Preface: I work(ed) for a passenger train company in a US state (can’t say for anonymity). I operate the trains on a daily basis. Can’t use phones at all during shift HUGE NO NO! We use radio comms only. Also, attendance system is points based 12=fired (I’m at 10)
So I’m at work for a 0500hr shift and I get radioed from dispatch to get off my train and relinquish operations to another spare operator. I do so. I’m very confused and dispatch informs me to head back to the yard and talk with someone there. I do just that.
Once at the yard, I talk with crew dispatch (receptionist essentially) and they inform me that I have a family emergency I need to take care of. They told me I must hand in my radio/keys/etc and go handle it. They never gave me the option to not leave. And I never talked to a single supervisor during this thing. (After the fact I was told it’s protocol for a supervisor to talk to you so you know all your options before leaving)
I leave work and do what I need to do. I come back the next day and finish my shift. At the yard I am instructed to go to the head operations manager office where they proceed to tell me how i abandoned my shift early (2points) and that makes me at 12 points so I am terminated. I fought with them on this and they stated I could have stayed and not left work early. I told them I wasn’t given that option. They also stated that I would need proof from the hospital that I was there for a family emergency. (Had no clue you could get that when you aren’t the patient/immediate family). I also told them that I did not request to leave but was instructed to….
So here I am. Terminated because the company told me to leave.
I am in touch with HR to go over my options.