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dixie · 02-22-2010, 11:08 AM

Due to the total lack of jobs in my area, after being out of work for over 18 months, I went back to work in the photolab at WalMart. (I had worked for the company in my early 20s.) Yeah, their pay sucks but hey, it's a job.

When I worked for the company years ago, I worked in a store that was absolutely horrible. No women in mgmt, very sexist and just generally a horrible work environment. When I got the job offer this time, I was so dreading it because I expected the same thing eventhough it was a different location. So far I have been pleasantly surprised this go round. This new store I work at is almost a polar opposite to the first. At this one, our store manager is an openly gay female, as with a couple of our assistant managers. All but two of our Customer Service managers are openly gay males, and there are many many associates who are openly gay, including myself. I was almost shocked to see how gay friendly this store is with its employees, so very different from the last store which always seemed to fire the employees for one reason or another when it was "discovered" that the employee was gay.

The store is very geared for community involvement, inside its doors and out. We have lots of charity programs in the community and also for the employees. We hold benefit dinners inhouse for employees in need. I particularly like this program because the store donates most of the food (employees can donate dishes as well) and it is set up all day in the breakroom and charges $5 per plate for any employee who wants to participate. ALL of the money goes directly to the employee in need (who is kept anonymous). I've seen it help folks a great deal.

Unfortunately though, there are still some issues at this store. For example, two teenage girls working different departments. One girl is a total slacker who not only does NOT do her job but has over 40 unexcused absences. She has not even received a warning. The other girl works her ass off, is always there and always ready to help out wherever she is needed. Two days ago she started having chest pains and her arms went numb. She went into the breakroom to sit down and calm down because the situation was scaring her. She sat there for about 45 minutes. However, she did not tell a member of management what was going on until the end of that time period. Management fired her on the spot for "stealing company money" because she was on the clock when this occurred. WTF? I understand that she should have let someone know what was going on before leaving the floor (not just for her job's sake but for health's sake as well) but I feel that management should have been more understanding and lenient with her due to the circumstances and her previously impeccible work ethic. But that's just my view I guess.

As for most of the issues people have with WalMart for the way they treat their employees, I understand the frustration and anger (after all, I know firsthand). But after working for many different companies in many different places, I also realize that it's not just WalMart. There are MANY MANY companies out there who are just as bad if not worse. We just normally don't get to hear about those companies as often, because they aren't as publicly known as WalMart.

We could hope that at some point in time, ALL employers could be more fair and just with their employees, but I guess in the world of big business the $$$ are always going to be priority number one...

02-22-2010, 11:08 AM	#50
dixie Infamous Member How Do You Identify?: I usually just poke it with a stick. Preferred Pronoun?: Bitch Relationship Status: Intertwined deeply Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: We're all a little mad here. Posts: 6,627 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 10,972 Thanked 21,384 Times in 4,808 Posts Rep Power: 21474858	Employee treatment from an employee's viewpoint... Due to the total lack of jobs in my area, after being out of work for over 18 months, I went back to work in the photolab at WalMart. (I had worked for the company in my early 20s.) Yeah, their pay sucks but hey, it's a job. When I worked for the company years ago, I worked in a store that was absolutely horrible. No women in mgmt, very sexist and just generally a horrible work environment. When I got the job offer this time, I was so dreading it because I expected the same thing eventhough it was a different location. So far I have been pleasantly surprised this go round. This new store I work at is almost a polar opposite to the first. At this one, our store manager is an openly gay female, as with a couple of our assistant managers. All but two of our Customer Service managers are openly gay males, and there are many many associates who are openly gay, including myself. I was almost shocked to see how gay friendly this store is with its employees, so very different from the last store which always seemed to fire the employees for one reason or another when it was "discovered" that the employee was gay. The store is very geared for community involvement, inside its doors and out. We have lots of charity programs in the community and also for the employees. We hold benefit dinners inhouse for employees in need. I particularly like this program because the store donates most of the food (employees can donate dishes as well) and it is set up all day in the breakroom and charges $5 per plate for any employee who wants to participate. ALL of the money goes directly to the employee in need (who is kept anonymous). I've seen it help folks a great deal. Unfortunately though, there are still some issues at this store. For example, two teenage girls working different departments. One girl is a total slacker who not only does NOT do her job but has over 40 unexcused absences. She has not even received a warning. The other girl works her ass off, is always there and always ready to help out wherever she is needed. Two days ago she started having chest pains and her arms went numb. She went into the breakroom to sit down and calm down because the situation was scaring her. She sat there for about 45 minutes. However, she did not tell a member of management what was going on until the end of that time period. Management fired her on the spot for "stealing company money" because she was on the clock when this occurred. WTF? I understand that she should have let someone know what was going on before leaving the floor (not just for her job's sake but for health's sake as well) but I feel that management should have been more understanding and lenient with her due to the circumstances and her previously impeccible work ethic. But that's just my view I guess. As for most of the issues people have with WalMart for the way they treat their employees, I understand the frustration and anger (after all, I know firsthand). But after working for many different companies in many different places, I also realize that it's not just WalMart. There are MANY MANY companies out there who are just as bad if not worse. We just normally don't get to hear about those companies as often, because they aren't as publicly known as WalMart. We could hope that at some point in time, ALL employers could be more fair and just with their employees, but I guess in the world of big business the $$$ are always going to be priority number one...