Walmart Fired me today for insabornation

[Veldel]

So yesterday after a solid week of pulling me and making me do stuff in every department that is a higher paygrade then mine and talking down to me because I didnt want to work up front as a cashier all day I refused to do it and told a manager no because I am payed less then the other people who are supposed to work those area's.


They fired me for it because I refused to work higher paying area's when I would not get that area's pay and its not a off shot once in a blue moon its every day I work and im always in trouble because I never had time to cover toys properly and make sure its decent.




So I dont know what to do now I have no job and such


me and my friend are drinking to help cope with it.


What should I do now I cant go without a job as I don't live with family....

My mom and a few friends are really pissed off.

 

[Elfgore]

I can't help you with the coping factor, but I can sure as hell agree with you on stores forcing you to work different locations. My usual job is to make the general merchandise look nice, handle returns, and help customers. I've been forced to push in carts, work as a cashier, and help unload trucks. A coworker once told his manager that he wouldn't push carts in if told to, mostly because he lacked proper clothing. His manager told him she would have him fired if he didn't do it. She used the excuse that we are all employees and that it is our goal to help wherever we are needed. I was laughing internally the entire time she told me this bullshit. Of course the company has been good with her since she got promoted to manager without any college degree, so she has immense loyalty.

And I think the worst part is, and this may sound petty but I don't care. I've only gotten a "thank you" once or twice out of the dozens of times I've done this. I had to push in carts in the snow, without boots or gloves. My hair froze it was so bad. I didn't complain, I just kept pushing carts in. Didn't get a single "thank you" when I was done. I almost quit that night.

 

[Veldel]

I can't help you with the coping factor, but I can sure as hell agree with you on stores forcing you to work different locations. My usual job is to make the general merchandise look nice, handle returns, and help customers. I've been forced to push in carts, work as a cashier, and help unload trucks. A coworker once told his manager that he wouldn't push carts in if told to, mostly because he lacked proper clothing. His manager told him she would have him fired if he didn't do it. She used the excuse that we are all employees and that it is our goal to help wherever we are needed. I was laughing internally the entire time she told me this bullshit. Of course the company has been good with her since she got promoted to manager without any college degree, so she has immense loyalty.

And I think the worst part is, and this may sound petty but I don't care. I've only gotten a "thank you" once or twice out of the dozens of times I've done this. I had to push in carts in the snow, without boots or gloves. My hair froze it was so bad. I didn't complain, I just kept pushing carts in. Didn't get a single "thank you" when I was done. I almost quit that night.

yeah they used that line on me also with a big deal with it we don't care.

What's really fucked up is how there gloating about it.

 

[adamsaccount]

Dude, Id like to shake your hand. My advice would be to try and get a job in the charitable sector, where I live in the UK (so this might not apply) you can get a fairly well payed job lobbying people to donate, you have to deal with a lot of cunts but youre going to be a lot happier knowing youre doing something worth while.

 

[Drizzitdude]

When I worked at Target we were all expected to help out in all areas of the store whenever possible but I can most certainly understand being frustrated at doing things you aren't supposed to do.

As an electronics employee I was expected to:
*Keep everything locked up in the electronics department
*Watch all areas of the electronics department for theft
*Watch all areas of the electronics, dvd's and toy area for customers to help (we only had one employee in electronics each shift)
*Restock and face Toys, Electronics, Dvd's, Cd's, and the health and beauty department (which also included medicine as well) before the night was over, while making sure there was no one stealing from electronics and no one who needed help over there or in toys

Then, even if I managed to get everything I needed to get done finished, I would be whisked off to another section of the store I knew nothing about to help over there (the people who can do the clothes section are heroes, I could never put away items without a specific aisle and location)and chances are if I was gone from my post for too long, someone would need help over there, or try to take something, or some kid would knock down an entire toy shelf before leaving the store and I would get shit for it not being perfect despite being forcibly ordered out of my area.

And I think the worst part is, and this may sound petty but I don't care. I've only gotten a "thank you" once or twice out of the dozens of times I've done this. I had to push in carts in the snow, without boots or gloves. My hair froze it was so bad. I didn't complain, I just kept pushing carts in. Didn't get a single "thank you" when I was done. I almost quit that night.

