Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Heads up -- Sears is going to take full advantage of the "will perform other duties as a signed"!

I'm a consultative sales associate in appliances. Over the past several weeks, my co-workers and I have been directed to do the following:

  • Cover breaks and lunches at softlines CACs

  • Check and empty fitting rooms

  • Assist with softlines and tools adset

  • Cover the breaks and lunches of backroom

  • Unbox and sort softlines on racks

  • Wprk planograms

  • Assemble grills and outdoor furniture

  • Set up and take down ceiling signs

  • Fold clothes and straighten softlines

  • Walk around to get hourly credit and SYW metrics for the email to upper management

  • Cover the breaks and lunches of tools/L&G

  • Even had to unload the truck a few times or push out an order to someone's car!

Our SM says it's a team effort and everyone should pitch in. Easier said than done, especially when you are absent from the situation, lol.

So, after 16 years, I put my notice in today. I haven't been in draw in years until NOW. I'm tired of losing opportunities every time I have to step out to help. Others are too. I'm tired of being scheduled to come in three hours on Sunday to do the softlines/tools adset which throws off my sales per hour which causes myself and others to go in draw.

This is ridiculous and it's bulls--t!! How many managers worked on commission? Probably very few! I don't think he'd be able to sell his way out of a paper bag!

I am not responsible for being a fill in for other departments because management REFUSES to come up with the hours or hire the help they need!!!

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Post ID: @OP+TbaKVSG

16 replies (most recent on top)

@TbaKVSG-1xdb If you defend yourself you can scare them off your back. You need to take your stand and don't let them bully you and step on you.

Another thing that takes the stress out of yourself is actually stop caring come do your job do your best and just leave. My SM is the most whiny one hes annoying and basically trys to pressure anyone he can. I learned to just go along with it and do what I can.

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Post ID: @1qey+TbaKVSG

The problem is that many people will put up with all the B.S. and corporate know it. They will cut benefits, cut commissions, cut hours and know that someone will still work for the company.

That is the problem people. Too many old timers hanging on and too many people putting up with all the stress and still coming to work. If everyone would just work to their hours, not do any off clock work, read their employment contract and do only what is in the employment contract and get every allowable thing under the law then SHC would be forced to treat you right.

I have a manager who called me every day and would talk work for hours until I told her that if you call me when I am off work you owe me three hours of pay. She stopped calling. I also was scheduled for 2.5 hour sometimes and they are required to pay for three. I have also complained about the unsage work condition and environmental hazards in the stores (i.e. black mold, no heat, no A/C, no ladders etc) After I threatened to call my lawyer things improved. Try it it works. The one thing they dont want is bad PR and a class action law suit.

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Post ID: @1xdb+TbaKVSG

Anyone think that this is a result of Simple Store?

Those who remain after the store layoffs are done are left to pick up the slack. It's a classic case of eliminating roles and heaping the responsibilities of the eliminated roles onto existing roles, with no pay raise on the horizon.

Look at leads: they do all the work of an ASM but see about a third or half of the pay. Or store support: they now have to do footwear, tools, fitness and lawn/garden in addition to their original roles in the backroom. No pay raise was given that I know of.

Someone posted on here that we were getting pay raises. That is very inaccurate. The only time anyone would be getting a pay raise is if minimum wage increased in their state and they were making minimum wage. If you earn more than the minimum wage, you will NOT receive a pay raise!

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Post ID: @1zqp+TbaKVSG

They don't want any full timer with alot of years of service

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Post ID: @wvf+TbaKVSG

You should write a pebble post about this.

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Post ID: @tbs+TbaKVSG

My manager tried something similar to this years ago when I still worked for sears. I think one appliance associate actually listened and helped the other areas. The others basically told him off and he left them alone.

I don’t know if this still applies but you should be compensated for any time you’re out of your area or off the sales floor entirely due to helping somewhere else. There’s a book you write your time spent in and they had to give you your benefit rate.

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Post ID: @zge+TbaKVSG

@TbaKVSG-rai Good post. You handled it well. The ones who were successful at stress leave had to go through their doctors and get the proper medical diagnosis and documentation. They didn't let anyone in the store know they were doing it until they gave the paperwork and documentation to store management and hr. I realize it won't work in every state but if done properly and strictly by the book it is possible in California.

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Post ID: @msw+TbaKVSG

@dci - Stress leave? I tried taking that a few weeks back and was laughed out of the office. Was told that stress leave didn't exist. So I improvised and dealt with the stress. I no longer concern myself with meeting metrics or battling all of the other BS. I show up on time when scheduled, give it my best shot, do "just" what is asked of me and nothing more, and if things don't pan out, well, que sera sera. Life will go on and being at Sears is only temporary.

It's not so bad anymore once you stop caring. You can't stress yourself out over a job that may not be there weeks or months from now. You can't be so absorbed into trying to appease an employer that could care less about you or your well being.

BTW, they haven't fired me yet.

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Post ID: @rai+TbaKVSG

Par for the course. Since you are consultative and have been there a while, I'm guessing you are full time. They want to get rid of as many fulltimers as they can, so they try all sorts of tricks to get you to quit.

And as far as working out of your department goes, they'll keep doing that since there's no incentive to hire extra people to work in those departments.

They'll just use existing employees to do the work of five others. If you get fed up and quit, they'll move on to the next guy. Rinse and repeat.

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Post ID: @sil+TbaKVSG

If it created such an onerous burden then quitting is the correct option - lotsa luck trying to find a job that fits your expectations of work especially in todays work environment. - remember you're just an expendable tool in the box nothing more, nothing less

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Post ID: @olf+TbaKVSG

Some of the salespeople in the Sears stores in our district are successfully going out on stress leave because of all the pressure to meet metrics and sales and being told to do the same things as the original poster at the same time.

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Post ID: @dci+TbaKVSG

It's another plan that was not thought out. This will lead to a further decline in sales and customer trust. More good sales people will leave or just have their morale crushed. New hires will come in that don't know anything or care as much. More turnover. It's just a matter of time. Get with a company that is innovating and really growing. Get away from one that is shrinking and becoming non relevant.

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Post ID: @jmk+TbaKVSG

Sears seems to want to rid itself of long time associates at this point.....Get the associates so angry that the associates will quit on their own.....We are losing long term associates in our store....They are getting tired of being called into the office and getting berated about credit apps and shop your way when there are hardly any customers in the store anymore to offer apps to or that want to apply....Some long term associates are resigning on tbe spot rather than giving notice....and Sears could not care less about it at this point.

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Post ID: @kkx+TbaKVSG

Very interesting I wonder if this will be happening in our store. The department that gets the most hours I believe is still appliances I wonder if they are going to have them do more outside work.

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Post ID: @elt+TbaKVSG

You will find something better. This is beating your head against a brick wall and expecting the wall to move. Nope. You're just getting a bruised and bloody face. I'm glad you have notice.

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Post ID: @lpf+TbaKVSG

You are full commission, you should be in your department at all times!

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Post ID: @lxa+TbaKVSG

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