How would you feel?

Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 12

I'm actually planning on sitting down with one my managers on Friday to talk about this.

I work in domestics, and on slow nights, and when our staff is low, I can run my section alone, start and edit bridal registries, assist with luggage, lend a hand at housewares and recover for most of the night. I don't mind doing all of it, because I take pride in my work. I love being able to assist customers with ease and certainty.

Well, the managers the run the sections above us, like womans clothing and mens, "seemingly" have multiple people call out, and need some extra help to keep clean.

As you most of you already know, the basement is pretty much slow Mon-Fri [unless we have sale], while the rest of the store could be pretty busy. When the upper floors need help, they usually grab people from our department to go up and lend a hand. When I first started 7 months ago, it was okay, I thought of it as an "experience to learn the rest of the store.'

Now it's becoming extremely frustrating. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, but I've really taken a lot of time to learn what I know. So on Tuesday, which is primarily a late night for full-time employees, I came in and worked for a good hour. We had a floating manager that night, who kept complimenting me on my hard work. She eventually got a call from another manager, who was in need of help in moderate. She proceeded to tell me to go, without a second thought.

I went, with a grain a salt in my mouth. When I finally made it up to the floor, I looked around to see where this huge line was. I walked over to the register, and noticed 2 people on line, with a fair amount of clothes ready for recovery. That turned the grain into a ball. I proceeded to call my manager in the basement and asked "why am I up here?" She told me that she'd 'work' on getting me back. The night was almost over, I knew I was stuck.

So, as the night continued it started to pick up at the register, because we we're closing. I have this motto, "We close at 9:30, and my line closes at 9:31." I don't get paid past 10pm, and I'd like to all my work done within that half hour. Once I announced that, the manager proceeded to tell me that this was the only register open on the floor, and I needed to stay open" O'kay, in my head I was saying "Well, about 10 people online, with huge mounds of clothing, with more on the way, I'm guessing I'm not leaving at 10."

At 9:50, when people were clocking out, I was just starting to close my first of two registers. As I walked downstairs, to make the deposit, I saw my manager. She shouted out my name with a burst of energy, "How was the 2nd floor?" I just kept walking, I didn't say a word. I was just so mad at the entire situation. It felt like I was paying the consequences of others calling out. In 7 months of me being there, I haven't called out once. By the time I was done, it was 10pm, so I clocked out, and left the mess they way it was [I don't usually do that. I've stayed multiple times past 10 to help clean].

The main thing that bothered me the most, is that I may not have been there all that long, but I work hard, and I do have a few months seniority over a few people on my floor, who had could have went up over me.

What makes it so bad, is that when I first started I topped out at at maybe 12 hours. I took a good while for me to make my way up to 30 hours, even at NPT. Now, Senior management wants to tell me that they cut hours, and my hours are resuming back at 12 weekly. Why don't you just float me the extra hours up there, instead of hiring more and more new people?

I want the opinion of you guys, am I wrong to be a little frustrated at this? If I am, I'll just suck it up, and keep ringing people.

Posted: Thu Jun 05, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

I understand why you are upset. But I don't think that anything will change. As I was told, "Macy's is not flexible, YOU must be flexible as to WHEN you work, as well as WHERE you work."

Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 158

by any chance, do you know if there were any OCA's working that night? i would think they would pull an OCA instead of an associate in a base position.

now, they do have every right to pull you. you must a good associate if they pull you a lot. i bet it is also annoying and i can understand your frustration, but there is not much that be done. you have every right to make your feelings known to your manager though.

also, if you are pulled to do receovery, and you are recovering for two hours or more, ask for non productive time.

why do you say you do not get paid after 10pm??? you should be paid until you clock out.

Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 296

In my old store, we were always perplexed why the Home Store associates were always pulled to clothing areas, but not vice versa. Our theory was that Home Store associates tend to be better workers, and more conscientious. But, I think in the long run you have to do what they tell you to do. Go in the stockroom and kick a box. I would say something to your manager, but I don't think it will matter.

Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 12

I just had to get that off my chest. I know it's a job I just wish it was different. The naivety of being young I guess.

As far as wages, If I come in like 10 minutes late, I know I reclaim those minutes by staying later. But, when I come in on-time, and leave maybe 20 later than usual, I only get the 4 full hours, not the extra 20.

We did have one OCA's, and they pulled her that night also. Same department.

Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 394

One Day Sale, are you the one who decided we would be open from 9-11 on your namesake sale days???? Cause if you are.................................................... Evil or Very Mad

Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 856 Location: ole wrap stand

what are OCAs.. Doh!

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 2:48 am Post subject:

I still don't understand why you don't get paid until your clockout time...this should not be the case unless you were salary and as a sales associate I am sure that you are not

Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 158

oca's....on call associates.

yes...you should be paid until the time you clock out. do you ever check your punches in insite the next day.

when you clock out, you should print out your time for that day at the register. that is horrible. nobody should be playing with your time like that. they could be fired.

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:11 am Post subject:

I completely sympathize with you ONE on your predicament but understand that this is Macy's and they have the right to flex people to any department they choose. When I worked in fine jewelry, a customer had me stuck for forty minutes and I still had to close up my department, pull jewelry out of the cases, and lock them up in the safe! It took me nearly an hour and fifteen minutes to close and the closing manager had the gall to reprimand me for it! They were also mad that I was soaking in some over time as well! So I made it a point to close up shop thirty minutes early before the store closes and get my behind out of the department ASAP before the store closes! My advice to you is they want you abuse you for all your hard work, then make them pay you for it! Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 4:31 am Post subject:

I believe that depends on state law and what they can legally get away with.

