I have been working at wal mart now for 8yrs and every day after work for the past 6months i have been using their exercise equipment. At Lunchbreak i would go to the sporting goods section and lift weights with Otis, the 4yr door greeter veteran. The display is on a raised platform. The manager told us 1 time not to use the equipment but we feel that it sells better when they see wal mart employees working out as a demo while they are shopping. The other day the left side of the display gave out and the entire display slid off the side and into the floor doing tons of damage to merchandise and the floor. They say we're going to pay for the damage and then fire us.... any suggestions ?
2007-06-30 04:44:22 · 14 answers · asked by downclover 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
Assuming this story is even true... Is there anything in writing that says you're not allowed to use the exercise equipment? Are there signs posted that say don't climb on the platform or don't use the exercise equipment? Were you and Otis written up for using it the first time? How are they going to MAKE you pay for it? I don't think you should have been using it, but I don't think they can make you pay for it. Firing you is another story though.
I must say you were pretty confident in that platform to get up on it. I'm surprised it lasted 6 months!
2007-06-30 04:57:12 · answer #1 · answered by pottersclay70 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wal Mart doesn't hate you. They just get very testy when their employees disregard a direct request to NOT DO SOMETHING! What happened to the merchandise as a result of it being used like you did is exactly why they asked you not to do it anymore. I think that you should suck it up and pay for the damage you caused. They are perfectly within their right to terminate your employment with them because you continued to do something you were told not to do. As for merchandise selling better if shoppers see employees using it, come on! What would you think if you went to a store and saw the employees trying on clothes, riding bikes around or whatever? You are there to work, not play around with the merchandise.
2007-07-02 01:56:22 · answer #2 · answered by adkins_rita 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well to be blunt, you're pretty much dug your own hole. I've bought workout stuff from Wal-Mart before and I never saw the employees work out. So it still sells. You are just giving an excuse to use.
Suck it up, pay for it and look for another job. Maybe at a sporting goods store.
2007-06-30 11:49:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Unless Company policy allows you to use the equipment, you can't take it upon yourself to use them.
You rmanager explicity told you not to use the equipment. Your continued use violated his instructions - that is insubordination. That in itself could be ground for immediate firing (you violated the terms of your employement. Although you felt it would be good for store business, the manager didn't. The manager has to enforce store policy.
SInce you and Otis caused the damage doing something you were told not to do, you are liable to pay for that damage. Wal-mart is within their rights to make you do that and they are within their rights to fire you.
My suggestion - pay for the damage and look for another job, and when you, follow your managers instructions.
2007-06-30 11:56:29 · answer #4 · answered by nycguy10002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure there's a lesson somewhere in this comical story.
Sometimes you have to get fired to get out of a rut.
Maybe your next job can be designing better and stronger equipment demo platforms.
2007-06-30 11:59:32 · answer #5 · answered by PH 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I was a Support Manager for Walmart, they probably won't fire you unless you were on it at the time, you may have "helped" it fall, but they may just be messing with you, I know I did things like that (messed with people) but they had a good reason for telling you not to be up their, I hope you realize that now. If you were up thier and it fell with all that you could have been killed (walmart could be sued) or if you wern't killed they would have reason to fire you.
2007-06-30 12:00:57 · answer #6 · answered by NONAME 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Start looking for a new job asap- maybe a store that doesn't sell excercise equipment- join a gym
2007-06-30 13:38:28 · answer #7 · answered by belladonna25 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
humm next time, listen to ur boss and don't mess around with their store products they are trying to sell. it does not sell better using the exercise equipment in front of ppl cuz to them, that is saying "walmart is the new gym, come on use our equipment in store but u don't have to buy anything".
2007-06-30 22:33:09 · answer #8 · answered by Rita 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well,you were told by the manager to not use the equipment. I don't think you have any cause for complaint for whatever they do now.
2007-06-30 12:56:22 · answer #9 · answered by kiwi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Good luck paying that off.
2007-06-30 11:52:34 · answer #10 · answered by 9buzz 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