This is also a shitty part about working in retail, despite everything you do and how good of a trooper you are more often than not you don't get any praise for it when you go above and beyond. It is just expected of you.

Now here is the absolute worst part: Everyone in the store thought my job was easy as all hell. This was due to the misunderstanding that replacement electronics members had (people who covered missing shifts or breaks) had that all I had to do was sit there at the electronics booth the entire day because that was all they were expected to do during my breaks. For the majority of the day I had to restock all those shelves in my area, manage new releases when they came out, prepare new releases for the next week, face all the games and cd's, request items for guests, check backroom stocks, guest service everyone in my area five times over and if at anytime I had to leave the area for even the slightest second I was in trouble (even if I was in the electronics backroom doing part of my job). Not only that, but because of the notion people had that the electronics team members didn't do anything, managers and leaders would always come by asking favors or for a specific task to get done, when you have like six team leads, who all want something different from you done as soon as possible, you are always in a rush to finish a task while always being expected to be next to the electronics desk.

So really, I spent my entire day rushing around trying to be everywhere at once, and an hour before closing I was expected to wrap all those previous tasks up, and then go do facing and stocking in all of my areas while still never being allowed to leave electronics.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Well I recently discovered that my store has been withholding premium pay from me. According to our store handbook, part time employees who work more than 24 hours a week for reasons not stipulated in the handbook are entitled to premium pay, essentially bumping our minimum wage up to fulltime pay. I work forty hour weeks in my department because the majority of our part time employees are high schoolers and college students, so I gather up hours during daytime shifts. Our department only has two full time workers, and they're both the managers. So I've been working full time for part time pay because our store owner is a cheap bastard.

Thankfully, I'm resigning at the end of the month as I head back to school. So I'll work as much as I can before I slam the bastard owner with that little tidbit, and either he pays up, or I go to the union and fuck over everybody. I'm done with the store, and I'm happy to get out. Squeezing the prick I work for just a little more will be fun.

 

[Ragnar47183]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

 

[Nurb]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Telling people to deal with being hired for a spesific job but do work of higher paid employees without compensation is BS and not something people should tolerate. Especially in corner-cutting retail where companies try to screw you out of pay at every chance they get while demanding complete loyalty at the same time without doing anything to earn it.

I have a feeling you watch fox news or listen to talk radio alot.

 

[paragon1]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Wrong. They get to ask you to do what they hired you to do. Everyone that works for Walmart signed a contract with them that specified what that job would entail. If I remember right, it also specifies what areas of the store you will work in, so there's a very good chance they violated Veldie's employment agreement. They also shouldn't be violating safety laws and their own company policies by sending employees outside without safety gear, or assigning them new tasks without training (surely I don't need to state why this is bad for everyone involved?).

But managers get away with this crap all the time because employees don't know their rights, or because they (rightly!) fear being wrongfully fired if they demand those rights be respected. Just because someone pays you money doesn't mean they get to treat you however they want, and it certainly doesn't mean they get to ignore the law.

Veldie, you got a bum rap, and I hope you can find better work soon. How you were treated was absolutely unacceptable. You may want to seriously consider talking to a lawyer about a wrongful termination suit, though I certainly understand if you don't feel this is an option.

 

[Mr_Spanky]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

I honestly don't know how to respond to that properly without getting a warning. Suffice to say you're . . . wrong. I'll leave it there.

 

[Jonathan Canterbury]

No, if you show initiative, work hard, and don't ***** when you're asked to increase your work load, that's called work ethic and that's how you get promoted to higher paid positions.

 

[lord canti]

Are these people paid more than you because they've been there longer? Also you should go into any job expecting to work in different areas(unless of course you need training in that area) to think you only have to do the one job you were hired for is naive.

 

[Ragnar47183]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Telling people to deal with being hired for a spesific job but do work of higher paid employees without compensation is BS and not something people should tolerate. Especially in corner-cutting retail where companies try to screw you out of pay at every chance they get while demanding complete loyalty at the same time without doing anything to earn it.

I have a feeling you watch fox news or listen to talk radio alot.

I dont watch fox news or listen to talk radio but nice try. Lets be honest here. OP is working a job at a retail store. He has no value in the eyes of his employer and can be easily replaced. If he doesn't want to do the job there are 20 other people that will.

