10mo ago

Why would a chain retail employer take more than a month to give you shifts if at all?

Is there some advantage in having employees just doing nothing? I got an offer in early june, got paid for training and induction, got the uniform, and then, radio silence.

I chased them up on the phone three times and today, when I called yet again they asked me to send them an email at a specific address. It's been over a month after I got the training btw.

I realise I need to look for new job obviously as these idiots are pulling my leg. But can someone explain why would they bother with recruitment if they don't need staff?

22 comments

Lost the headcount probably, or didn't have it. They're hoping you go away quietly.
Don't do that. Hound them. If you signed paperwork and had training I'm betting you're employed, and that means they need to formally get rid of you, otherwise they can say you left.
- I'll hound them, even if I magically get another job overnight. I'm pissed about the whole ordeal and my Karen energy keeps building up
  
  If it was part time there's no laws about having two part time jobs, or a full time and a part time! 2 full times gets grey which is why I say it, but I don't believe that's illegal.
  Hell you want to go all in and you know they aren't scheduling you you can say something like "I know you just want me to go away, I'm not that stupid. You hired me, you aren't getting rid of me until you acknowledge that."
- I had this happen years ago for a part time job, hired and trained showed up on day 1 they said they overhired for a new store and didn't need me, it was awkward but I stuck around a few hours letting them know I am still ready to work until they reassigned me to another nearby store until a spot did open up.
  
  So shitty they did that to you. "We overhired". Like hell you did, how do you accidentally hire someone extra? You mean a spot closed. You didn't just forget and hire two people for one job.

There's always a possibility that they had your hours in last quarter's budget, but had their new quarter's budget slashed due to low sales, and they're too chickenshit to tell you. Or, they were set to lose an employee and, for whatever reason, didn't.
Either way, I'd just find something else. Obviously they don't give a rats ass about your time and need for money, so fuck em.
- Agreed. It's really helpful to see these replies, it's so easy to lose objectivity when upset

Mismanagement is the most likely explanation.
- I hope so too, but I know myself to be naive especially when it comes to corporate manoeuvres.

Are you getting paid or are you in a country with these infamous zero hour contracts? If yes, it's basically the point of zero hours contracts, you have a bunch of people ready to work which cost you nothing the rest of the time. In civilized countries this would be managed using temporary contracts often through dedicated agencies, and you would still be eligible to unemployment when not umployed. Talk to your union and representative to get these laws to change
- Interesting, I've lived in a few different places and never heard of this. I'll look it up. I'm in Australia atm. I will see what I can find out through Fair Work.
  
  Are you a casual? That means zero hours guaranteed. When they need you, they call and offer shifts. Similar to zero hour contracts elsewhere.
  However, you get a 25% bump in pay for this arrangement. If it does not suit you, you should not have taken the role.
  If the role is not casual you are entitled to be paid for the hours your contract is for if part time, or 38 hours o'er week if full time.
  Check your contract. Some of the bigger retailers have an enterprise agreement instead if an award rate, so worth checking if that applies instead.

If they fire you, you'll probably be entitled to some form of unemployment benefits depending on where you live, if they keep dropping your hours until you quit then there's no such strings attached.
- Look up rules for "constructive dismissal" in your jurisdiction. Not being given work can be counted as firing

This isn't the employer you need right now. Don't waste your time trying to understand your abuser. You deserve better than they are capable of treating you.

They’re incompetent. If you want a job you can rely on, you need to find it elsewhere.

they are soft firing you
- What's the point of hiring someone just to fire them before they ever start to work?
  
  oh sorry I didn't fully read your post that's weird

Not familiar with your situation in Australia, but perhaps see if you can get some free legal advice.

- They did get back, and they gave me shifts straight away. There was no excuse given, just the shifts and honestly I don't think I should be asking for explanations at least for the moment. Seems to be a bit of a mix between company policies, not enough HR staff /sloppy HR/ poor communication, and shitty software.
  One of the employees told me they went through the exact same experience as me in the beginning, and they've been working there for over a year now. One of the new recruits got shifts two weeks earlier than me but missed the first one because nobody contacted her and the app is glitchy af. So at least it's not personal I guess. Even after getting shifts my schedule would show up blank for me too and one of the managers had to manually override/change things for me to actually see things properly. And that took a day to update. The store itself is chaotic, I've worked retail in the past elsewhere and company management was completely different (much more organised) so yeah.
  On the good side, the staff and managers seem friendly not as uptight as in other places. What bothered me wasn't the waiting time but the "probably next week, keep checking your online portal, it's all good" when they know they don't know when my shift is and they also know the app doesn't work well with new recruits. I understand being honest about it on the phone could get people in trouble though so I'm not sure this is something I would have beef over with someone.
  In short, it doesn't make the situation any less sucky. The replies here were spot on: Probably poor management + chaos, move on if they don't give you what you want.

That assumes the place is run well.
Scheduling is a deceptively hard thing to do right. A lot of companies are just plain bad at it.

22 comments