So a work question

[why?]

so here's a question, is it better to quit or get fired?

Basically, i am working a crap job until the good job i know i am getting can officially pay me.

It is as a cashier at one of those warehouse clubs, and they have an idiotic policy. The write up cashiers who miss any item worth over $10, which is absurd when you realize a normal cashiering shift you would do over $10 grand in stuff. That means you get in trouble for missing one tenth of one percent.

So basically i will eventually get fired, because it is simply not possible to not miss something when you are that busy. I just don't know whether or not I should just say screw it and quit first. I am really tempted to, and then screw the company over by making their stupidity as public as possible.

[carnageehw]

1)That's not a horrible policy. I've been a cashier, and you shouldn't really "miss" items. (I'm assuming miss means to not even scan or charge for an item)

2)Why burn a bridge if you don't have to. Looking back, your crappy part time job won't be all that bad. You'll have good stories and (likely) met some good friends.

3) Yeah, go public with "Retail store treats part time employees badly". STOP THE PRESSES!!!!

[JumpmanYaris]

Get fired, I mean NOT but by all means just do what u got to do at work if u get fired just go get unemployment, now u get paid and ur not working lol

[why?]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

1)That's not a horrible policy. I've been a cashier, and you shouldn't really "miss" items. (I'm assuming miss means to not even scan or charge for an item)

2)Why burn a bridge if you don't have to. Looking back, your crappy part time job won't be all that bad. You'll have good stories and (likely) met some good friends.

3) Yeah, go public with "Retail store treats part time employees badly". STOP THE PRESSES!!!!

It really is. I've been a cashier in way to many stores doing way too many different things. The stores own policy's make this type of thing more probable, plus they are writing you up for something they actually caught. Mistakes happen in every store, and when you are turning over cashier's like water, something is wrong in the policy. I guarantee you if retail stores only had one tenth of one percent in stolen/missing goods they would be ecstatic.

So Just get fired, what does that accomplish? BTW, this place has fired 6 cashiers in the past month, and I have met exactly 2 people who have been a cashier their for a year or more. 99% of the staff is brand new.

Their is a huge difference between being treated badly and unfair or illegal business practices. Labor Laws and unions exist for a reason, and while i am avowedly anti-union, I seriously think this place needs a union.

Originally Posted by JumpmanYaris

Get fired, I mean NOT but by all means just do what u got to do at work if u get fired just go get unemployment, now u get paid and ur not working lol

That is what really annoys me. I applied for unemployment, and sat not getting anything for two weeks before the claim went through. I got this job before I got paid anything, and unemployment is only good if you lose your job"through no fault of your own"meaning you can't get it if you get fired or quit.

[carnageehw]

Originally Posted by why?

It really is.

So what's stopping people from "missing" an item every now and then when their friends come through. A store being anal over under balancing every now and then can be annoying, but actually missing an item? That's pretty bad.

The stores own policy's make this type of thing more probable

True. Many policies are horrible.

plus they are writing you up for something they actually caught

Wait, we are talking about the same thing right? How do they catch the fact that you forgot to scan an item before the transaction is over?

Mistakes happen in every store, and when you are turning over cashier's like water, something is wrong in the policy.

If cashiers are constantly not scanning items, the store SHOULD be turning over it's employees. Because they suck.

So Just get fired, what does that accomplish?

Just quit.

BTW, this place has fired 6 cashiers in the past month, and I have met exactly 2 people who have been a cashier their for a year or more. 99% of the staff is brand new.

You can't have a cashier who does not scan items regularly.

[JumpmanYaris]

Why?

that is not always true I know lots of people who got fired for breaking company policy and still get unemployment checks not to mention filing for extensions and getting it

[why?]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

So what's stopping people from "missing" an item every now and then when their friends come through. A store being anal over under balancing every now and then can be annoying, but actually missing an item? That's pretty bad.

True. Many policies are horrible.

Wait, we are talking about the same thing right? How do they catch the fact that you forgot to scan an item before the transaction is over?

If cashiers are constantly not scanning items, the store SHOULD be turning over it's employees. Because they suck.
Just quit.

You can't have a cashier who does not scan items regularly.

It really isn't. you might be misunderstanding a little. It is one of those warehouse places, where they check everything at the door. So someone else looks at the receipt before the customer leaves the store. There is literally no way to know if the customer chose to add an item after they were rung up, and the store would blame the cashier in that situation.

Trust me, something else is going on. It is probably attempts at theft, and people might get things by the people at the door at a regular basis. Because when they don't get by, they don't get blamed, the cashiers get blamed.

I have over a decade of experience as a cashier, in grocery, bookstores, all over. I don't miss items. The majority of the cashiers that were fired were not brand new people, they were the few people that chose to stick it out for the long haul, probably the only few people who have been with the company for a few years.

If it was one cashier, ok they might stink. But when it is many cashiers, most who were with the company a long time, something else is going on.

Not to mention punishing someone when the company did not lose any money at all. Especially such a minute percentage. A union would change that policy...

Originally Posted by JumpmanYaris

Why?

that is not always true I know lots of people who got fired for breaking company policy and still get unemployment checks not to mention filing for extensions and getting it

hmm, that is interesting. I wonder, I do live in Mass, maybe this being one of the most left leaning states around might pay off.

[Betrivent]

So you work at Costco.

