Walmart Fired me today for insabornation

[SanguiniusMagnificum]

Well friend, only thing I can do is quote a Cracked article on this:

"For most people, getting fired from a Walmart is a bittersweet moment -- bitter because you've lost a means of income, and sweet because you don't work at Walmart anymore."

 

[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.

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.

Of course, but I made the assumption the OP was telling the truth for this exorcise. Otherwise, I'd just be me asking for proof I don't think I can be provided. But then again, I should've had noted at the end of the post that "This all assumes you are saying the entire thruth". I'll be a bit better with noting my assumptions in the future.

"This is crap, you'd do what every other business owner with a brain would do and pocket the additional profit. You have no reason to hire more people unless the demand exits for more of whatever service or product you provide. Also, if everyone else doesn't get to assume fault on Walmart's part, maybe you shouldn't assume fault on the OP's part? As I admitted in a previous post we don't exactly know much about what happened."

Thanks for proving my point. People automatically think business owners and corps are evil. I am not assuming fault on the ops part. Please point to where i do.

I do try to keep that in mind. Nearly every business owner I've worked for has been perfectly fine, and have had enough work as it is trying to keep things running. For every business that does have dreadful practices, there are five who doesn't, I suppose.

 

[snekadid]

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.

What are you talking about? ANY JOB that does not pay "under the table" had a contract signed. It's a legal requirement. From the lowest lab tech assistant at a community college to CEO, everyone has to sign one to be considered employed.

 

[Battenberg]

It's kind of depressing seeing the whole 'it's a job get over argument' being thrown around here. Are people really that browbeaten now that it's more important to not make waves than it is to get a reasonable level of respect in their job? I get that just about everyone needs a job to get by financially but no employee should be beholden to their employer, particularly not in a job like retail which, as a rule pays minimum wage rather than a living wage.

Sadly it's an employers market and some businesses are abusing the crap out of this situation but just because it's becoming more common doesn't make it more acceptable. As far as the OP goes I'm not sure what you're expecting. Assuming you're representation of what happened is accurate you have the moral high ground, hopefully that's some consolation because I don't see any kind of legal victory against walmart unless you have a hell of a lit of evidence of mistreatment/ breach of contract. Only thing to do is move on and focus on getting another job, dwelling on this won't help.

 

[Queen Michael]

Damn, Veldie. That's rough. If we ever meet, the beer's on me.

 

[Abomination]

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.

You sure will... next time ^n+1.

Sorry but it doesn't stack up. The thing to realize is that managers these days are under a lot of pressure to keep their areas as profitable as possible. The less you pay staff to perform the same work the more profitable you will be. This is trickle-down leadership. It's essentially the pyramid scheme of retail.

I commend the OP for standing up for themselves and refusing to being taken advantage of.

I guess it's probably because you (likely) live in America where there is next to no protection for employees.

 

[ExtraDebit]

All you idealist that praise OP for standing up for himself should remember he's out of a job now. The job maybe shitty but at least he's getting paid, now he'll have to find a new job which isn't easy if you were fired from the last one.

It's best have a right attitude when you get a job, assume you have to do everything and pretend everyone is getting the same pay. It'll make yourself and your boss alot happier, don't like that? then invest in yourself and get higher education to work for better companies or start your own business.

I sell food on the street, that's not my only option but it is my choice, it's precisely because I don't like that nagging feeling that I'm under paid and treated unfairly that I do what I do now. But if I choose to work at walmart I wouldn't go into it with a mindset that I'm a value member of the company, I know that I'm just a means to an end and can be easily replace, it's just a job and I'm only there for the paycheck.

In retail you shouldn't have any dreams, hope or expectations. You are a machine a tool to keep the company functional, if they could replace you with a robot that's cheaper they would. Remember that.

 

[Me55enger]

I wish there was that level of job boundaries on a farm. I've had to do everything form milk an entire herd solo to pull rotting calves out of hapless cows.

My Ego and unfair comparison aside, my limited knowledge on employee rights is tingling. Isn't what they did illegal? Insofar as they fired you on the grounds that you refused to do what you'e not employed to do?

 

[michael87cn]

Thing is, your defiance won't change anything. It never will - it costs companies barely anything to hire human help. I work (usually) 8 hours a day for $50. What's $50 to a big company? Absolutely nothing. They make that in profits before a single second goes by.

_IF_ you want to learn to keep a job, sometimes you _DO_ have to do things that _ARE_ wrong. But this isn't a perfect world. And nothing really is gained by fighting tooth and nail over these things.

Sometimes, you should be thankful you have a job, especially if you find yourself sometimes happy there. That's rare.

Jobs afford us money which affords us a lot of modern luxuries. We should be thankful sometimes that we don't have to do the kind of things they did 100 years ago for pay.

 

[Veylon]

If they sent you out to freeze, that's liable to be an OSHA violation and likely a violation of Wal-Mart policy (which is intended to avoid OSHA violations) as well. Wal-Mart - like anyone - hates having the government come down on them and would likely have thrown the manager under the bus to avoid that. Consider sending a report into OSHA about your circumstances.

In retail you shouldn't have any dreams, hope or expectations. You are a machine a tool to keep the company functional, if they could replace you with a robot that's cheaper they would. Remember that.

This. The company is not your friend and will show you no loyalty. Behave accordingly.

 

[TheRookie8]

Hate to say it, but when you have no alternatives lined up you should have done the work they told you to, excel at it, and use the reputation built from it to bolster your argument for higher pay and perhaps even a permanent position there.

These days, there are plenty of people willing to do the hard stuff, even when it may not be in their job description. My heart goes out to your situation and I hope you can acquire a stable position soon.

