I am working for California State since 30 years. I have 880+ hours of vacation, 5 days of holiday credit + 5 personnel holidays and 2000+ hours of sick leave balance. I was also working 30 to 40 minutes more(flex time) everyday because of my van pool schedule. I was suppose to exhaust my flex time before the end of the week. Still my supervisor docked me for not giving 48 hours notice as follows: On 8-17-2011 1 hour. My explanation is : My wife had a medical appt. for leg problem. Previously she was suppose to drive but then at last moment she changed her decision and asked me to drive. So I had to take her to hospital taking 1 hour off. On November 2nd 2011 I took 2 hour off and the supervisor docked me for not giving 48 hours notice. My explanation: My wife's sister was very very sick . She decided to go to India .I purchased the ticket on 10-30- 2011 Saturday. I had to drop her to SF airport I came home at 1:30 AM at night. So to make up the sleep I took 2 hours off. I notified my supervisor by email that I will come to work around lunch time. On November 15, 2011 2.5 hours I had notified my supervisor a week in advance that I am scheduling an appointment with a lawyer. It could be this week or next week. I will notify you when the appointment is scheduled. Q: when does the 48 hours notice clock starts? Is there any basis for docking me? I have not heard of any case when the person is docked for 1 or 2 hrs time off. What is the legal remedy ?

Most people would have lied and used sick time, and you have tons of it!
Sorry, I don't see how reasons, no matter what they are, without 48 hours notice is going to matter to the state. It's one of the trade offs you have to accept for getting so many good benefits. Very few employers these days allow benefits to last more than a year, so you are even more fortunate than most.

If the rule is that you have to give 48 hours notice before taking vacation time, then you broke those rules. Since you are an hourly employee (it appears) you can be docked for time that you were not on the clock. I would guess you have to give notice during working hours at least 48 hours prior to taking the time. Your employee handbook should spell this out.

Are you a union employee? If so, contact your shop steward about what happened. If not, talk to your HR rep.

You seem to have a flexible schedule, so what can't you schedule your attorney appointment when you are not scheduled to work? And, if you are contacting the attorney about this situation, did you talk to HR or your union? Why go to an attorney before exhausting internal review procedures?