Connie Carlingson has been an inbound sales agent for a telemarketing firm in Arizona for four years. The firm employs 240 people who take reservations for a national hotel chain when customers call a toll-free telephone number. Approximately two years ago Connie voluntarily moved to a night shift position. Shortly after her move she began complaining to the night shift manager that her immediate supervisor was picking on her. In particular, Connie alleged that her supervisor was constantly nagging her about taking breaks that were too long. She also said that the supervisor was deliberately scheduling her breaks at different times than when her close friend had hers. Eventually, Connie complaining led the night manager to talk to the supervisor and those complaints seemed to subside. However, a new problem with Connie has recently developed. During her four years of employment Connie has regularly used sick leave. The company policy provided for employees to receive sick leave only as it is accrued, which means that an employee earns one day of sick leave for each month of employment. Because Connie has consistently taken at least one day of sick leave each month, she almost never has accumulated any carry-over sick leave time. Therefore, she has been forced to request unpaid medical leaves of absence whenever she has had the flu or some other health problem. Always in the past these leaves have been granted to Connie without too many questions being asked. Recently Connie requested a medical leave for the sixth time this year. When the supervisor and night manager brought Connie's request to the attention of the director of the reservation center, the director granted Connie's request but told her that her medical leaves were becoming excessive and the company would no longer grant leaves of absence to her for any reasons. Connie became very upset when she heard this and told the director, "Now, I'm not a complainer, but it's not fair."
1. What problems exist with the benefits program offered by the employer, as described in the case?
2. What can be done to deal with Connie and to prevent similar problems from arising with other employees in the future?