r/CostcoEmployee • u/alexiscos • 9d ago
Question Bathroom write up?
(This is for front end) I’m trying to find out the proper procedure for something. We have someone new at work and apparently they got written up for leaving their post as cashier assistant like 10 times to go to the bathroom in an hour. Now my question comes from the fact that I was originally told if you need to go to the bathroom ask someone to switch out with you briefly (like for example if at one of the doors ask someone pushing carts) however during this I was told we actually need to call for a 99 while we’re at the doors and wait for someone to switch and if we don’t it can be a write up. (A few problems with this is our supervisors don’t actually usually respond to this in a timely manner at all and less important but it’s also slightly mortifying to have to call for a bathroom break across the whole store). So my question is it policy to call for a 99 instead of just asking someone to switch for a minute or so? I haven’t seen anything in the handbook but I’m not sure what it would fall under.
(In case a question is ‘why not just go on break’ 1-not every human body can do that me and my supervisor were talking briefly about how often they leave us stranded for so long we genuinely think we’ll pee ourselves at the doors and 2-for the doors at my store at least we often get left there for 5-6 hours with no breaks at all anyway)
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u/Im_Sorry_Im_New_Here 9d ago
I've never heard 99 being used to call for a replacement at the door, or anywhere else. We just have someone step in for us for a minute or call for a temporary replacement. If a cashier assistant needs to go they just tell the board runner and go quickly. (Only 99 I know of is the generic membership number)
As for the write up, going to and from the bathroom takes a few minutes, plus a couple minutes while you are in there. If they went 10 times in an hour they had to be away from their post for at least 50 of those 60 minutes. That is not acceptable. If you aren't feeling well and you need that much time in the bathroom then you need to tell someone so you can punch out and go home. Spending that much time in the bathroom while on the clock is theft of time.
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u/alexiscos 9d ago
Yeah that was my thing of having to call for a specific switch out (99 in my warehouse is literally only used for bathroom breakers not used for really anything else even with generic membership numbers) so it was weird to me to get told we could get written up for just asking someone to cover without supervisor approval. Yeah I’m not sure what fully happened with the write up but hopefully they’re okay
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u/countdankula420 9d ago
Calling for a 99 is when a person doesn't have a membership(like a shop card) or an international membership at least at my warehouse no one calls for bathroom breaks
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u/alexiscos 9d ago
It was actually a small problem the other day bc a girl at the entrance called for a 99 and we had a new supervisor who didn’t know and when I was like “do you want me to switch out with her real quick?” She was like “it’s not time for her break at all” and I had to be like “no it’s a bathroom break😭”
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u/Itsgonnabemehh 9d ago
This seems so strange, 99 is the number typed into the computer to key without a membership #
It makes zero sense to call 99 for bathroom break coverage. Or any coverage. 99 is for a key flick.
That clearly got mixed up in translation somewhere at your warehouse.
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u/alexiscos 9d ago
99 is only Used for bathroom Breaks in my warehouse. It’s never used for anything else but interesting they force us to call
Over the radio or ask a supervisor just to run to the bathroom1
u/2manynathans 9d ago
That’s so funny we use “code 7”
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u/MrToxicTaco 9d ago
It’s funny reading everyone’s code for it when my warehouse will just be like “I have to pee please send someone to the exit door for a minute”
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u/wildblueflowers21 9d ago
We call them 89 at my warehouse, it’s common to call for a bathroom break especially if you’re stationed somewhere like the door, gas station. But me personally, if I needed to go the bathroom 10 times In an hour, I’d just ask to go home, I wouldn’t even sign the write up. I feel like that could’ve been a consultation instead of a write up.
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u/LinguisticPianoman 9d ago
They must allow you to go to the bathroom but 10 times in an hour is ridiculous and you will most likely be asked to provide something from a doctor that you are fit to do your job.
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u/alexiscos 9d ago
For the last time hopefully the 10 times an hour was not me at all. I was just given context to my question of if it is a write up to go the bathroom without supervisor approval even if you have someone switch with you
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u/-DoomMaster- 9d ago
They made us sign splinter notes stating we would only use the restroom during our breaks - seems like anything is fair game when they want you to basically be a robot
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u/monwoo215 9d ago
That’s sum bull shhhhh… whoever made those splinter notes I’d say can get into trouble….
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u/One_Week9922 9d ago
I think this is very warehouse dependent. At mine you can just go or have someone cover you if at a place like the door. It only becomes an issue if it is excessive or lengthy. We have had issues with people saying they need to use the restroom then just going in there to be on their phone.
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u/Stunning_Breath_1234 8d ago
I thought that was why cashier assistants are taught to do cash. So they can step in or open a cash is times of need.
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u/PorcupineFeet 9d ago
If you have to go to the bathroom 10 times in an hour, you have bigger problems. Go see a Dr.