Walmart Fired me today for insabornation

[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.

 

[Lucifus]

I know that feeling. I Worked for a Morrisons store (supermarket here in the UK) that had just opened. I done, and asked for more overtime than anyone in the department I worked in. I came down with a rather nasty infection that put me in bed for 2 days, missing two shifts of work, and I even turned up for work on the next shift, even though I was still feeling extremely rough. Those were only 15 hours, mind you. I had done at least double that in overtime, and they still fired me because of it.

I was colossally pissed off that day.

Hah Morrisons are among the worst employers I have ever worked for. Their cleaning chemicals in the butchery department had an unexpected side effect causing the back of my throat to blister and every two hours the fluid from the blisters would block up my airway, stop me breathing and caused me to fall unconscious from lack of air. And this was from using the chemicals as they were directed. Had a doctor confirm this too.

Long story short one of my black outs happened at work while working in the butchery, i managed to haul my ass from the back of the butchery and pass out just in view of customers who instantly called the first aiders. As soon as I woke up they wouldn't let me leave and told me to get back on with my job.

Fucking disgusting.

Edit: When I did eventually get to the hospital and got signed off I had a warning for not turning up to work without 24 hours prior notice. I did call in notifying them but it wasn't within their 24 hour limit despite leaving work after shift and going straight to the hospital.

 

[AnthrSolidSnake]

Geez man, well, you have my condolences, for what that's worth. I swear, the more I hear about people's experiences at work the less I want another one...luckily for me I'm just going to be working in a very small pharmacy/retail store. The only other position that's really there is the pharmacy itself, and I'm not qualified to do that.

In truth, I would have done the same exact thing, but the difference being is, I have family/roommates to fall back on until I would get the next job.

 

[Callate]

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 actually varies a lot. I've worked in places where I was required to be part of a union, others where it was accepted, others where it was quietly discouraged or where there seemed to be little benefit.

Wal-Mart in particular, however, has a terrible reputation for finding excuses to fire people at the first sign they plan to organize, for encouraging employees to argue with and report people who talk about organizing, and even closing whole stores when unionizing seemed inevitable.

Closing store

Argue

Fire

...Basically, Wal-Mart is a fucking nightmare, an abusive tyrant that costs taxpayers millions in subsidies with every open store. And they're the largest employer in America. ...Yay.

 

[Yoshi4102]

Whatever you do, don't work at Walgreens then. Even more of the same shit, but less people who work there. Work at Target now and it's infinitely better. I might just be lucky and work at a good store though

 

[NoMercy Rider]

I'm just going to preface this post by saying I have never worked in retail (though my wife has), so you can take my thoughts with a grain of salt. But I am trying to put myself in the shoes of working retail.

I can somewhat understand your situation, especially if you don't really need money to get by in life. But if employment was essential, I would definitely follow any orders my boss gave, unless it was a serious safety concern. The way I see it, any position in retail (aside from management) is highly expendable. If you are working in retail, there are dozens of people out there that could fill your shoes in a heartbeat and at least one of them will be willing to work other departments for the sake of having a job. Sure, management doesn't like to pay money to hire/train new employees, but it becomes a necessary evil. My wife says the turnover rate in retail is incredible. Most folks didn't last more than six months. Yes, it's a shitty deal, but unfortunately that's the byproduct of our capitalist society and high unemployment rate.

Other posters are correct, blindly following orders in retail is likely not going to pay off in higher pay. But it will at least keep your job. Plus, that early foundation work ethic will pay dividends later off if/when you get a more professional job.

Let's face it, no matter where you work, you will occasionally be required to do work above or below your current pay grade. For example, I work in a $70k/year job in a technical field. Occasionally I get asked to do very menial jobs like file paperwork or run deliveries to clients. Most of my co-workers absolutely scoff at those requests, but I will always do them without asking any questions. I also get asked to do studies and write reports in an area that is waaay above my pay grade. This came from my parents instilling a work ethic of always doing what you are told and it will eventually pay off. Well, late last year a promotion opportunity came up in our company. Management completely overlooked the employees that refused to do menial tasks and picked the one person that would volunteer. I think you know who that person was.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

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.

