Thread regarding State Farm Insurance layoffs

I was fired while on FMLA then my STD denied, Thanks to the point system my unemployment denied.

I had perfect attendance, several ovations including SF using my idea I submitted to innovation central. Once you reach retirement age or close to it, you're history.

The point system is for SF to get rid of people make no mistake about it!

Come on people, it obviously doesn't matter to state farm what any of us thinks about our work environment!!! We are all replaceable and for less pay! They are gonna do what they're gonna do, regardless

Regarding the glassdoor.com suggestion, do you think that would make a difference?

Is it anonymous? It's hard to believe anything is completely anonymous these days.9

If I worked in Claims, I would notify my manager that for every point I "earned" I would be entitled to tell him to "s--- it." I probably wouldn't work there for long, but my manager would damned sure know all the myriad ways in which he could s--- and f--- his own various body parts. I consider that a public service.

It used to be because mamagers trusted those who worked hard, they had discretion. In return, employees would go that extra mile when needed. There was loyalty and respect on both sides.

Then they got some mgrs who were spineless and couldn't give reasons for their actions so they went to the PTO thing for everyone. Among other reasons.

Now if SF expects smy loyalty theyd better get over themselves because it isnt going to happen.

Managers who are strictly by the books and rules keepers are spineless! Every manager has the discretion to override and approve an unscheduled absence when it’s warranted. To do otherwise is a lack of leadership. They blindly “follow the rules” because they think its fair. It’s not fair, but it’s certainly easy!

There is a difference in fair and equitable. True leaders understand “earned and deserved” and practice that. Grow a pair and treat your people respectfully.

You all may feel better by swapping horror stories here, but if you want your story and your voice to matter, you need to be posting this sort of stuff as a glassdoor.com review. It will be seen there and will have more impact.

Totally in agreement with wow's posting about considering the employees past behavior when it comes to calling out sick and coming in late and/or leaving early. Everybody is lumped into one pool of GUILTY and deserving of points.

The TM override thing doesn't work often. The SM is on the TM's back and will not allow overrides. The TM doesn't want to get on the SM list of those that will override. It's just a mess. Because true Emergencies do happen. If they happen too often, then talk to THAT person. The whole group is being punished for the deeds of a few.

Surprised no one has brought up the capacity issue...PTO to take but no available time...Dr’s appt, forced to call in and accrue points...how is this right? There are demands out there with no available time for at least a few months, and then only a day or two. Very sad, really no words!

@Ts4ELsw-1xlf - strange. In Proximity I keep track of my time with manual entries on the time card. When we are busy, OT is a given, usually 60+ hour weeks. My TM would prefer that we flex our time when it is quiet, as opposed to working OT. Flexing meaning, if I work 12 hours one day, leave early on a day or two to keep the hours "normal". I can also go to a Dr. or pick up the kid, so long as I properly document it on the time card and end up the week at 38:45. The whole points thing must be the whip to make sure call center people are where they are supposed to be, when they are supposed to be. This is counter-intuitive to providing remarkable customer service. I couldn't work in that environment.

I know hourly employees in service and sales are held accountable by the point system. As far as I can tell, it doesn't matter what the emergency is, other than FMLA protected, you're screwed if you are late or leave early due to circumstances beyond your control.

Proximity here - can anyone break down what the points are? Is there a sliding scale of points you can receive, and how do you receive them? Is there a web site like the time card that keeps track, or is this a manual thing? I know we all have our own versions of State Farm hell, but this points thing is mind boggling. The job has become progressively s---ier over the years, but I can not believe that the company would impose something like this to make the job s--- worse. Is this just a claims thing, or do other areas have points too? Sorry for the questions but Damn, this is some crazy sh--!!

Please tell me about these other companies where being on time and coming to work is not a requirement....not talking about that. We are talking about ....EMERGENCIES.....that can and do come up. So you think if we get sick at work and we have used up our grace periods we should maybe go in and barf on our TM's desk so they can see we are sick? My TM can leave at the drop of hat if they feel the slightest bit sick..their child needs a ride to sports practice because the other spouse canceled at the last minute, they fly right out of there..

We can't be treated with the respect that an adult should be treated with and just be able to leave work? If there is someone that is abusing that, then DEAL WITH THAT PERSON, stop treating us like children and treat us with respect.

Treats us as the adults that we are supposed to be and when we come and say we need to leave because we are sick or we have an emergency trust us, and let us leave without the added stress of points. It's really very simple ....STUFF HAPPENS that is out of our control.

Tell me about all of these family emergencies that get you up to 40 working days out of the office.? .....YES TELL US WHO DOES THIS??? This is the employee that should be dealt with...the rest of us are being punished because of this, but really who is doing this? Also who wants to flit away their PTO time on nonsense absences? Not many people I know of.

NOT ALL EMERGENCIES are POTENTIALLY FMLA protected....DUH.

@Ts4ELsw-1oid you aren't a TM, because if you were an actual TM you would know darn well TM's can and do override points.

