Need help from Wal-Mart employees

Hi,

I'm doing a research project for my Social Change class at the University of Southern Indiana. My project is on how Wal-Mart treats their employees. I have heard that Wal-Mart cheats their employees out of overtime by going into the computers to change their hours, doesn't give them proper breaks, and keeps full-time workers categorized as part-time to keep from paying them benefits.

If any of this, or other things, has happened to you, I would love to hear about it! You can respond in this thread if you would like or email me privately. I would like examples of things Wal-Mart has done or if you have any information at all, it would be very helpful and very much appreciated.

Your identity will be anonymous. I would like to know your location (city, state or just state), but that information is optional.

Thanks so much!

I was an employee of Wal-Mart for four years. I considered them to be a fair employer, and my experience is directly opposite of most of the opinions you will hear. I advanced in pay faster than any job I have ever had. I started out a $9/hr and four years later was making $13, just as a sales associate. Raises at Wal-Mart are based upon performance, not a union code or a standard wage. I was advanced rapidly, but get this, I was passed over for some positions in order to hire women! The benefits were the most comprehensive I have had at any job, and cost the least. I tried several times to skip breaks or work off the clock to get things done, but was ordered to take my breaks and work the overtime! I was full time, and also accumulated 43 shares of Wal-Mart stock without spending a penny of my own. 3/4 of this was done in bonus form for outstanding performance.

The problem people are having with Wal-Mart is not a company problem. The store I worked at is consistently ranked in the top 10 for the entire chain. It has an excellent store manager who gets in and sweats with his workers. When my Great Grandmother died, and I had to drive 11 hours for her funeral, the manager gave me a full week off with pay rather than the mandatory 3 days. By the way, great-grandchildren are not eligible for bereavement leave by law. It was the decision of a compassionate manager who was the best boss I have ever worked for. Our store is to this day clean and immaculate, the associates are some of the most well-paid in the company, and the customer satisfaction rating is through the roof. The problem is a few uncaring managers and people who always manage to screw up and get on the news.

The typical liberal American response is to believe what you are fed from the news, whether it is accurate or not. As someone who has done his share of RPs, let me give you a tip. Don't just ask around on the internet. Take a day to shadow an employee or manager at Wal-Mart. Walk a day in their shoes and form your own opinion.

By the way, as you may have guessed from the content of this post, I am no longer with Wal-Mart. I did not want to leave, I was fired for missing 31 days in 6 months. I wasa young, stupid and drunk college student. But the fact that they let it go on that long is yet another indicator for how patient and fair they tried to be.

If you wouldn't mind, post a copy of your report here or mail it to me at synergi23@gmail.com I would love to read it.

Hope I helped you out!