Employee not a WALGREENS person

Are you kidding me, is this a real post. If I am reading this
correct, a Walgreens employee, who was not on the clock went into the
Walgreens to pick up his script. Would this be correct so far? And
you the customer asked him to help you, even though is am assuming
that he was not in uniform, which would indicate that he was not
wearing his name tag. But you recognized him as an employee because
you are a frequent shopper there. If this gentleman was in the store
to pick up his script, he at that time was not workinga and therefor
is porhibited from helping customers when he is off the clock. This
is walgreens policy. Once an employee is off the clock they are
prohibited from offering assistance, giving assistance-everything.
This is Walgreens legal issue and a policy they have put into place.
If he had helped you he very well could be subjected to termination.
The fact that he has a second job is irrevelent, possibly he needs the
money-dont we all. Walgreens does not exactly pay high wages, and the
audacity of wondering why he will not give you the code to I am
guessing the stockroom? Are you retarted or just an ignorant moreon?
You must be one or the other. The codes on these doors are there for
a reason-so not just anyone can enter these rooms and help themselves
to a lookeyloo. You think this gentleman should be fired for
following procedure? Who the heck are you, the King of England or
just Joe Smow with an entitlement complex? I am always amazed at how
much consumers want their heineys kissed when they treat the workers
like garbage. Take a breather man, and take some inventory or
yourself while you are at it.
Have a nice day!

You should be fired from your job for having such ridiculous
expectations when you are off the clock and in a store.

Even though you may recognize that person as a Walgreen's employee,
that does not mean they are on the clock! It is against company policy
for an employee to work off the clock! Don't take it out on the
employee for following the rules! Also, we wear special Walgreens
shirts for customers to spot us..... so dont just assume we are
working if you see us in street clothes. And how dare you just assume
that this person should be fired and he doesnt need the money because
he/she has another job! The economy is making everyone's budget tight
and I know from personal experience that Walgreens underpays it's
employees! And as far as this employee giving you the code to the
stockroom........ thanks, I haven't laughed this hard in a while. Sure
they'll do it... but why stop there?! Next time get a copy of the
store keys and alarm codes so that you can let yourself in anytime you
need something! :p

Not sure why my previous comment was deleted since there was
definitely was no name-calling, insults, or vulgar language in it.
Hmm.

Since I feel strongly I will try again. The situation described is
upsetting because the letter writer seems to expect an hourly worker
to be available to serve him at all times, even when the employee is
there as a customer and out of uniform. That is not a reasonable
expectation. At my job it is a hard and fast rule to not work off the
clock and we can face disciplinary action for it. That being said,
because of this, I really try to avoid my workplace when I am off so
that I am not in the uncomfortable situation of having to tell a
client/customer them that I can't help them, which will possibly
frustrate and anger them.

I'm sure Walgreens won't take action against this employee who did
nothing wrong.

Each time I read your letter, I get a little more confused as to what
you expect from a person.

Walgreens is this person's livelihood, not his life. He works two
jobs and you expect him to be on duty whenever he is in the store.
This is so wrong.

I also work two jobs and I need both jobs. You state that he doesn't
need the job bad enough if he is not willing to lend a hand. Federal
regulations require him to be on the clock when working -- and helping
you out is considered working.

If you want the door code, get a job there.

Asking an employee to help you on his day off is like asking another
customer to help you. He was there as a customer.

The retail store I work for makes a really big deal about "working off
the clock". If we are on our way back from lunch to clock in and a we
stop to help a customer, we are required to fill out a time adjustment
slip -- lots of paperwork.

You are being very rude to expect an off-duty employee to help you.
If he were just on a 15-min break, it would be a little different, but
he would still not be required to help you. In that case he could
call someone else to take care of your needs.

Why would anyone give you the code to the stockroom?

I have a couple of questions for this one
1 Does s/he work for that store? Because if s/he does not work for
that store, then you are out of luck
2 Did s/he really say that it was their day off? Because there was a
good chance given the high turnaround at Walgreens, anything is
possible (Yes, the district manager could call them in at any time)
3 Do you expect them to give you the code to the stockroom? I know
that some people want to exit Walgreens very badly, but having a
customer going into the stockroom to get something is not one of
them!
Although I have been a vocal critic of the store and that some
employees need to be let go, on top of that, Deerfield needs to stop
with the INANE POLICY OF YOU WORK FOR THE COMPANY (Where Photo Lab
Specialists work in Cosmetics and management NOT COVERING PHOTO)...
If this was their day off, you should have gone to either Cosmetics or
the Front Register after that and ask for assistance, not demand for
service from them NOR asked for the code to get into the stockroom.
Moreover, CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY, because they could file charges
AGAINST YOU FOR STEALING

I HAVE WITNESSED THE SAME AS THE LAST PERSON AND MANAGER AND STAFF,
THEY DON,T WANT TO HELP PAIN,CUSTOMERS,I HAVE A BROKEN LEFT SHOULDER
SEVERE SEVERE LOWER BACK PAINS THEY DID WANT TO WAIT ON ME.
I WENT TO CVS PHARMACY AND RECEIVED CARING MANAGER AND STAFF TO WANT
TO HELP ME, CHECK ME OUT. WALGREENS
WAS CREUL DON'T WANT TO WAIT IN YOU, MANAGER AND STAFF IN THE
HENDERSON,NC NEEDS TO BE FIRED. I FOR 1 WILL NEVER GO TO WALGREENS
AGAIN.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