Okay, so you made an ultimatum with the management instead of a request. Don't do that.

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

That's true, but you're still written as a cashier's paygrade instead of another corner of the store, even if you worked with them for all of one day. You could have switched to that department...

im always in trouble because I never had time to cover toys properly and make sure its decent.

What you should do is tell managament, "Dude, I was having difficulty because I needed to help Hernando with carts for an hour, or Joe with stocking the frozen section, so I couldn't get my job done." When you're done saying that, maybe add, "But I'll stay here until the job is done." You're allowed to do that, it's legal unless you're a minor and it's past 11:00-ish PM. If they understand and give you a break, that's great: if they don't, then your managament can go pound salt, because yelling at you isn't going to change that your job still needed be done.

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

Uh, okay? I don't know where you are in life, I can't give you advice.

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

Don't do that. You got fired from a freaking Wal-mart, dude, you didn't lose out on your dream job.

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

You mean... go get a job?

My mom and a few friends are really pissed off.

As they should be.

In review: You should've approached this differently.

 

[WeepingAngels]

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.

It's not that simple. Different positions pay differently. Would you see airline pilots cleaning toilets too?

 

[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.

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.

Do you really think people get paid specifically for electronics or produce or basic stockers? Nope. They get paid by their perceived worth to the company. If someone is experienced and qualified to work in the more "difficult" departments, then they are paid more. It's not because they work in those specific departments, it's because they offer more value to the company overall.

That doesn't mean that someone hired for "basic stocker" can't move up if they are willing to show some initiative. And their pay should be increased accordingly. Since they OP didn't say how long he tried working in other departments before throwing the hissy fit, it's impossible to say whether he was being taken advantage of, or was possibly on the cusp of a promotion and pay raise if he had just stuck with it. If he maybe demonstrated more value to the company, you never know what would have happened.

 

[shootthebandit]

You could attempt to take them to a tribunal if you believe you have been dismissed unfairly. However id check your contract first if your contracts says that you are required to work in other areas when required then they have every right to sack you

 

[Firstmark_Bannor]

While I am sympathetic to your plight on one hand, I have enough work experience to know that you could have handled that better. You worked in a Walmart, how valuable did you really imagine that you were? And as for being asked to do things beyond your pay grade, how do you think you get a raise?

It's possible that your states work laws are different than mine, but in North Carolina its a right to work state. You can be fired for ANY REASON AT ANY TIME. And living and working in this state I've had to do things way way beyond my hourly wage. As a delivery driver for a pizza place, I used to take orders, cook, deliver, fix plumbing, repair over head lights, unload food trucks, clean grease traps by hand with five gallon buckets, and much more all for $5 a hour. I'm not joking.

So being told to work a slightly different position in Walmart is not really all the hardship you seem to think it is.

 

[Basst Woefatt]

It is hard for me to feel too bad for anyone that uses the, "it's not in my job description" and gets fired. While I was on Camp Lejeune I worked a position that was 3 ranks above mine, worked another section as my rank, plus got pulled for any number of working parties(anything from picking up trash on the side of the road to sweeping the parking lot). So, while I may be jaded, I do believe that if your boss/supervisor tells you to do something you go do it no questions. It does suck losing a job though.

 

[salfiert]

aha I work in a bottle shop in Australia, casual rates are higher than full time rates, I get payed $25 an hour, I have read the riot act to my manager on a few occasions, and they accepted it and apologized and we worked talked things out like adults, 2 reasons, one I work hard at everything within my pay grade and two me and my entire workplace are unionized, I never understood people that don't like unions, it seems insane

 

[Jadak]

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.

This. They pay you, you work. You shouldn't be worrying about what other people are or are not doing, nor what they're getting paid for it. Worry about you. The only decision you deserve is to do the work or quit, and that's the one you got.