This isn't a pediatrician being asked to performed a heart transplant. This is a store clerk being asked to bring in carts and such.

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Wrong. They get to ask you to do what they hired you to do. Everyone that works for Walmart signed a contract with them that specified what that job would entail. If I remember right, it also specifies what areas of the store you will work in, so there's a very good chance they violated Veldie's employment agreement. They also shouldn't be violating safety laws and their own company policies by sending employees outside without safety gear, or assigning them new tasks without training (surely I don't need to state why this is bad for everyone involved?).

But managers get away with this crap all the time because employees don't know their rights, or because they (rightly!) fear being wrongfully fired if they demand those rights be respected. Just because someone pays you money doesn't mean they get to treat you however they want, and it certainly doesn't mean they get to ignore the law.

Veldie, you got a bum rap, and I hope you can find better work soon. How you were treated was absolutely unacceptable. You may want to seriously consider talking to a lawyer about a wrongful termination suit, though I certainly understand if you don't feel this is an option.

I don't believe they sign contracts to work at wal mart. Wal Mart is a multi billion dollar company. I am positive they have their legal tracks covered when it comes to this stuff. Employers only have to provide training where OSHA demands it and I doubt bringing in carts falls under that.

Unless evidence is shown otherwise I would assume no safety laws were broken in this process and it is strange you assume the worse on the employers part and complete innocence on the employees part.

OP I would highly recommend you don't follow above posters advice to seek out help from a lawyer as you don't have a leg to stand on here and it would be a waste of time and money. Your time is better spent on getting a degree and a higher quality job. (Good luck I hope you can)

 

[StANDY1338]

Are these people paid more than you because they've been there longer? Also you should go into any job expecting to work in different areas(unless of course you need training in that area) to think you only have to do the one job you were hired for is naive.

Like clean toilets?

 

[Muspelheim]

Remember; you got chucked out because you were being treated poorly and stood up for your rights as an employee. You did the right thing, and they are the ones who have done wrong. It might seem like small comforts, but still, it helps knowing that.

In brief, they had you do a job you weren't going to be payed to do, and they fired you because you objected to them screwing you over. Now, contrary to what a lot of people will tell you, you do have rights. And there will be an employer out there who will respect them.

And while it's small comforts as well, see it as an opportunity to get a better job, and work for people that are not absolute idiots.

Have you contacted your union, if you are in one?

No, if you show initiative, work hard, and don't ***** when you're asked to increase your work load, that's called work ethic and that's how you get promoted to higher paid positions.

In theory, at least.

 

[lord canti]

Are these people paid more than you because they've been there longer? Also you should go into any job expecting to work in different areas(unless of course you need training in that area) to think you only have to do the one job you were hired for is naive.

Like clean toilets?

If your in the restaurant buisness, then yes, unless your a cook or a server of course.

 

[chadachada123]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Telling people to deal with being hired for a spesific job but do work of higher paid employees without compensation is BS and not something people should tolerate. Especially in corner-cutting retail where companies try to screw you out of pay at every chance they get while demanding complete loyalty at the same time without doing anything to earn it.

I have a feeling you watch fox news or listen to talk radio alot.

He's half-right. His mentality is wrong (in my opinion), but his answer ("if you don't like it, leave it") is correct. If more workers stood up to employer bullshit and didn't accept minimum wage if the business makes fuck-huge amounts of money, then the power dynamic would shift from "They [the business] owns you" to "You and them are business partners."

I doubt that Ragnar has that in mind, given his phrasing, but we shouldn't think of businesses as some magical entity with unlimited power. All it takes is enough workers with the balls to fight for what they feel is right to change things for the better.

If EVERY Walmart worker refused in the manner of the OP, and were accordingly fired, Walmart would have to either scrounge for idiots, the high schoolers, or the massively desperate, or change their policies/ideology.

Edit: (As a side note, I feel the same way about consumers, as well. Stop giving businesses like Walmart money if they are treating their workers like shit or have a greed-fueled mindset, and we would see said businesses either die out or adapt. The bus boycotts during the Civil Rights Era worked because it affected the pockets of the greedy fucks in charge)

 

[Ragnar47183]

Remember; you got chucked out because you were being treated poorly and stood up for your rights as an employee. You did the right thing, and they are the ones who have done wrong. It might seem like small comforts, but still, it helps knowing that.

