Employee gets written up for going to his 2:00pm dentist appointment during working hours

You know you're working in a backwards office culture if you're getting reprimanded for having an appointment with your dentist.

Sure, there are times in which dipping out of work for an hour or so might seem inconvenient from a manager's perspective. Still, that does not mean that you have to assume the worst from your employee just because something might not be ideal for your schedule. News flash to all the indignant managers out there: Life still does not revolve around you, even when you're the boss.

This employee now has to face an important decision. Does he allow his manager to reprimand him for taking care of himself or does he fight it?

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  • A frustrated employee with glasses puts his head in in hands at his desk.
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    A frustrated employee with glasses puts his head in in hands at his desk.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • this one still doesn't feel real. i've been remote for almost 3 years. my dentist is 5 minutes from my house. i had a cleaning scheduled for 2pm on a Wednesday. i blocked my calendar, told my team i'd be offline from 1:45 to 3, finished every deliverable that was due that day before noon.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • went to the dentist. came back. answered a few emails. normal day. two days later my manager sends me a message saying my "availability gap" was flagged by our workforce management
    via Fit_Average8352
  • system and he needs to "document it." i explained it was a dentist appointment during a blocked calendar slot. he said he understood but the system flagged it and he has to follow the process.
    via Fit_Average8352

  • Let's take a moment to acknowledge the fact that this employee fully informed everyone on his team prior to the appointment. It's not like he up and left the office without telling anyone in advance, even though it sounds like plenty of his coworkers have done that in the past without any repercussions. 

    It also sounds like the employee's manager would not have reprimanded him at all were it not for the system flagging his idle status during the time window when he was at his appointment. Never mind the fact that there was already documentation explaining where he was during that time. Apparently, due to this new system, he was going to have to be reprimanded anyway.

    This is the kind of ludicrous workplace ideology in which an automated system that cannot foresee explanations like going to the dentist is more trusted than an employee's word. Yes, I'd be worried that these systems will end up being prioritized over normal and humane forms of accountability in more and more workplace environments in the coming years.

  • A man sits back in the dentist's chair at his appointment.
    via Unsplash+ (Natalia Blauth)

    A man sits back in the dentist's chair at his appointment.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • so now i have a written note in my file because i went to the dentist during working hours. something that anyone in an office does literally all the time without even telling their manager.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • the crazy part is nobody needed me during that hour. nobody tried to reach me. the flag was automatic. the software noticed i wasn't active for 70 minutes and generated an alert.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • this isn't about the dentist. this is about being monitored by software that treats any break in activity as suspicious. even when you tell everyone in advance. even when nothing is affected.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • i don't know what to do with this. do i push back? do i just eat it and move on? it feels so small and so insane at the same time.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • A frustrated employee puts his hands on the back of his neck while sitting in front of his laptop.
    via Unsplash+ (Curated Lifestyle)

    A frustrated employee puts his hands on the back of his neck while sitting in front of his laptop.

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • TrekJaneway So, you ask the question "what is the proper procedure if I need to take an hour off for a medical or dental appointment?" There should be one. This is a perfectly normal thing.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • uckf Yeah. That's weird if the office culture has always been flexible. The best bet, ask your manager how things like this need to be handled from here on out?
    via Fit_Average8352
  • Somethings changed with the management and they either are willfully disregarding communications about it (since it will be unpopular) or they are as ill Informed as you are.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • My office, we have that same culture. You have an appt? No one questions it. They are super flexible with how and where you work. Even in or out of the office. Just be responsible and responsive.
    via Fit_Average8352
  • TenorClefCyclist If you're an exempt (salaried) employee not subject to overtime, then you did everything right. If they want to dock you for an afternoon dentist appointment, then it starts
    via Fit_Average8352
  • to look like you are actually paid "by the clock" and they'll need to pay you for those late nights finishing a presentation or bid response. Email HR and ask
    via Fit_Average8352
  • them if you should claim 75 minutes of sick leave instead. That should make them panic, because it's red flag for audits of who is really "exempt".
    via Fit_Average8352

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remote work employee toxic-workplace dentist Horrible Bosses punishment
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