Joined: 15 May 2008 Posts: 170

I seriously agree about state laws. I know that New York state laws prohibit a manager from tampering with a worker's clockings. If a worker accidently works overtimes, the employer is required to pay them that money, unless if the manager tells them not to work any overtime. Macy's is not responsible for your well being off the clock--in other words, if you are injured for working off the clock, Macy's is not liable.

Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject:

ODS, if you are working, you MUST be on the clock! If you have clocked out, DO NOT do anymore work! This is for Macy's protection, as well as your own.
You should be paid for any time that you work. You don't work for free!

Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 299

all i can say is..... "welcome to macy's". they like to abuse and screw with you. as stated above, definitely print up a copy of all your clockings ( i always do !), and NEVER, NEVER work off the clock. like stated above also, if you get hurt, YOU ARE F**KED. macy's is NOT liable. never work for free.

as for leaving a mess when it's time to go? guess what? the next shift in will just have to deal with it. there were tons of rolling racks in 2 depts i was in today and even 2 people could never get it down. they expect 1 to do it , as well as ring up customers all day, too.

pulling you to work in another dept? may co. did it for YEARS. and macy's does it all the time, too !!

keep a reliable employee in their dept where they can actually give great customer service? no, that would make sense. why would they do that? no, sometimes they'll just pull you into a dept when they don't really need you, but they want to show that 3 people for example were in that dept that day last year, so THIS year they need to fill it with 3....even tho a department like Macy Woman for example is left totally unmanned. meanwhile loads of customers (no pun intended) (hee) are walking around shopping for clothes, and no one is there to help them. then they have to lug all their stuff to other depts - quite a walk sometimes.

they are all friggin idiots (most of em, at least) and have NO CLUE what real customer service is, or what it costs to GIVE IT !!!

yeh, welcome to macy's. get out now, while you still have your sanity and self respect.

Doh!

wow. i had a bad day. can ya tell? Mad

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 4:53 am Post subject:

Ummm.... Didn't Macy's replace Customer Service with Guest Services? I believe that since we as customers aren't staying the night we aren't guests and they don't have to provide service......

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 1:03 pm Post subject:

Normarae, sorry that you had a bad day.
You are totally correct, Macy's has no respect for product knowledge.
I can't believe that they even try to tell us about "customer service", b/c it's such a joke! If they truely wanted to provide OUTSTANDING customer service, they would adequately staff the floor. Period.

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 2:15 pm Post subject:

Next is self check out. I tell you when they put those in you will hear them in your sleep!

One of the Macy's here in Atlanta has centralized checkouts. There is a section of registers at each entrance/exit, jewelry, cosmetics, and I can't remember if there is one in the home department or not. I know they have bridal registry there so they may have a register. There are NO registers to be found any where on the sales floor. So if you want to check out then you must trek to the doors.

This particular store is fairly nice though, the last time I was there they had the new dressing rooms and TV's for the customers to watch while we waited on someone to try on clothes. I really liked those. They were much nicer than the whole in the wall dressing rooms that Bloomingdale's offers.......

Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 856 Location: ole wrap stand

FOM..We must have something better than Blooming Dales..rofl..Believe me we are all waiting for those wonderful central wrap stands..Because MACYS cant be both type of stores..Sears/MAY CO..notice I didnt pick any other Department store..because we all are great workers in so many different department stores..GO TEAM!!! Rock on!

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:08 pm Post subject:

Self checkouts! Interesting idea! Now if only they start making announcements in the store like, "Attention Macy's Customers! Blue Light Special in the Macy's Woman Department! Half off all Charter Club mumus!" Evil or Very Mad

Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 10:58 pm Post subject:

ATTENTION MACY'S SHOPPER THERE IS A RED LIGHT SPECIAL IN MACYS WOMAN ON ALL SIZE 28 + CHARTER AND COMPANY ITEMS! SWING OVER TODAY AND SAVE UP TO 75%, AND IF YOU USE YOUR MACY'S STAR REWARDS CARD YOU WILL SAVE ANOTHER 20%! AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING MACY'S AND HAVE AN OUTSTANDING DAY!

Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 296

There was a store in Atlanta that put in some self-service areas. It didn't work, so they pulled them out. Customers wanted that personal touch.

Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:10 am Post subject:

I expect it when I am paying Macy's prices.

Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 12:12 am Post subject:

MAYcylady, I have a bone to pick with you! It is 103 degrees outside. I am fixing to melt! Did you do this????????

I miss 80 suddenly!

Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 296

I was wondering the same thing. It is 100 here in Greenville SC on the edge of the mountains. There is no relief in sight until maybe next weekend.

Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 12

I really like working there, don't get me wrong. My co-workers make it fun, and helping customers is a big thing for me.

Maybe it's me, but I know I just care a lot. My manager, who's on vacation this week, works hard to keep his department tip-top. So, he usually protects me from leaving, but when he has no choice, I know it will be for a good reason if I'm sent out of department.

I mean, our store is so bad right now, most items people look for, especially on registries, we don't have, so we need the people who know how to offer solutions to customers, instead of offering the 'we don't have it' phrase.

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