If you're upset about your choice, you should have picked the other one and done the work being asked of you.

The only reasonable justification for these sort of complaints is when it comes to workplace condition issues, such as (as was posted above) being sent out in winter to pull in carts without being issued proper clothing. That sort of thing is a bigger issue and brings along legal issues.

But otherwise... Boo fucking hoo, do what you're told to do if you want to keep working.

 

[darthzew]

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.

Do you really think people get paid specifically for electronics or produce or basic stockers? Nope. They get paid by their perceived worth to the company. If someone is experienced and qualified to work in the more "difficult" departments, then they are paid more. It's not because they work in those specific departments, it's because they offer more value to the company overall.

That doesn't mean that someone hired for "basic stocker" can't move up if they are willing to show some initiative. And their pay should be increased accordingly. Since they OP didn't say how long he tried working in other departments before throwing the hissy fit, it's impossible to say whether he was being taken advantage of, or was possibly on the cusp of a promotion and pay raise if he had just stuck with it. If he maybe demonstrated more value to the company, you never know what would have happened.

I worked produce at WalMart and I was paid more than other departments. I had no special certifications to work that job and I was hired on an entry level. The only reason I was paid more was because I was put in that department. I made $7.85/hr and my friend who worked in grocery made $7.45/hr. We were both hired at the same time. Every year, you get an evaluation done by your manager and they decide how much to raise you there. Your starting pay, however, is determined solely by which department you work in. If I were to request a transfer to deli or tire & lube, my pay would be increased to reflect my new position.

 

[Remus]

Welcome to the club, the "Ex-Walmart Workers Club", or EWW. When I quit my job there, I received my vacation pay - didn't know I could even take a vacation without getting fired, but I digress, and not long after, received a form in the mail, part of a class-action lawsuit filed against Wal-Mart for missed break and lunch periods. I would have preferred a lawsuit covering working conditions in the receiving area and various safety and health hazards therein, but I still received a moderate pittance for my missed lunches as a result of this suit. I don't shop there anymore, haven't since. There's a Walgreen's across the street, a local pharmacy down the road, and a small-chain local supermarket for my dietary needs. For everything else, there's Amazon. I hope you receive a similar form as I did, a result of Wal-Mart's never-ending abuse of its criminally underpaid employees. While the net result might not be great, few class-actions are, there's something comforting in receiving one last paycheck from Wal-Mart without ever having to sit foot in their doors.

Every year, you get an evaluation done by your manager and they decide how much to raise you there.

When I worked there and got my evals, management flat out told me that they were merely a technicality, and unless you were Christ reborn, everyone gets the minimum raise. I've heard the same from several reports on the matter in fact.

 

[game-lover]

Ah Walmart. I work at one too. I hate it.

Our store has only been open like a year. And you know how bad it was?

People have been going away left and right. If they aren't fired, then they quit. And most of them have quit.

It's infuriating because we're so short staffed and the company isn't trying to work around that. We're supposed to just work like we always do. Then they get pissy when we can't manage it all in the hours they give us.

Hours that they're cutting and with no overtime being allowed. Pfft.

Right now, I'm job hunting like mad because I'm getting the hell out of dodge. Just not without somewhere to go.

 

[darthzew]

Every year, you get an evaluation done by your manager and they decide how much to raise you there.

When I worked there and got my evals, management flat out told me that they were merely a technicality, and unless you were Christ reborn, everyone gets the minimum raise. I've heard the same from several reports on the matter in fact.

I heard that too, but I didn't stick around long enough to find out. I just decided not to believe it. I actually liked some of my managers, so I wanted to give them benefit of the doubt. In hindsight, that was a bad idea and I'm glad I quit.

I quit after I was cussed out by another associate for no reason*, had my department trashed because I reported him, and then management didn't do anything about it.

(*He worked third shift and got it into his head that second shift didn't work, so he took it out on me and a new kid.)