During COVID, in order to avoid exposure to others, some got permission to begin and end their workdays from home.  We are no longer observing COVID protocol.  This means we need to understand our obligation to be at work to start and end our work shifts. Leaving your home at or after your paid start time or returning home while still under compensation can very easily be construed as theft of time.  Historically, we have not bode well in Arbitration where such theft of time discipline cases are concerned.

We caution any member who is employing this practice.  Carrier rules and the BRS Agreement stipulate when and where we start and stop our workdays. We strongly encourage you to be at work for your full shift.  Seldom do verbal instructions from a supervisor help in cases where employees are later charged with not being at work while under compensation.  All too commonly we see supervisors get very forgetful when asked about special arrangements they verbally conveyed to you.  When it comes down to their job or yours guess which one they choose in almost every case? 

The DriveCam technology the Carrier uses knows your precise whereabouts every moment of every day.  They know when you leave and get home and where you go in between. This caution is not about properly using PC 07 but those who may be taking the liberty of shortening the workday while receiving a full day’s pay.  Big brother is always watching, it seems, and it is hard to defend against such allegations when they arise.