Background:
1. My country don't give a fk about employees that receive salary on a monthly basis, out of scope.
2. English is not my main language.
3. I've work in the same company for slightly more than 4 years, I'm in my 5th year now. Salary has doubled since day 1, but that's another story for another time.
4. I may be TA, I accept all comments.
5. Our operation requires A LOT of manpower manually (heavy job, requires strength)
6. Our office has less than 10 staff including owner (he rarely come in but he say he know what's going on always)
7. My contract with the company by letter is 9am – 6pm, Mon-Fri and 8am – 4pm Sat. (I just found out this when I'm typing this post, wow)
7.1 I've been verbally told by my ex manager that my increment is for my extended work hours: 8am – 8pm Mon-Fri and Sat remains. I've also verbally agree to that.
I started to work with this company since I came back from my gap year. My boss (owner) is not local. He's an expat.
Year 1 was fine. My direct superior was ok, raise me a couple times within a year.
Year 2 to year 3 was sad and miserable, but that's another tragedy for another time. Year 3 is also where covid first strikes and we lockdown too like the other countries, for a few months. Took a hit but nothing major, company still stand strong. We've also changed our operation time from 8am – 7pm.
Comes year 4 where covid strickes again, and my company just changed my direct superior, let's call him my manager. He's an expat too.
During year 4, we got another lockdown, and we occasionally will meet up at office and I'm always there the first (on time, not early), and whoever comes next is at least half an hour later than me.
Coming to the end of year 4, my colleague aka partner in crime is pregnant, and is going on maternity leave for 2 months. So I single handedly take over all her job, and work my ass off everyday including Saturday, I worked until 7pm. Who helped me? Me, myself and I.
Was I rewarded? Not a single cent.
What's even more unfortunate is I got covid during the second month of her maternity, I have to work from home, everyday I woke up early, turn on my personal computer, quarantined in my own room, replying to emails and confirming tons of documents, answering phone calls and replying all the WhatsApp. When I get back to office, 10 days of reports not done at all (untouched, unsorted, not compiled, with dust on it) and I need to get them done. And they will deduct my medical leave for 9 days.
This part may be irrelevant to the story, just my rant.
Then when my partner is back, I planned my leave for one week, and have a good rest, on my PTO. This is in my 5th year now, which is just awhile ago.
And when I'm back from my holiday, my manager took me into his office and told me: “boss wants us, including me(my manager himself) to come 730 everyday, that's his instructions, I'm just delivering it to you.” I was like wookay.
I'm earning a side income every morning, fetching a friend of mine to her workplace for very less money, just enough to fill my car's petrol, and due to the earlier arrival requirement, bye bye my money.
Also during that period, we have staff shortage on the factory floor and requires me to go help in the floor, my body and back is so fxxked the next day but I still came to work coz I'm expecting to meet a new contractor. And they still asked me to go work on the floor, but I rejected, and say I'll take medical leave today if it wasn't to meet the contractor. But that's another story for another time.
I tried to stick with the instructions but sometimes things happen, like I didn't know kids are back to school next week and I'm late despite leaving house the same time. Sometimes there's a lorry brokedown. Or accidents. Or roadworks. Or accidents+roadworks. But frankly speaking, I was never on the dot 730, maybe 745 or sometimes still “late” at 8am, but no questions asked, so no explanation given.
Then an unfortunate event happened again, I was admitted to hospital and is discharged on the same day, but still on hospitalization leave for 1 week, bye bye medical leave for another 6days. What's more unfortunate? The day where I'm supposed to back to work, my shoulder to my back was very pain when I woke up, I couldn't even help myself up. Went to the clinic and bye bye medical leave(PTO) for another 2 days. At this point of time, my medical leave for year 5 has depleted and it's eating up my PTO.
When I got back to work after I manage to get back on my feet, I still need to go to the hospital for dressing every alternate day. My manager is ok with me coming in late for a bit. I told my HR those late coming will be replaced thru working till 7pm on Saturday.
And I got my warning letter due to my time management failed, and they hope to see me performing better. The letter was handed to me by my manager and HR manager. They said my record was bad, most of the time coming in before 8am, a couple times around 8am+.
My manager also never verbally warn me about my late coming, just the one and only time he said after I came back from my one week holiday. Then now this.
It's sounds quite messy, and I'm sorry bout that. There's nothing I can do.
TL;DR: I got warning letter due to coming in late (time management), and I'm upset.