.
If you need to take a leave, make sure that you inform your manager or supervisor well in advance and inform them of the reason for the same.