TLDR: multiple employees with tardy issues, mgmt starting new point system, I am only employee not starting with a clean slate on point system. Do I have a leg to stand on with disputing?
For context: I have been at my current veterinary clinic since May. I was hired on as hybrid receptionist/vet assistant. I came on with only veterinary reception experience and received OTJT for assistant. My first day, another full time assistant put in her two weeks. So basically I am a full time assistant and I have a reception shift maybe once a week. Our clinic (myself included) has an issue with employees being late in the morning. To be honest, I am consistently 5-10 minutes late. However, we have a few employees in particular that call out very frequently. When they show up, they’re on time. But they call out from shifts the night before/morning of on average once a week. Thus, about once a week I am the sole assistant all day when there was two scheduled. This results in me staying late past my scheduled shift to complete all end of day duties by myself. Many times I have been called on my day off to come in because someone else no call no show. I have never no call no show, and I have called out the night before once (it was on a Friday, when that same week I was not scheduled Monday and Tuesday but came in both days because other no call no shows). Management has decided that starting next month, there will be a point system, where you will accrue points from tardies, absences etc. They made it clear in the staff meeting that everyone will start with a clean slate once the fine details of the point system are shared. After the staff meeting was over, they asked to speak to me privately. They said I am getting written up for tardies and that I will not be entering the point system with a clean slate. I asked if any other employees with tardy/absence issues were also getting written up and they told me no, I’d be the only one. It all feels very wrong, and that I am being singled out. I may not get to work right on the dot, but I stay late and cover for other people who don’t bother to come in at all. As far as performance/training, my 90 day review a few months ago reflected that I have mastered all my desired skills and actually highlighted my surgery skills and specifically assigned me to work more surgeries. They also have offered me extra duties without extra pay (leading the entire process of pet sympathy cards, cremation ashes pick up, etc) (I only accepted because I thought my hard work would be recognized later with a pay raise/bonus). So my write up is in no way influenced by my skill/performance, it is purely the tardies they said.
What do I do in this situation? Next week they will provide me with a document outlining the write up and I have to sign it, or I can dispute it. I’m not sure if I can dispute it, because it is factual; I have tardies. I have no defense against that. It just feels very wrong that I am the only employee not starting with a clean slate. And that they announced to everyone we all get a clean slate. My dedication to this clinic and career feels completely unappreciated and unnoticed. Thank you for reading this far.
ETA: on the weeks that I have to stay late to finish EOD duties, I am usually expecting overtime pay. However on Friday they will send me home early so that I don’t reach overtime. But, if EOD duties aren’t finished (regardless of how many employees are doing it) then you get written up.