Age Discrimination

Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 373

I can look at the schedule for my store and see that those over 40 are being scheduled the fewest hours. Sixteen year olds are being scheduled 30 hours a week (and call off or goof off for half of them). Now I wonder if there is something in Sears HC that makes them think that older people are some how more expensive to keep on the payroll? Now it doesn't make sense - since most employees don't get any benefits of any kind and basically everyone earns Federal minimum wage of 7.25 an hour - but I am not sure that the people who do the scheduling really do crunch the numbers on this sort of thing. I am sure once upon a time that when people actually did get health insurance - that someone who is older cost them more - now that isn't true - cause almost no employees and definitely not part timers get health insurance. I notice if they get 100 people applying for a job (I see them applying in store) - only the teenagers get called in to interview. Can anyone in HR explain this? Because they hire these teenagers and they have no work ethic at all - and just act like everything is a total joke. I have worked since I was 15 and have never gotten away with the kind of behavior they display. Now I do realize some young people are serious and do work hard - just don't see that happening in my store.

Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 730

hi. i'm from another store here. this isn't about age discrimination, but another very scary one.

are you guys ready for a good laugh??

this is absolutley true. it is about DIME discrimination. yes, DIME disrimination.

macy's will not be replenishing our cash drawers with DIMES. yes, you read that right. when you are done laughing, read it again. yes, they will TAKE dimes, but not replenish the drawer with any rolls of dimes.

is this the most idiotic thing you have ever heard??

nickels are twice as heavy and the rolls themselves take up more room in the vault/drawers. now we have to give out twice as many nickels.
what is the logic here?

yes, kids, your store isn't the only ***ked up place to work. Thumbs Up

way to go , macy's . you count.

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 483

Sears doesn't use or refill dimes either.

Dimes actually make no sense to stock for obvious reasons.

Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 222

Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 183

If you can prove a pattern, and the "older" folks are as good a job if not better, the EEOC would like to talk to you. It is free!

Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 383

It may take a year but finally the EEOC is going to investigate my situation,but get your state representative to oversee the investigation. If enough people get behind this we just might stop the retailiation and age discrimination going on in this company.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6309

Age can be a tricky thing at times. I've had managers that don't want to deal with the imaturity of teenagers but don't want to have to wait for a 65 year old to complete a task.

I've been to job fairs where I've only seen the young & beautiful get an interview where many old folks get a chance to leave their resume.

Many at SHLD tend to over burden those who they know that can do the job to the point of burn out or it's simply not worth it. To them it's immediate productivity results. Funnything is that I've heard people 50ish complaining about the speed of people in their 60s but there is something to be said for slow and steady-and no or few mistakes.

And what ever your age if you voluntarily jump 3 ft this time...next time they will demand 4 ft.

At SHLD unless you grow bunny legs and fish lips you will niether get promoted or hours.

Joined: 18 Jul 2004 Posts: 72

Have you thought about the fact that "older" candidates have higher pay expectations that would compensate them for their prior work experiences? Since the "pay for work" program has been suspended and we cannot go above the "federally mandated minimum wage," the older, wiser, more seasoned candidates turn us down based on the fact that they cannot be compensated for the experience they bring to the work force. It's just a theory, but it's worth a thought. This makes sense for the hourly positions; but it also makes sense in department commissions, too. Some of the people who are in their 30's and 40's seem to want a paycheck that is stable (straight commission vs draw, or even hourly base rate + commission) doesn't give a firm amount that someone with obligations can count on whereas the younger people can "roll the dice" and make it work whereas someone with one or two kids, perhaps a mortgage, or other "adult" obligations aren't as willing to roll the dice on how much their paycheck may vary from pay period to pay period.

Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 222

Joined: 15 Feb 2009 Posts: 383

I'd settle for minimum wage if guaranteed 40 hours a week, scheduled in the hours I'm available. After 9 years I'm barely making a little over a dollar and change over that anyway. But minimum wage parttime is a joke, especially when it takes two people to make the wage of one. A lot of the younger kids can always call home to mommy or daddy when they need extra money to keep their roof over their head, or the power on. Some of us don't have that luxury.

I've seen some 65 year olds that can work anyone under the table including me. Don't think they are all slow, they aren't, since that's a common misconception. Age does not determine how fast or how well you can do the job.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6309

Funnything what allthesame said about an experienced adult may not want the lower compensation because of their experience. I had an SGM stress to the HR hire them young and DUMB-he stressed DUMB after some dealings with an adult worker. He wanted someone he could train or indoctrinate HIS WAY... He used to get very mad when people would not jump for him.

And I think that's alot of the reason many shy away from older workers-not just because of the pay expectation but they want' someone who won't question or think. They want a blank slate for their training/indoctrination process.

There is the standard HR logic of find the candidate/applicant that will most likely stay but longevity these days is meaningless in most industries. Retail in particular since it has alot of entry level jobs and hire alot of candidates for tax breaks ie welfare to work,some on unemployment or food stamps. But in their mind it's not just about taxes it's about an employee they feel they can manipulate into doing ANYTHING to keep the job ( in other words they want someone scared to leave the job, they want you boxed in into keeping the job and tolerating their crap ). But that doesn't work because most are smart enough to know the pay sucks and will look elsewhere or won't be that motivated-I've seen it happen from those demographics.

I think AIX- sums it up well. They lure an adult or mature enough employee with a commission job under the premise/pretense you have the chance to make lots of money. Most eventually realize the realities of the job rather fast.

But the lack of good pay & treatment lead to the lack of motivated employees which WILL affect the health of the entire company as it has for the last decade in particular.

Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 373

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