Many of the provisions of the attendance policy are inconsistent with contract language. By establishing an unreasonable attendance policy, the County has violated the parties' collective bargaining agreement. In recent years, the County was unable to properly staff Vernon Manor due to the fact that call-ins due to claimed illness precluded reliable scheduling. An inability to properly staff Vernon Manor not only frustrates management, but also reduces care for patients and increases the workload of reporting staff. The Union's grievances regarding staffing shortages is recognition of this problem.
Management has the responsibility to provide adequate staffing.
Employes have a responsibility to report to work when scheduled and on time. Section 2.01 of the parties' collective bargaining agreement reserves to management the right to establish reasonable work rules and to determine the methods, means and personnel by which Manor operations are to be conducted. The attendance policy established by management is consistent with these management rights. Prior to establishing this policy, management reviewed similar policies, some of which were more stringent than the one adopted by the County. The establishment and enforcement of the attendance policy is within management's rights.