GALE W. SANFORD

Huh? So people who have the day off are not supposed to shop in the
same store they work in? Give me a break Ed. When I worked in retail
10 years ago I would frequently shop in my store on my off days and NO
I wasn't being paid. Good luck with this one. LOL

How was the "off the clock employee " Approached ? It might be
entirely true that someone was paying him even if Walgreen's was not.
If he is on someone else s time then he was not going to stay in the
store longer than the few minutes it took to run an errand. He could
be on his 30 minute lunch break.

I used to work at Walmart and I was always asked to do something by
management when I shopped on my day off and I resented it. I am sure
this guy tried to enter quietly and quickly to avoid being noticed and
put to work or asked about anything.

Another point , maybe several customers recognized him and wanted help
and he had to say no and be abrupt to avoid being stuck there.

I suppose he could have given you the code for the stockroom.I think
they could post the code on the door for all customers to see or just
leave the door to the stockroom open to allow custmers to enter at
will.

I worked at McDonald's for 10 years and I would have called someone
over to help this individual who needed something and then step back.
As someone else mentioned I was not allowed in the work area except to
check my schedule and only after I got permission from the manager on
duty at the time.

But had I stood there and done nothing and the customer got mad at me
for not taking care of his problem, insisting I be fired? Absurd.

OK, I'm going to play the middle here. First of all you're way off
base demanding that this employee be fired. He is not required by any
stretch of the imagination to go into the stockroom to find (get)
something for you. That being said, since there is a phone in the
stockroom he could have paged an employee to the stockroom or he could
have asked another clerk to page help to the stockroom. To those
commenters who think that this employee would be fired for getting
something from the stockroom for the customer, there is no way he'd
get in trouble for doing this one act while not on the clock.

I am sorry but I think your the one thats being rude in this
situation.Why would he have to help you when he's not working.Your
right they do pay him but not for his days off and when he isn't
working I am sure thats the farthest thing on his mind.How you could
wish someone to lose there job over something like that is absurd.Your
right he could have helped you but he didn't have to and if someone
did that to you you probably would do the same thing.I have had people
in places think I worked there and ask me for help I told them I
didn't work there and if I knew anything informed them if not I just
walked away.Thats just the way it is and he should not lose his job
because he was off and you think the world should stop for you,thats
not the way it works.

Think about your actions before jumping the gun!!!

Hey, I really would never expect an employee who was off work to start
working for a customer just because he/she happened to be at the
worksite. However, let me say that as a business owner, I am never off
the clock even if I just happen to stop in on my day off & I would
help the customer unless I had a time constraint that would not allow
me to do so. Further let me say that I have & have had in the past
employees who would & have pitched in on their days off. I consider
them to be exemplary employees & would go the extra mile to help them
out as well.
thanks-Shelley

Ed, I going to ask you something. If you happened to go into your
place of business on your day off for whatever reason and was being
asked for help by some customer who recognized you as an employee,
would you help them? I highly doubt you would!

Grow up & get over yourself.

I was once accosted at Best Buy because I happened to be wearing a
shirt same style and color as the employees and this person asked me
to help. I said I don't work here.

She went to the manager and demanded I be fired! She pointed at me
and the manager who was new walked over because he didn't recognize me
but since he had just started there couldn't be sure and I explained
and he laughed and laughed.

I begged him jokingly to not call my boss and get me fired at my
actual job!

Ironically 2 years later for extra money I wound up working at that
store for a few months when I needed to pay a dental bill.

This reminds me of my early days in retail. It was Christmas time and
I clocked out, got my coat and my junk from my locker and left the
employee area ready to hit the highway. A lady sees my nametag
sticking out my coat and says.. I know you are off duty but do you
have any more Pokemon cards? Good grief.

When I was an optician and was out doing regular life stuff, people
who knew where I worked would whip out insurance cards and ask if the
office where I worked accepted it, want me to adjust their glasses
then and there, and give me long stories about how their vision was
horrible. I would tell them to call me during my work hours when I
was AT WORK and I would answer questions. No one wants to talk shop
when they aren't in the shop. But thats just me.

Wow. Just wow. And people wonder why I've always said that working
retail sucks.

Amazing. Simply amazing.

Thank God I'm 11 years removed from working retail.

Give you the code, What? You must be kidding right?

and sorry Nate, I must disagree. No employee is obligated to do
anything off the clock, regardless if wearing their uniform or not. A
customer can stomp their feet and throw a tantrum to get the employee
fired for not helping them while being off the clock, but nothing can
happen. Its against the federal labor law to work off the clock, and
even if the employer fires the employee because they refused to help
someone, the employee can have a legal case against the company.

