Thread regarding HCSC (Health Care Service Corporation) layoffs

Badge Scan Reporting Is Inaccurate

Two or three months ago, I was pulled into a conversation with my manager about my badge scans. A report had just come out and they were holding everyone accountable if their average weekly scans didn't meet a certain threshold.

I was put on a documented coaching. I didn't question it because I admittedly was not making up in office days if I took PTO on those days and my manager was very relaxed about not coming into the office when we were sick. It came back to bite me, and I didn't feel like he had my back, but whatever, it's just a warning, I moved on. It's important to note that I wasn't given any details, I was just told "you aren't meeting the expected minimum" and was told what the minimum was.

Two weeks ago, I was called into his office again. This time, I was told I still had not been adhering to the in office expectation, so I was placed on a written corrective action, and I was told I wouldn't get a raise or a bonus at performance review time because I'd be a 2. No details given, just that I was still under the minimum.

BUT, I had started meticulously tracking my in office days since my documented coaching to make sure I met the 3 day in office expectation. In fact, I worked 5 days in the office on the weeks I was able to, just to make sure I wasn't at risk. By my calculation, I was averaging 4.125 days in the office over the last 2 months.

I did not sign the written CA and emailed my manager with my proof, to which he sent me a screenshot of the "report". The report was not even close to matching my time in the office. There were some weeks it was showing 0 badge scans, others showed 2, and never over 3. What's frustrating is I sit 3 desks away from my manager's office, and he has commented on the fact that "I am always in the office" yet he did not question the accuracy of this report he was given.

I literally had to argue with my manager and his manager to get them to request a new report directly from HR. It took 2 weeks and I finally was called back into his office recently and the written corrective action was rescinded. My report was 100% accurate.

I have 5 other peers, some in my department, some in others, in similar situations, but they did not track their in office days like I did, so they have no "proof" to push back on the report that their leadership was given. Some were put on a coaching, some on a CA, and one was placed on a final, but is adamant that she was meeting the expectations since the last conversation she had with her direct leader.

This is a ticking time bo-b. If HCSC is putting people on corrective action because of inaccurate badge scan reports, then there's surely some legal recourse if it has material consequences (like not getting a raise or being limited to promotions for a year), or, god forbid someone was terminated because of this.

My point - if you have been pulled into a conversation about your badge scan report, regardless of if you are being put on a warning or a written, don't trust the data. Question it, push back, request a secondary review by HR. I really don't think leadership cares enough to validate these reports before escalating to some sort of corrective action, and, at least my leadership, didn't seem to think it was a big enough issue to look into it outside of my specific case, probably because I had the receipts to back up my claim.

Not sure if anything more can come of this from a legal standpoint, but please question the accuracy of these things. My guess is they are using this as a way to prune the workforce to either avoid or reduce a widespread layoff, but don't let them do it easily.


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| 3541 views | | 12 replies (last September 24) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1k5agg0f8

12 replies (most recent on top)

Not only is this a similar experience to my department, but word spread quick that other EDs did not give their employees documented coaching upon that first report because clearly the reporting was flawed. I did not realize that since that coaching round, they actually put folks on corrective action. That’s legitimately crazy.

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Post ID: @1a2+1k5agg0f8

OP, Which dept you work for?

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Post ID: @hb+1k5agg0f8

@OP This didn’t happen. Plenty of things wrong with these reports but actual counting of badge swipes is not one of them.

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Post ID: @ed+1k5agg0f8

You must work at one of the stealth locations without cameras or an IT department.Or maybe you're a ninja who's invisible to cameras and networks!!The only people who have your problem are the ones who can't count to three every week.

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Post ID: @e6+1k5agg0f8

@at you are correct regarding City of Chicago pushing for folks back in offices. The City is way over budget, and the Mayor is looking at alternative sources of revenue to try to avoid increasing real estate taxes, etc... he has floated out there the idea of bringing back the tax on business for folks in offices, which was dropped years ago by Emanual because it pushed businesses out of the City to other cities or burbs. What is so interesting and kind of disgusting is that if when this tax is introduced, HCSC will pass it back to clients, and not just local clients, but national. So, hidden tax that is not just paid by Chicagoans, but sneaky way to get more revenue. So, back in office to keep current leadership looking good at HCSC and the very unpopular mayor in office.

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Post ID: @df+1k5agg0f8

@cg I’m not in Illinois, so not sure if that applies.

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Post ID: @de+1k5agg0f8

Besides an Excel document, how would you keep track of your days in office? How did you personally keep track of your days in office?

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Post ID: @d9+1k5agg0f8

I forgot to mention in my OP that I am sleeping with my manager, so I may have to use that to blackmail him.

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Post ID: @d5+1k5agg0f8

This policy really ki-ls morale, too. Just show up and do not do extra work like you would from home. Do the minimum and "appear busy" at work. This is what HR and executives want with this policy. They do not care that major efforts will not be completed on time. Do not make the mistake of giving extra effort and still not get recognized because of this policy. Spend the time commuting and talking with people in the office, those that are there and not given special permissions . Those things are more important here.

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Post ID: @cw+1k5agg0f8

@OP Well done, and well-written summary, thanks. Have you thought about sending this information anonymously to the Board of Directors, and also to the State of IL Departments of Insurance and of Labor?

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Post ID: @cg+1k5agg0f8

Definitely keep track of your own hours, but with the extra PTO and Holidays you have to make up for, you will really have to come in extra days toward the end of the year, no matter what is going on in your life or if you are sick or not. Your story shows they do not care about people.

They are just trying to make the executives in Chicago look good for getting more people downtown like the Mayor demanded of Maurice. This is such a d-mb policy that does not take into account the actual work getting done by an employee. People actually work more hours from home and are more productive, but that doesn't matter to our upper management.

It is so hard being a manager that has to implement this bad policy too!

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Post ID: @at+1k5agg0f8

@a1 legal recourse is usually a month of pay if lucky. Doesn't come close to replacing lost income.

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Post ID: @a2+1k5agg0f8

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