First Stage 2 meeting

[sirgordonzola]

Hi there

Im a new rep (just before xmas) and am learning everyday, but this week i will face up to my first stage 2 meeting with one of my members. Now i've dealt with stage 1, but stage 2 is something that is new and of course so very important especially as what can come after. Now my members attendance has triggered the 2nd stage meeting and as i read the attendance guidelines is right that the stage 2 has triggered. Now my member hasnt took the piss, its just been an unfortunate few months of illness, how do i approach it, how do i go into my manager and get the stage 2 stopped, i would appreciate any help you can give me. Obviously im not gonna give anymore perseonal details, but a general response would be greater appreciated.
thanks

[madmartin]

If it's anything like other offices around the country I don't see how you can get it stopped, the manager will probably say they've gone over the accepted standards so it's going to be issued. I think warnings for being off sick are a joke, I know some people take the P$$$ but if you really are sick then what are you meant to do? I would like to know how other businesses deal with sick absences.

[BoltonPostie]

Are the two stages for the same illness or are they seperate? i.e lazy/sorry bad back or flu etc,if the two stages have been triggered because of the same illness then you could try and make a point of it especially if the member(ohh err)is classed as being under the Equality Act,are there any mitigating circumstances...you know like was your member off during the recent good weather or did he run over the cat or dog and was to traumatized to attend work...in general just both go in wth underpants on your head and two pencils up your nose and say wibble as the feckers will probably still issue it anyway.
Hope that wasn't to general for you.

[fishtank]

If there are no procedural errors or mitigating circumstances try begging.
Self respect is overrated anyway.
If you can cry on demand that helps.
Avoid sexual favours...everyone has a line.

[Mike Oxlong]

If there are no procedural errors or mitigating circumstances try begging.
Self respect is overrated anyway.
If you can cry on demand that helps.
Avoid sexual favours...everyone has a line.

lol

[sirgordonzola]

yeah great help cheers

[POSTMAN]

Sir,are you guys using the trolleys again,off topic I know but you're the rep now. Also would the guy be off with say a bad back ect because of this.
As for the stage warning,good luck.

[sirgordonzola]

Hello Postman

No trolleys being used, mainly because our delivery office is surrounded by hills, you cant go 50yards in any direction without coming eye to eye with a hill, them Light weight trolleys are hoorendous on hills, so most of us have split our loops down to make us have very little weight on our shoulders so we are not carrying over the 8k per loop. The trolleys were thrown out within a week of the revision going in in July 2011 when i wasnt rep, i would have a lot of trouble convincing people to go back to them, its difficult cause sometimes i think i should tell everyone to go back to them, but think there are more important things that i need to get sorted in the office. If that sounds naive then i apologise but after 4 months in the role i think im doing as well as i can without any previous experience.
As for the stage 2, no it isnt a back problem, but i did hope some one might have given me the wisdom of there experience, as until i have this meeting my experience is zero in stage 2 meetings.
But i'll keep going, keep learning and hopefully keeping making the right decisions.

[fishtank]

If,like i said earlier you've ticked all the boxes on procedural and mitigating circumstances there isn't a lot more you can do.
I was semi-serious about appealing to a manager's better nature,it's sometimes all you have.
Try reminding the manager that the attendance procedure is not supposed to be punitive and the added stress of being on a stage 2 will not help the member.

[Himaggen]

There should be no real difference in your approach to that of a Stage One other than the fact that there's more opportunity for you to highlight a genuine absence pattern. Once that pattern is identified the onus is on the Manager to attempt to find a solution to prevent further occurrences of it. The most important thing is that you allow sufficient time to talk to the Member prior to the interview and ensure that you get the true cause of the absence(s) which triggered the stage. Many people try to hide the real causes for many reasons, unknowing that doing so usually weakens their chances of a reprieve.

If you haven't already read it, read Reps Advice At Attendance Interviews.

My advice is to allow your member to reply to the questions when asked, the Manager will be making notes as they go along so I'd advise you to fill in the pertinent blanks and highlight any important points after each question has been answered. (I have found that it's important to make sure that the Member is allowed to finish answering the questions before you speak, otherwise the Manager feels ambushed and retaliates by issuing the stage).

[sirgordonzola]

Himaggen

Thank you so much, i appreciate your time greatly, i felt i would go in and do most of the talking, now i know to let my member answer the questions and come in when required.
scott

[BELIAL]

A lot of 'managers' like to hide behind procedure, but the key word is discretion. It's a judgment call on your part,spineless jobsworth or evil mother or possibly brother is bang to rights

[daveyeff]

If there are no procedural errors or mitigating circumstances try begging.
Self respect is overrated anyway.
If you can cry on demand that helps.
Avoid sexual favours...everyone has a line.

unless of course, if the gaffers a ''she'' and good looking

[daveyeff]

and willing of course

[daveyeff]

no ''boston pancakes'' though!!!