I still call BS. Federal FMLA, Maryland FMLA, California PSL109, the new sick leave statue AZ just instituted, Washingtons state has a similar policy to CA. If you can't get your family emergencies FMLA protected under the various state and federal laws is it really an emergency? Sick wife has to go to ER for pain, protectable 100% of the time under FMLA and no points accrue. It takes 20 points to get fired. That means you can be late multiple times and leave early multiple times in addition to grace incidents. It is not the companies job to manage your home life in addition to your work life. Get real, you want sympathy for all of the other BS that goes on, I am right there with you. You want to whine about having to be at work then you lose me as a supporter.

Not looking for utopia, just humanity

In the context of this thread, I think most people are not talking about employees calling out sick. It more about being late or leaving early because of situations that are outide their control. I don't have any sympathy for people who abuse sick time, but the other things are just part of daily life. And isn't State Farm there to make life go right??

So you get 4 grace incidents a year (2 every 6 mo) and an incident can be 1-5 days continuous. Then in order to get a shield you have to accrue 8 points, at 16 points you get you a shield. That is the equivalent of 4 more incidents. So, in theory, you can miss 40 working days before there are real consequences. Tell me about all of these family emergencies that get you up to 40 working days out of the office.? And these family emergencies are potentially FMLA protectable so points don't apply to those either. Take some responsibility for yourselves. The company does a lot of sh-- wrong but expecting employees to show up to work is not one of them. You people crack me up, the same people that everyone b--ched about abusing PSL week in and week out are the same people that can't seem to manage their points. Good luck at PRogressive and Geico, we all know what a utopian work environment they have.

I know people who have worked in other call centers and they're all the same. Been on salary for soooo long and even when i was exempt there were no points in any systems position. I'd probably slap my boss in the face given those working conditions... even my first jobs in fast food were not like that. My suggestion would be to move out of entry-level jobs ASAP!!! There are tons of good paying jobs out there. Hell I know people who've just faked it with the expectation that they would be trained. Some succeed some fail.

Any salary jobs that have to use points? Or is it just timecard roles?

Sounds aweful btw

God forbid you get a Shield, that's a life sentence, no parole.

1oid, yes, every company has the right to expect employees to show up and be on time, especially in a call center setting. BUT, sometimes stuff happens to the best of us. Stuff we don't want to happen but does. Outside of our control stuff, like other posters have mentioned. Give me a break and have a little heart.

This nonsense is the biggest reason we should seek organized labor representation.

Couple it with inability to take time off, and losing the benefit of accruing PTO because you can’t take time off.

Eventually somebody with a set will initiate it. Let’s see what the company’s response will be when employees walk out to protest working conditions. They can’t fire everyone and go independent; too expensive. Somebody has to talk to customers and management is inept. Matter of having a strong enough union to demand fair working conditions and pay.

Keep all your EPRs at home just in case for this reason. One coworker who got fired for points was denied unemployment. When they walk you out that door you can’t grab anything you want.

@Ts4ELsw-1fpb it is a company policy and quite frankly I am not putting my job on the line for you. TMs have no discretion and if they make points "disappear" it is their a-- on the line. Please tell me about these other companies where being on time and coming to work is not a requirement. I would like to apply.

ALSO your TM doesn't have to give you points..they can and have disappeared points, just depends on who you are and how closely your co-workers are watching.

Isn't that disgusting what happened to the OP, but that is what a claims employee has to deal with. Yep we can't have a family emergency, god forbid we get sick at work and really need to leave or god forbid your child's school calls and it's an emergency and you need to leave....you should be able to leave without the worry of points and or the possibility of getting fired but no we have to add the points right on top of the stress of the emergency that caused us to leave.

I don't feel guilty about anything anymore...I have decided to emulate Ron Livingston in Office Space...not gonna stress anymore...gonna make sure I have plenty of evidence just in case.

A co-worker showed me their drop file memo after getting 7 points. It talked about how they don't question the legitimacy of your absence, but stress the importance of being AT work, on-time, and how it affects our customers, and questions your employment with the company. It was the most offencive memo letter I have ever read, And it wasn't my memo. That co-worker quit the next month for a competitor insurance company.

As a long time employee, I've never clocked in late since T2 started, with the exception of one time that was completely outside my control. Nobody cared, my supervisor, management or HR. Everybody is guilty at State Farm, regardless of circumstances

The whole point system is punishment, even for a justified abscence, illness, family emergency, traffic accident, etc., things outside our control. State Farm needs to be more 'Remarkable' in the's situations. Try a little empathy for starters.

I don't work in Claims, but it is horrible how they treat the Claims people. Can't have emergencies,can't be sick, spouse and kids need to not have problems or you maynot have a job.... I hope you are not late, if so termination can be imminent. SAD !! I'm a 20 +

year employee... Sad... don't know what will happen to me.

It figures. Tell them you work extra hours when you can and they say "Well that is expected" but try to take off for emergencies and you get the OP's posted response.

Business model is to entrenched to change without huge gaps still left practicing the archaic model.

They need a younger set of minds running this thing and not the 50+ who don't like change and can't remember half the crap they say to you from one day to the next.

They will be just a "also ran" to Bloomington and the insurance industry in 5 to 7 years.