In brief, they had you do a job you weren't going to be payed to do, and they fired you because you objected to them screwing you over. Now, contrary to what a lot of people will tell you, you do have rights. And there will be an employer out there who will respect them.

And while it's small comforts as well, see it as an opportunity to get a better job, and work for people that are not absolute idiots.

Have you contacted your union, if you are in one?

No, if you show initiative, work hard, and don't ***** when you're asked to increase your work load, that's called work ethic and that's how you get promoted to higher paid positions.

In theory, at least.

I think its naive to take OPs words at face value. Its never good to hear one side of a story with an extremely biased source. I dont think wal mart would have any problems getting another cashier if they need one. He wasn't not getting paid. He is claming to be getting paid "less" than other employees for the same job. (which is no illegal btw).

Wal mart is a shitty company to work for though. I do agree he should find a better job.

 

[fenrizz]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Telling people to deal with being hired for a spesific job but do work of higher paid employees without compensation is BS and not something people should tolerate. Especially in corner-cutting retail where companies try to screw you out of pay at every chance they get while demanding complete loyalty at the same time without doing anything to earn it.

I have a feeling you watch fox news or listen to talk radio alot.

He's half-right. His mentality is wrong, but his answer (if you don't like it, leave it) is correct. If more workers stood up to employer bullshit and didn't accept minimum wage if the business makes such fuck-huge amounts of money, then the power dynamic would shift from "They [the business] owns you" to "You and them are business partners."

I doubt that Ragnar has that in mind, given his phrasing, but we shouldn't think of businesses as some magical entity with unlimited power. All it takes is enough workers with the balls to fight for what they feel is right to change things for the better.

If EVERY Walmart worker refused in the manner of the OP, and were accordingly fired, Walmart would have to either scrounge for idiots, the high schoolers, or the massively desperate, or change their policies/ideology.

And that is why we have unions.
Although I've been told that in the US they don't take kindly to their workers organizing.

No, if you show initiative, work hard, and don't ***** when you're asked to increase your work load, that's called work ethic and that's how you get promoted to higher paid positions.

In theory, yes.
In real life not so much.
Or rather, it's not that clear cut at least.

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

That is called being taken advantage of.

 

[Ragnar47183]

Thats called a job. Get used to it.

They sign your paychecks so you do what they want. If you dont like it then you should find another job or wait until you get fired.

Telling people to deal with being hired for a spesific job but do work of higher paid employees without compensation is BS and not something people should tolerate. Especially in corner-cutting retail where companies try to screw you out of pay at every chance they get while demanding complete loyalty at the same time without doing anything to earn it.

I have a feeling you watch fox news or listen to talk radio alot.

He's half-right. His mentality is wrong, but his answer (if you don't like it, leave it) is correct. If more workers stood up to employer bullshit and didn't accept minimum wage if the business makes such fuck-huge amounts of money, then the power dynamic would shift from "They [the business] owns you" to "You and them are business partners."

I doubt that Ragnar has that in mind, given his phrasing, but we shouldn't think of businesses as some magical entity with unlimited power. All it takes is enough workers with the balls to fight for what they feel is right to change things for the better.

If EVERY Walmart worker refused in the manner of the OP, and were accordingly fired, Walmart would have to either scrounge for idiots, the high schoolers, or the massively desperate, or change their policies/ideology.

I am coming at this post as a business owner myself. To many instantly cry foul at a company for anything that happens. Everyone wants everything for nothing.

In this case "employer bullshit" is wrong because I don't see anything wrong with what the manager did. It doesnt matter how much money a company makes. That has nothing to do with what they pay their employees. Why do you think an employee who has never had to invest in capital or take risks or work on building the company should have any right to determine how much money they make? An employee should never be a business partner and its amazing you would think something like that.

In a lot of cases people are fighting the wrong thing. I could easily employee two additional employees if my business wasnt taxed into the ground by our government. Not to say there arent some horrible conditions in workplaces that need to be corrected in some places but in this instance the employer did nothing wrong.

Also "Walmart would have to either scrounge for idiots, the high schoolers, or the massively desperate" they already do this.