 

[SecondPrize]

Move to a state that doesn't have a Right to Work law if you'd like to get treated better.

 

[Avaholic03]

Firstly, I think the OP totally misunderstands what it is to work in retail. They don't pay specific departments different amounts (unless they require special certifications...like the pharmacy). Pay is based on experience and how long you've been with the company. If you have little to no previous work experience (which is what I'm assuming based on your reaction to your boss) and you've just started there, then you will be paid the least. If you want to be paid more, try going above and beyond, welcoming new responsibilities rather than saying "it's not my job".

I worked at Target in high school and college. Within 3 years I was making the maximum "level 1" pay rate. That's because I learned new areas and was willing to do what they needed me to do. And I didn't ***** and moan just because other people may have been making more than me for the same job. Nothing is ever completely fair...get used to it.

 

[EternallyBored]

Firstly, I think the OP totally misunderstands what it is to work in retail. They don't pay specific departments different amounts (unless they require special certifications...like the pharmacy). Pay is based on experience and how long you've been with the company. If you have little to no previous work experience (which is what I'm assuming based on your reaction to your boss) and you've just started there, then you will be paid the least. If you want to be paid more, try going above and beyond, welcoming new responsibilities rather than saying "it's not my job".

I worked at Target in high school and college. Within 3 years I was making the maximum "level 1" pay rate. That's because I learned new areas and was willing to do what they needed me to do. And I didn't ***** and moan just because other people may have been making more than me for the same job. Nothing is ever completely fair...get used to it.

This is flat-out wrong, some chains do pay differently by department, I regularly refer people in my community to local retail jobs as part of my own job, and I know for a fact that starting pay at Wal-Mart can vary by a couple dollars an hour depending what department they hire you for. Last I checked, basic stockers make about a dollar less than people in the Electronics and produce department, and a couple bucks less than anyone that works a register. Especially in the registers case, our local Wal-Mart manager was fired for pulling stockers off of departments and forcing them to work the checkouts without the training and pay raise that Wal-Mart's corporate policy mandates.

 

[Smeatza]

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.

Agreed, if all you do is moan when you're asked to do a little more then don't be surprised if they show you the door.

My job title is Postgraduate recruitment officer, I look after people applying for PhD's EdD and MPhils, I also:
*Run open days
*Arrange interview for all degree courses
*Act as PA to the two heads of school
*Act as PA to a Prof who hates everyone including me
*Look after students undertaking PGCE's in 50+ schools

as well as dropping everything if there's an emergency in the University. I could moan, I could say "I ain't doing that" but I know there's over a quarter of a million people unemployed in Yorkshire alone who would be more than happy to fill my shoes.

"It isn't in my job description" is the weakest excuse in the book, take on more responsibility people and see where it takes you!

Bullshit, you should never, EVER work for free unless you KNOW that goodwill is going to be cashed in somewhere down the line.

There's a difference between refusing to do anything that doesn't show up on your job description and allowing yourself to be treated as a doormat and be payed less for equal work.

Think about it, why would that manager ever give them a better paying position if they know they can get them to do the work for no extra money?

This is a capitalist world we live in, being nice and a hard worker just doesn't cut it. If you're going to get anywhere you have to play the game.
And working for free is never part of that game.

EDIT:

On Topic.

as someone who has been looking for a job for nearly a fucking year, I cant help but smile at your bitching that you actually had to work at work.

woe be the day when you can just hang out with nothing to do for 8 hours.

seriously, people still cant get a job and you're pissed that you had to do extra stuff?

*****, please.

I would love some actual steady income, so what if I would have to do things that "weren't in my job description", and the person who said it above is right, go a head and quit, there are at least 100 people who will replace you.

you are not special, you are not important, you work at a retail store.

jesus christ, the entitlement is strong in this thread.

And that is probably why you don't have a job.
If you don't think of yourself as an asset to the company then they will never see you as one.

 

[twistedmic]

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.

What position did you have and, if you don't mind my asking, what pay-grade did you have? Pay-grade one is minimum wage and each subsequent pay-level is twenty cents more than the previous up two pay-grade seven.

 

[ZorroFonzarelli]

It's a job. This is life. Work hard, use proper grammar and spelling, and you will excel in life.

Complain and refuse to do work, and you will get fired.

That's the way it is. We are adults now. We are not special.

 

[RJ 17]

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.

It's mainly the Public Sector unions that people like to complain about, they generally leave the Private Sector ones alone. The reason being that Public Sector unions "are paid via tax money which fund outrageous pensions that can't be supported and yadda yadda yadda..."

 

[Fearzone]

Here's what you do:

1. Learn a skill. One that makes you harder to replace than a casual ad in the paper leading to several dozen applications, many of whom are retiree's and can probably do the job better than you since they have a less entitled work ethic.
2. Work up to a skill that isn't easily off-shored with phone banks in India or robots at home.
3. If that fails, move back with mom.
4. Seriously, is misspelling insubordination for real or is it just troll bait?

 

[Callate]

I'm sorry. That sucks.

Wal-Mart as a whole has a ridiculously high "turnover rate", in part because of a well-reported willingness of many stores to abuse employees- make them work off the clock, lift items that are heavier than were stipulated to be part of their job description, fudge worker's compensation claims, and so on.

I think you have a right to be angry that you were expected to accept being "slotted" into a position that normally receives more pay than you were receiving. And I think the idea that you should just accept whatever management tells you to do as standard working procedure or some sort of proof of your deserving promotion shows a remarkable ignorance of the realities of working retail in a store like Wal-Mart.

Best of luck with finding a new job.