On a general note, When I clock out, i'd like to get out of work
right away and go home. I don't mind answering a quick question, but
it really pisses me off when someone KNOWS and even addresses that
they know you are off the clock, but still want you to help them.That
is just taking advantage of someone! One time, I had to leave work(had
already punched out) for a family emergency. A lady flagged me down,
(I was off the clock) and i said "sorry i can't help you right
now,"while I was RUNNING..And guess what?She complained! Wouldn't
running give any smart person the idea that perhaps something was
urgent?I guess she was that naive. Did I get in trouble? No, and I
can't either, I had a good reason, and I WASN"T GETTING PAID to help
her! Luckily, my boss was a nice person anyways. Helping her was NOT
more important than my family's well being! How rotten of her, and I
could care less if she didn't know about my issue or not.I was not
about to stop and tell her about it, nor was it even any of her
business! You only represent the company when they pay you, but your
not obligated to do anything you are not paid to do.That is what labor
laws are for. This letter writer should take some lessons on labor
laws.

I'm reading everyone else's comments and every letter is critical of
this person...I honestly don't see where mine was worse. Besides,
here's someone that has no qualms about asking for someone who
obviously needs 2 jobs (why would anyone work 2 jobs voluntarily) to
be fired. Is anything that I (or anyone else) said that's worse than
that???

This letter made me furious! As a former retail employee, the LAST
thing I would want to do on my day off from the store would be to
continue to cater to the demands of customers! I can't believe you
would even have to gaul to assume otherwise. I will stop there.

It is obvious that you are a regular customer of this location. As
previous pointed out there are rigid restrictions applying to this
type of situation. My point is that the employer's insurance/benefits
might effect an unfortunate accident should one occur as he assists
you. Of course, it wouldn't be YOUR fault and he wouldn't have
coverage.

I don't think I could express my disgust at your appalling lack of
sense any better than the others, so I'll just say this:

May you have to be at work for something on YOUR day off and someone
demands that you do something additional for them and if you don't,
they will demand that you be FIRED for it.

Karma is a Mother and she's got a big old slap with your name on it.

What makes you so special that an employee on his day off has to wait
on you? As others have pointed out, it is illegal for an employee to
perform work when off the clock. You can wait your turn just like all
the other customers.

In the past, I have had customers follow me and other employees into
the stockroom (off limits to customers due to safety and liability
regulations). When we have informed the customers they were not
allowed in there, they acted as if they were entitled to be there
because they were the customer and wanted merchandise that was out of
stock on the sales floor. I bet you are one of those types of
customers.

Walgreens would be better off without you as a customer.

So, what was so special about this employee that he had to help you?
Were there no other employees in the store at the time?

I'm sure the last place this man wanted to be on his day off was his
place of employment, even if it was only to pick up a prescription.

Also, what employees do off the clock is something managers and
corporations don't care about...they want employees in the store when
they are scheduled to be there. So there's really nothing that can be
done.

were too busy to help you. We can all learn from your example. In
fact, I plan on going to my bank this afternoon and I will demand they
let me in the vault alone so I can grab what I need.

I'm not sure there's much to add to what's already been said.
However...

"...or at least give me the code."

I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding, but did you ask this person to give
you the code for YOU to enter the stock room?

That said, I guess you believe that everyone is responsible for being
a Walgreen's employee, even you.

Someone correct me if American law differs from Canadian law or if
Walgreen's has a policy on this, but I believe it's actually illegal
for an off-the-clock worker to work, and it's trespassing if they
enter the stockroom.

He was there qua Walgreen's shopper, not qua employee, and therefore
he had no obligation or legal means to help you.

Also, who are you to say a person doesn't need a second job,
especially in the recent economy?

Working off the clock is a federal offense and the burden is on
Walgreen's should he be caught. Not worth it!

I especially like this sentence: "He was there anyway so he could get
something for me from the stockroom or at least give me the code."
Like he's going to give you the code to the stockroom so you can
wander in there by yourself.

Riggggggghhhhhhhtttttt.

Um, I was at my job last night having dinner with my family. Had I
gotten out of my seat and decided to do something work related, I
would be CANNED on the spot. We are strictly not allowed to behave as
anything but a guest when we are not working.

I'm sure Walgreen's will be happy to know that their employees are
follwoing the rules.

Uh huh. I'm going to need you to come in this weekend, without pay,
to help out some customers. Since you're so cool with it, I mean.

If he has two jobs - a day job and a night job, he most likely needs
the job bad enough, especially in these economic times. He was off the
clock - at that time, you are equal to any other customer.

Additionally, my question is how did the OP know that this was en
employee? Recognizing him from previous visits? Or did he have a
uniform or partial uniform on?

I think that if he had a Walgreens uniform on, or even a partial but
distincly Walgreens uniform on, he should not have told you "It's my
day off". I think the least he could have done, as a representative of
the company, said "Sorry, I'm off the clock, but let me go find
someone else who can help you. Just a moment please".

I really thought I heard it all but this letter takes the cake. You
honestly expected an employee who is off the clock to either get you
something from the stockroom or give you the code? Were you planning
on paying him for his time?

This letter convinces me beyond a doubt that I have no interest in
working retail.

Working off the clock is illegal and he could lose his job.


Good Day