PSA: do not meet toxic micromanaging managers once you go into FMLA during PIP

Amazon / Eng
wawY45

Go to company page Amazon Eng

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I'm a no-man.
wawY45
5d 21 Comments

It seems common that Amazon managers would still schedule "final" meetings with you once you're already on an FMLA (a federally protected leave of absence in the US).

They may try to give as justification the fact that the leave is sudden (note that anxiety/depression doesn't require the 30d notice that may be required otherwise for an LOA), or hasn't been approved by the Amazon DLS yet (you have a minimum of 14 days after the start of a leave period to submit paperwork).

Do not attend without being cleared by HR. Immediately notify the HRBP of the meeting. Any HR person worth their salt should immediately cancel any such random meeting without any agenda.

Do not attend unless a clear real emergency is at stake. Do not attend without a clear written agenda for the meeting (that's supposed to be how any meeting should be run in the first place). They're not allowed to bother you with random work. Only emergencies and stuff noone else could possibly know; I can't even think of any example that would apply to anyone L6 or below at Amazon. Amazon is not supposed to fail just because a random person gets hit by a bus.

Demand a clear agenda. If you attend, inform Amazon DLS (Disability Leave), and have them count the day you attended as a workday. File an ethics complaint against your manager for knowingly scheduling random meeting in violation of federal law.

Missing a deadline because your manager doesn't have the workforce is not an emergency that has anything to do with yourself. It's a failure of management to hire enough people, and treat the people they already do have with due respect.

If a manager has been micromanaging you to cause you to have depression and anxiety in the first place, and ignoring your advice to document and delegate, there's hardly a scenario in which attending any such "final" meeting (when already on a leave of absence) would make you feel any better in any way. Do not feel guilty for their failure. It's not your fault. You did tell them to document and delegate, they made a call not to, it's their problem now. #tech #burnout #depression #mentalhealth #fmla #loa #pip #amazonpip #amazonfocus #amazonpivot #focus #pivot

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TOP 21 Comments
  • Amazon
    amzn1794

    Go to company page Amazon

    amzn1794
    Is there any concern in attending a meeting ?
    5d 7
    • Amazon
      amzn1794

      Go to company page Amazon

      amzn1794
      Interesting how some Amazon managers cease to even be humans
      5d
    • Amazon / Eng
      wawY45

      Go to company page Amazon Eng

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      I'm a no-man.
      wawY45
      OP
      ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

      Yeah, that's basically proof why you shouldn't attend any such meetings! The reason your manager is asking you for your disability/illness, is because DLS likely won't tell her such information. The correct course of action for anything like that is record the meeting and report your manager for harassment, discrimination and FMLA violations straight to HRBP and/or Amazon Ethics Hotline. Please don't be afraid to do this. Your manager wasn't afraid to put you into PIP just to hit her quota!
      5d
  • Roche
    sryhkkss

    Go to company page Roche

    sryhkkss
    If you are on leave of any kind or on vacation do not attend meetings. Do not check calendar or email to even know about meetings.
    5d 1
    • Amazon / Eng
      wawY45

      Go to company page Amazon Eng

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      Apple
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      I'm a no-man.
      wawY45
      OP
      Solid advice, too. Once you break this rule, it may be almost impossible to go back to have your free time.
      5d
  • Did they force you? How did it go? Are you on pip
    5d 6
  • Square
    πŸ«”πŸ«“πŸ’…πŸ“‡πŸ₯¬πŸžπŸ“πŸ‡n

    Go to company page Square

    πŸ«”πŸ«“πŸ’…πŸ“‡πŸ₯¬πŸžπŸ“πŸ‡n
    Damn why do such toxic managers exist
    5d 0
  • Amazon
    crazyByte

    Go to company page Amazon

    crazyByte
    β€œDo not attend unless a clear real emergency is at stake. β€œ- this statement is wrong

    Even if there’s some emergency, do not attend while you are on FMLA

    You are entitled to miss work once you are on FMLA. Any emergency doesn’t matter here.
    4d 1
    • Amazon / Eng
      wawY45

      Go to company page Amazon Eng

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      Apple
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      I'm a no-man.
      wawY45
      OP
      Correct. What's meant by the sentence is that don't attend unless you get a 3-way call with HRBP and the manager trying to fight some fire where they have a legal right to bother an employee on an FMLA.

      The likelihood of such occurring to any individual employee at Amazon is basically almost nonexistent. It could arguably be slightly different at some other companies, or in the old times where people still kept cabinets and shit.
      4d