When Nurses Can’t Call in Sick, Patients Pay the Price: The Case Against Providence’s Attendance Policy

Providence Health System has proposed eliminating the existing attendance policy at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center — with no agreed replacement. Under the current union contract, nurses are protected from discipline after a single absence, with clear thresholds and consecutive-day protections. If management’s proposal goes through, a single unscheduled absence could trigger corrective action.

THEY WANT YOU TO SETTLE FOR LESS.

THEY ALSO DON’T WANT TO LET YOU CALL IN SICK.

Providence is proposing to delete your attendance protections while offering you a low-ball wage deal. Enough is enough.

While Providence is trying to low-ball you and get you to settle for less —
they also don’t want to take care of you when you are sick or legitimately need to call off.
They want both: your labor AND your silence.

CURRENT POLICY Your Union ContractPROPOSED POLICY from Providence Town Hall

Unscheduled Absences

Action only after more than 1 absence in 30 days, OR more than 3 absences in 90 days.

Unscheduled Absences

Action may begin after just ONE unprotected absence.

Consecutive Days

One call-out covers up to 3 consecutive scheduled days — counts as a single occurrence.

Consecutive Days

No such protection exists under the proposed policy.

Tardiness

Discipline begins after 2 tardies in 14 days or 3 tardies in 21 days.

Tardiness

Discipline begins after 2 tardies in one pay period or 3 tardies in two pay periods — a tighter window.

No Call / No Show

Final written warning on 1st; termination on 2nd.

No Call / No Show

Same — the only thing they did not make worse.

FACT

Management has proposed deleting your attendance policy with no agreed replacement.

FACT

They mentioned the Tarzana policy at their town hall — but have never formally proposed it at the bargaining table.

FACT

Under the proposal, one sick day is all it takes to start corrective action.

SOLUTION

Show up and vote. Your strike authorization vote on April 9 is the only thing that moves them.

MORE

Whatever the regional policy is when we ratify the contract, it can be changed the next day without any input from you. The fact they don’t want language in the contract means they have complete control over it.

They won’t move unless we do.
RSVP for Strike Authorization Thursday, April 9.

seiu121rn.org/psjmc-vote-26/

 

Strike Vote: Thursday, April 9

6:30–8:30 am  |  11 am–1 pm  |  6–8 pm

AM & Noon: Front Entrance (Alameda St.)
Evening: Buena Vista ER Entrance

Published On: April 5, 2026|Categories: Providence St. Joseph, Union Updates|

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