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Victoria's Secret Complaint - Managers don't really care about your safety - Sales
Sales - Complaint
WASHINGTON -- I started working at Victoria's Secret in the summer and I was so excited that I was able to work again espically at one of my number one favorite stores. In my first week I worked about 16 hours. Then after a month I they had me only work for on Sundays when my availability was open. I was only getting 4 hours a week. Then I noticed that they were hiring like 10 new people. I thought it was odd because why was I getting only 4 hours a week, and they were hiring 10 more associates. I figured they needed them for when the holidays arrived. Things started to look bad when they didn't even give me any hours for a whole week. This started to bother me because I really needed money. Finally when ony my next shift I talked to another associated and she told me she was quitting because she wasn't getting enough hours either. I don't understand why they hire so many people but they don't give them enough hours. By my 4th months working there with still little hours I was getting really fed up. I only had worked 4 times in one month. The pay wasn't worth it I was only getting 8.55 an hour which is next to nothing with the little bit of hours I was getting. I always felt behind from bras we were launching because I felt like I was never there. I needed to be caught up and I had to figure it all out on my own. But then I really felt the lack of respect when I couldn't make it to work because of a snow storm. Where I lived we got about 5 inches and I couldn't drive at all. My mother had called me from her work telling that I shouldn't go to work because the roads were very dangerous and no one was driving. My shift was at 4 and I called them at 10 am asking them if they could give me a number of someone who could cover my shift. My manager didn't give me a anyones number she said that I should just plan ahead. I knew someone could cover my shift, after all we had so many associates. Then I called again at 2 pm and the store manager picked up as I started to explain that I couldn't leave my house and she completely cut me off and scornfully said I was an adult and I should get a friend to drive me and it was going to be a busy week. She than said it was unacceptable that my mother called in (which I had no idea). Anyways she didn't let me explain. So I asked a friend if could drive me. My mother was right the roads were slick. My friend hit the brake because a car came out of nowhere and we ended up crashing into a telephone pole. He got a concusion and I bruised my ribs. Luckily thats all that happened. But from that day I quit Victoria's Secret because obviously they didn't care about our safety, and it wasn't worth risking it for 8.55 an hour on a day that would obviously be slow do to the whether. I find that to be very unprofessional. Hopefully not all managers are like that.
Comments:
Posted by Buddy01 on 2010-12-22:
It could be that part of the problem was your lack of open availability except for Sundays. Perhaps you weren't available when they needed you and that's part of the reason your hours were cut while more people were hired. Most stores have a problem with people limiting their availability. It makes it difficult to schedule people. It sure must have been embarrassing to find out your mother called for you.
Posted by werelucky on 2010-12-22:
When I was 18 I had a job interview on a day with a six inch snowstorm. I left extra early to give me adequate time. I showed up early for the interview and all they said was " when do you want to start?". If you don't know why they have cut your hours I suggest you start looking for another job in a different field.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-12-22:
"when my availability was open" I take that to mean that you were unable to fit their schedule into your schedule and that would be a problem with any business.
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-12-22:
from the sounds of the accident, your friend was driving too fast for the conditions.
Posted by Venice09 on 2010-12-22:
I took "when my availability was open" to mean that the OP was available at all times. That's just my read, and I could be wrong. I think this was the OP's only job.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-12-22:
Yea, V, you could read it that way also.
Posted by FlShopper on 2010-12-22:
I took it the same way as Venice.
Sometimes a store will hire more people because it needs more bodies working at one time, not one person working a long(er) shift. It does seem unfair that you weren't getting as many hours as you wanted; that's an issue you should've sat down to discuss with your manager. As for the weather...unless the snowstorm closed the store, you were still responsible for showing up at your scheduled time. I did work at VS for a few years; several of my coworkers and I exchanged phone numbers in case we needed to get one another to cover our shifts. Your manager was right..you should've been better prepared.
And ask your Mom not to call your job again. That really didn't look good for you.
Sometimes a store will hire more people because it needs more bodies working at one time, not one person working a long(er) shift. It does seem unfair that you weren't getting as many hours as you wanted; that's an issue you should've sat down to discuss with your manager. As for the weather...unless the snowstorm closed the store, you were still responsible for showing up at your scheduled time. I did work at VS for a few years; several of my coworkers and I exchanged phone numbers in case we needed to get one another to cover our shifts. Your manager was right..you should've been better prepared.
