Does anyone know the process of knowing when and how long you have until they close your store ? I was told they give you at least 60 days notice. I figure the store manager would hold a morning rally and say that's it folks.
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I worked at a Kmart... If you are part-time, it's not worth staying around. The customers become extra b--chy and thing that the store closing signs really say "Let's Make a Deal" and you will think your name tag says "Monty Hall." They want to negotiate EVERYTHING! It's horrible
I came from a Kmart, so Sears might be somewhat different. Sometimes stores have been told about 2 or 3 weeks before the liquidation starts. We were told Friday Sept. 16 that we were closing by our DM. The liquidator came in the following Monday and introduced himself and told us some of what to expect. Then 3 days later, Sept. 22, we started the liquidation sale. Even with 8 weeks of severance and loads of overtime, it really wasn't worth what you have to go through. EVERYTHING in the store has to be individually priced as it gets moved several times. And your DC will send truckloads of stuff to be liquidated that just keeps coming.
How are commissioned/draw associates compensated? It would be horrible if they asked you guys to work more hours, sell dated merchandise (and probably help outside your department) without making up for the lack of commission opportunities.
Your DM will come to your store and tell the associates. The closing will have a start date and a end date. The end date may change. Ours did. Everything changes in liquidation. No more layaways. There is a chance for overtime, depends on the liquidator. All closing signs will be put up. Sales signs will be put up on a Friday, the sales will change every week, or every two weeks. If you are a full-time associates, please take your personal holiday, you do not get to keep them when your store closes. Vacation can be used up or your will get your vacation pay out on your last check. Max severance for associates is 8 weeks only, if you have 9 years, you will only get 8 weeks, if your have 20 years only weeks, If you have 2 years only 2 weeks severance pay. The store will have 12 weeks to close, from the start date to the end date. It will be a mad house of customers, and they will say, I am so sorry your guys are closing. Get ready for the madness.
When a store closes the DM will normally go to the store to tell the news to the team. This was before the accelerated closings don't know how this works now. From this point on you don't quite operate as a Sears store but simply a business in liquidation, you will receive trucks full of aged merchandise to unload and will have a liquidator that will try to sell absolutely everything in that building. On a positive note those who stay get a lot of hours
The WARN Act requires 60 days
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN Act) is a United States labor law which protects employees, their families, and communities by requiring most employers with 100 or more employees to provide 60 calendar-day advance notification of plant closings and mass layoffs of employees, as defined in the Act.
Do a little reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worker_Adjustment_and_Retraining_Notification_Act