[Mead]

If unemployment is important... before doing anything I would check the UI rules in your state, MA is pretty liberal right? u should get some form of UI. State clearly why ur leaving in writing, this will help during your UI interview (btw UI = unemployment insurance)

quitting is better that gettin fired, ur next job might reference your last job and it shouldn't affect ur UI eligibility

[ilikerice]

quitting is better that gettin fired, ur next job might reference your last job and it shouldn't affect ur UI eligibility

+1. Quiting on your own terms is more easily explained to a future employer then getting fired for reason you dont agree with.

[carnageehw]

Originally Posted by why?

It really isn't. you might be misunderstanding a little. It is one of those warehouse places, where they check everything at the door.

So the cashiers are not right by the exit like a normal place? The customers pay and then its still easy for them to walk around the store?

Okay, that definitely makes it likely people are just stealing and the store is blaming the cashiers. Seems like if its a fireable offence they should be willing to check security cameras to back up the cashiers story though.

And a union won't work. Not for a retail chain store anyway. Working retail is a hard, thankless job, but let's face it, it isn't a job where you need a high level of training. Unions only work if its hard to replace the talent.

Stores will always have a long list of students looking for part time jobs.

[nemelek]

I used to say that you can't fire me. I quit working a long time ago. Seriously I wouldn't burn any bridges. Never know what the future brings.

[TLyttle]

Skip that job, go get an apprenticeship, get a trade. What you are doing now is a McJob and has no secure future. GET A TRADE!!!

[yaris-me]

It gives me great pleasure to know that you're in this situation.

[frownonfun]

yeah definitely don't burn a bridge at some crappy BS minimum wage job. where will you ever find another one of those?!! *rolls eyes*

i mean seriously people, bridge burning???? he's a cashier!! lol. if people only knew how many BS minimum wage jobs i've walked off from, and yet somehow, by the grace of god i'm able to find more BS minimum wage jobs. how DO i do it?!?!

i'm of the opinion that if a company treats you like crap and obviously has no respect for it's employees than who gives a rats about burning bridges. i'd rather collect cans or deliver phone books than work at a place with crap policies/management.

[carnageehw]

Originally Posted by frownonfun

yeah definitely don't burn a bridge at some crappy BS minimum wage job. where will you ever find another one of those?!! *rolls eyes*

i mean seriously people, bridge burning???? he's a cashier!! lol. if people only knew how many BS minimum wage jobs i've walked off from, and yet somehow, by the grace of god i'm able to find more BS minimum wage jobs. how DO i do it?!?!

i'm of the opinion that if a company treats you like crap and obviously has no respect for it's employees than who gives a rats about burning bridges. i'd rather collect cans or deliver phone books than work at a place with crap policies/management.

What benefit do you gain from burning a bridge?

Unless you are seriously wronged, going out in a "blaze of glory" is just something immature little snots talk about doing.

You don't owe them anything, so just leave like an adult.

[frownonfun]

Originally Posted by carnageehw

What benefit do you gain from burning a bridge?

Unless you are seriously wronged, going out in a "blaze of glory" is just something immature little snots talk about doing.

You don't owe them anything, so just leave like an adult.

I guess I'm confused. I was assuming that we were considering quitting to be burning a bridge. Which is what I was advocating.

So I guess if my post wasn't clear what I suggest the OP do is quit. Do the two weeks notice thing if you want or don't, it doesn't really matter. The point is if you're THAT unhappy then just quit. And don't set out to burn a bridge but if that's what happens, well, c'est la vie.

[why?]

Originally Posted by Betrivent

So you work at Costco.

nope. The nearest Costco is over an hour, if not more, from where I live. One of its competitors.

Originally Posted by Mead

If unemployment is important... before doing anything I would check the UI rules in your state, MA is pretty liberal right? u should get some form of UI. State clearly why ur leaving in writing, this will help during your UI interview (btw UI = unemployment insurance)

quitting is better that gettin fired, ur next job might reference your last job and it shouldn't affect ur UI eligibility

It isn't important, but I really wish I didn't take this job.

Originally Posted by carnageehw

So the cashiers are not right by the exit like a normal place? The customers pay and then its still easy for them to walk around the store?

Okay, that definitely makes it likely people are just stealing and the store is blaming the cashiers. Seems like if its a fireable offence they should be willing to check security cameras to back up the cashiers story though.

And a union won't work. Not for a retail chain store anyway. Working retail is a hard, thankless job, but let's face it, it isn't a job where you need a high level of training. Unions only work if its hard to replace the talent.

Stores will always have a long list of students looking for part time jobs.

Exactly, people can walk around. Add to that this is a recent development, and it is obvious to me a crime ring has decided they can make some money, and the people that run the place aren't bright enough to realize that.

You'd be surprised what a union can do. I dislike them, but in general they can stop idiotic policy's like this one. They make owners and management take a hard second look at everything they do, instead of allowing them to fool themselves.

Originally Posted by nemelek

I used to say that you can't fire me. I quit working a long time ago. Seriously I wouldn't burn any bridges. Never know what the future brings.

I enjoy burning bridges, but that is just me.

Originally Posted by TLyttle

Skip that job, go get an apprenticeship, get a trade. What you are doing now is a McJob and has no secure future. GET A TRADE!!!

I agree 100%. If the job I am waiting for really is only a seasonal thing, that is where I am going next. It is amazing what tradesmen can make in a year.

Originally Posted by yaris-me

It gives me great pleasure to know that you're in this situation.

It gives me great pleasure to tell you the only positive thing you could ever do for humanity is to kill yourself. Everything else you do makes the world a worse place for everyone.