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JC Penney

reviewed by JeanieBarton

JeanieBarton
12/21/2008

JC Penney 1

I completely understand a customer's point of view..But, it can be hard working for and being another number at a store like this.

I was hired on by JC Penney for seasonal help and told that I would most likely be kept on as a regular (by the manager of the apartment). So, I awaited patiently to hear back from HR and find out whether or not I would be kept on after Christmas only to hear nothing..

In these types of stores, one it generally at the mercy of the management for decisions and can only inquire as to what their fate is quietly..and usually no clear answer of yes or no is given.

I found out I was being layed off, when I went to check my schedule and found that I was not scheduled to work any hours after Christmas. When I asked the hiring manager whether or not I was being kept on after Christmas, I got a light hearted reply that he didn't know. He would inquire with the store manager to see..They hadn't gotten around to giving out pink slips to those they were planning on laying off yet... Mind you, this is one week before I would have no hours or job.

It wasn't the fact that I was being layed off that was most unsettling. I knew it could happen, but I was given no notice at all. Management kept us in limbo and when I did ask a direct question, still not yes or no. I still have not been given formal notice that I am being layed off.

..So, after the discovery that I would have no job. And with no formal answer from management, I was quite aggravated. How could I work the busy season and act like I care? I felt used and unappreciated. Expendable. Meanwhile, customers hurried about with their christmas shopping. But, I was left to wonder how I would pay my bills after this next paycheck and if I could even afford to buy christmas presents. Sadly, the answer was no.

If you want a good job, do not go to penny's or target or any other low-paying retail store. They are not concerned about people. They are concerned about making sales goals, meeting their credit application goal, and checking customers out as fast as they can. Associates work full-time and are expected to provide outstanding customer service, yet they earn a paycheck that will barely allow them to pay their bills or make any reasonable living.

And if this isn't bad enough, did I mention that the average work week for JC Penney employees is usually about 32-35 hours and this does not include the 30 minute unpaid lunches that must be also be taken on account of labor laws. And that's all on a wage of about 8.50 an hour.

If I sound like a disgruntled employee, it's because I am. These are hard truths.

And while some of you might ask, why doesn't this person get loans and go to college? Well, I have. I have been looking for a job that meets my qualifications for 3 months now and I will have to keep looking. I have never had to apply for unemployment in my life until now.





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undisclosed commented 265 days ago.
I know this is old news but to state, you were hired as seasonal associate which means you are coded under a seasonal employee which is temporary job employment which you applied for. There is never a guarentee that you would be hire on as regular employment especially if not in writing. It is based on your job performance and if there are hours to be given. Regular employees hours get cut after the season. You weren't laid off you were a temporay assocaite. Because you were not given an answer right away. Probably cause management had to discuss your job performance and if they had avail hours. Things like that take time and on top of their other respondsiblities they have to do on a daily basis. Granted you knew when you were hired is was temporary and it was up to you to make arrangements to find other employment not jcp. It is not jcp respondsiblity. Most regular employees that are first hired are put on a probation period for 30days but you being a temp it is different.
Actually Jcpenney is not a low paying retail company. It is one of the highest paying around compare to other dept stores. It depends on your work experience what job you applying for. It is all based a different tier levels and the state that you are in. If the pay was too low for you then why did you accept the job.

To bad mouth the company because you weren't permanently hired is uncalled for. You were a temp. Hopefully by now you found a job that meets your needs. You said those things out of anger because you were not hired on as a regular associate and well if it was me and I read this I wouldnt hire you on permanetly either.

h2jesus commented 96 days ago.
yeah but this person does have a completely valid argument. if they're not going to keep you on, they should have the decency to tell you before they just stop scheduling you, not just cut off your hours and "hope you go away." I've been there for 2 years now and they just started this atrocious door to floor program, which is "supposed" streamline merchandise placement to the floor in under 24hrs. It's FULL of flaws, and great if it works in test stores, but it doesn't work everywhere. They're threatening the SMs and ASMs with their jobs if the store doesn't get "certified" and that puts all the pressure on related employees. they work as hard and fast as they can, and if timelines break down all they can say is "we're not working hard/fast enough, work harder/faster". The benefits are a joke, which is why i don't have insurance. You're classified as part-time but routinely have upwards of 32-35 hrs a week when they KNOW you have restrictions. Its a good reason I'm not out of college yet, this job was supposed to help pay to get me at least through my Associate's degree. I've been stuck taking only 2 classes a semester because of the availability demands they put on you. They want you to have a wide open availability where if you come in at 6 and the truck isn't all put away by say 1 or 2 (that means back-stock too) they get annoyed when you tell them you can't stay. And whoever said they're more worried about people taking their online surveys, and signing every customer up for credit applications - that's 100% correct! the words "non-negotiable" have been thrown around. I know "this is retail" i don't care. they hired me knowing what they were getting. They make false claims of "flexibility" but it's YOU they expect to be flexible. they rely on a select few people (myself being one of them) so much that a lot would collapse if one days somebody had enough and quit. They hire kids off the street who may try their best, but may also not have the real desire to work there and really don't see the place as more than a paycheck. They're really more worried about hiring a "body" to fill a spot and hope the person just molds to the position. You're constantly under a state of stress being herded around like sheep, worrying that god forbid you use some of your PTO time that it may get denied unless it's a "real emergency" or worse if you do it "too much" they may lay you off. Honestly I will walk out with a smile the day I can finally quit that hell hole. When you're a college student struggling to get ahead, the last thing you need is stress from a toxic job.
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