I was fired from Sam's. I tried to take my life by overdosing on meds. I was put in the hospital and given treatment and psychiatric help. I applied for an LOA and my GM was made aware of the situation. When I returned, he stated "I hope you enjoyed your vacation." What kind of monsters do they make GMs and why did I deserve that. Someone else in the club has asked me to share my story and report it. I doubt they do anything, but why is this ok!? What should I do!?
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I used to be a manager for Sams for 10 years. I left because i was the only manager that cared about my associate's well-being more than a visit from Regional AP, I spoke up i wanted to move up to GM and was told i was too nice and caring, I was later held accountable for "poor Business decision" all because my leads wife died of Cancer and i approved his extra time off. He only had PTO left as a lot of his PPTO was used for her care before passing. I was told i should have Terminated him for points instead of approving them and allowing him to use his PTO. I'm sorry but i strongly believe that if you take care of your associates, they will take care of you. Sam's does not care for it's associates the way they used to. I worked in 3 clubs in different areas I know how to run every department and if i wasn't sure i figured it out. I worked the floor with my associates and if someone needed to leave i filled their spot. My team would do anything i asked of them if i was working. Other managers complained because they would ask and people would say no. I asked them to jump they said how high. It's a give and take. You can't expect people to bust A$$ for people who don't make them feel appreciated more than a silly pizza party. I would use my own money from time to time and buy the whole team Lunch if we knocked out big projects. At some point you have to learn to let go and i was tired of the constant fight and watching my back. I miss it but i would only ever go back if they treat the associates better. The Gm's are trained to not care for the associates and to disassociate with everyone. All my training was Clean neat and straight, Associates are pawns and if they step out of line term. I guess i failed cause i never saw Associates as just pawns. Everyone has a family to go home too and care for. Balance should be life and work not work then life. I learned that the hard way after my 10 years there and working all hours of the day and night. Another instance on proof they train their GM's to disassociate, I was the closing manager one night and was in a car accident on my way (t-boned in a busy intersection lady was on her phone ran a red light) in I was in the hospital being checked out and my GM called and asked what hospital he would come get me so i could work my shift and get me an uber home in the morning. I declined and returned to work the next day arm was in a sling and he was furious i couldn't drive a lift for 3 weeks. I ended up driving anyway after a few days i was tired of the comments he kept making.
Calling Ethics is the only way to get anything done about anyone there, or at least it was when I left. There's something very wrong with the way Sam's trains managers. I don't know what it is because I never went through that training, but you see things like that all the time there. The entire company is rotten. I say call Ethics and file a report. Since I left the company, there are so many things I wish I'd reported. I came here to see what kind of awful things they're doing now and saw your post. Report it.
We had a 25 year associate who NEVER complained. Literally every time someone would ask what he thought about something going on in the club he would just say the managers were doing their best or some other non controversial comment. In about a two year stretch he had prostate cancer , went through treatment and then his wife got cancer. He used a lot of PTO being with her through her treatment. Then one day he came in and told the GM that his own cancer was back. When he came to the breakroom he was showing anger. That was monumental for him. When he told the GM his cancer was back She spouted off that he had already used almost all his PTO being out for his wife !!!! That nasty @@@@ had not compassion at all !! Not even Oh wow I hope you are ok !! Well , Karma ya Know, she got fired later after that for stealing from the company through gift cards.
Sorry you had this experience. It would be interesting to know what exactly you got terminated for? I feel there is more to the story here. Did you have Coachings going into LOA or have any coming back from LOA that might have put you over the limit into termination? Something isn’t adding up. I honestly don’t feel you got fired for being out on LOA.
I would have responded i hope you have one even more successful than mine.
What a sad excuse of a manager.
Sorry that happened to you. I hope you have the courage to report it.
Stay strong.
Report it!
Call Ethics Hotline and report the GM.