And ask your Mom not to call your job again. That really didn't look good for you.
Posted by momsey on 2010-12-22:
Not to sound harsh, but maybe they didn't give you as many hours because they didn't like how you worked. They don't owe you any number of hours.
And as far as the snowstorm, assuming you are an adult, then you need to make your own decisions about whether or not you can get to work. Your boss is not going to tell you not to come when the store is open. If you think it's too bad out, then you need to just tell them you can't come. I've never taken a risk like that to get to a job. The worst they can do is fire you. It's a tough lesson to learn. When you get another job, they will have the same answer for you.
And as far as the snowstorm, assuming you are an adult, then you need to make your own decisions about whether or not you can get to work. Your boss is not going to tell you not to come when the store is open. If you think it's too bad out, then you need to just tell them you can't come. I've never taken a risk like that to get to a job. The worst they can do is fire you. It's a tough lesson to learn. When you get another job, they will have the same answer for you.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-12-22:
Well put momsey.
Posted by Anonymous on 2010-12-22:
Plant
Posted by Inat on 2010-12-22:
unless your store/employer is closed or you have a snow EMERGENCY (like level 2 or 3), you should always arrive at work at your scheduled time. No arguing, no questions. And your MOM called your employer?! How embarrassing and unprofessional
Posted by clutzycook on 2010-12-22:
No, the mom called the OP from her job to say that she shouldn't go to work.
Posted by FlShopper on 2010-12-22:
Actually, the mom *did* call in:
"She than said it was unacceptable that my mother called in (which I had no idea)."
"She than said it was unacceptable that my mother called in (which I had no idea)."
Posted by Inat on 2010-12-22:
unless an employer is violating your civil rights or violating labor laws, they can tell you to do whatever they want and give you whatever hours they see fit. It is up to you, the employee, to make yourself available for MORE hours, get to work on time, and take what your manager says without argument.
Posted by Venice09 on 2010-12-22:
The OP was available for more hours.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-12-22:
clutzy, "unacceptable that my mother called in (which I had no idea)" gotta read page 2.
Venice, the op has not yet explained that statement that could also be taken as having to work around her schedule.
Venice, the op has not yet explained that statement that could also be taken as having to work around her schedule.
Posted by Venice09 on 2010-12-22:
I know, jkt, but I read the review again and really do think the OP was available. I was responding to Inat's comment, but I guess we shouldn't assume one way or the other.
Posted by jktshff1 on 2010-12-22:
Yep, without that input, it's only speculation.
Posted by Ytropious on 2010-12-22:
Um WELCOME TO RETAIL. Most of my seasonals only get 10-16 hours a week during season. Out of season the ones that are left get maybe 4-8.
Posted by trmn8r on 2010-12-22:
I haven't worked retail, but I was close to the people at a local chain restaurant that has ~30 servers.
What I have observed is that a few servers never got more than a handful of hours a week. They ended up leaving. I'm pretty sure that they were deemed less capable than their colleagues. I wonder if this is related. Retail sounds like a rough profession to me - in industry you can suck and they still pay you for a 40 hour week.
What I have observed is that a few servers never got more than a handful of hours a week. They ended up leaving. I'm pretty sure that they were deemed less capable than their colleagues. I wonder if this is related. Retail sounds like a rough profession to me - in industry you can suck and they still pay you for a 40 hour week.
Posted by FlShopper on 2010-12-22:
momsey also makes a good point. When there's only a limited amount of hours a manager has to work with, and a lot of employees, the manager is apt to give extra hours to the best workers.
Posted by localgod on 2010-12-23:
Availability + Effort + Attitude = Hours in retail. If you are not willing to give all 3, your hours will wane. Regarding the snow storm, I have never seen an organization shut down because the weather is inclement, here in Florida we have worked through hurricanes, it is the epitome of professionalism.
Posted by Venice09 on 2010-12-23:
Where I live here in New York, entire malls shut down during severe snowstorms. It just wouldn't be practical or cost efficient to stay open considering there are no customers and few employees. It makes sense for stores that provide supplies needed in severe weather conditions to stay open for as long as possible.
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