Treat your employees like humans not numbers!

What a load of crap! Be thankful to have a job! I'm a nurse and there
are
times that I have to work holidays. What if all the nurses wanted
Thanksgiving off ? You people are unbelievable.
Christine Wilker
St Augustine Florida

Thats interesting that I found this article. I just got a holiday job
with Toys R Us and was treated like a dog on my first day of work by
all three managers. They also work you very hard for their minimum
pay. When I was first hired they scheduled everyone, and then revised
the schedule without notifying anyone of the schedule change. People
who just started showed up and they sent them home. Some people were
scheduled at 4am in the morning! Here's the point I want to make...no
one should ever work for this company intill they have respect for
their employees!!

The answer is for customers to BOYCOTT stores that abuse employees.

I work in retail and it is MANDITORY that each employee work at least
four hours Christmas Day and a full eight hours on Christmas eve.
Thanksgiving was mandatory . New Years eve is Maditory.

Our DM was furious to find a TOYS FOR TOTS drop box in our store. he
took the box (toys and all) and threw it into our dumpster.

We are becoming a greed filled society. I only work retail because my
high paying job was sent to china three years ago. I was a machinist
and we made parts for military aircraft. Most of the production work
is now done at a factory in China.

If you do not want our stores to be open on Christmas , then do not
shop there on Christmas day.

Unfortunately many companies look at the bottom line and in difficult
economic times like we are going through companies need a way to
entice customers to come to them. A major retailer named Hobby Lobby
does not appear to have this need (they are closed on Sundays). We
need more companies that have Servant Leaders who understand their
people and find a way to work things out. When working in healthcare,
holidays are rotated so every other year the employee is able to
celebrate a holiday they did not celebrate the year before, that is to
say on the day of the holiday. Retail employees have a high rate of
turnover so this may not work. Healthcare workers stay longer in their
jobs and do not have to make the bulk of the money the institution
needs in the short time retail companies do.

was it good? ruined? Survivable?

I work at a hotel and this morning one of my guests was telling me
about their experience at Toys R Us last night. He was saying that
when they arrived, the line was out the door and around the building.
He also said that the line to pay was around the inside of the
building and then down some aisles. They had to wait approximately 4
hours in lines just to get the items they wanted. Sounds like a
successful business decision on their part.

With that type of turnout, they are likely not going to be stopping
this concept any time soon.

I don't blame you Carle for being upset. When I was growing up,
stores were closed on holidays and we got along just fine. If we
needed something, we bought it before the holiday. We didn't drag
store employees out of the holiday dinner to take care of us. Sadly,
once customers start demanding, stores cave in and kiss their butts.

For those of you who say her daughter should pick a new line of work,
why don't you shut up. What if you were dragged away from your
family? You wouldn't like it. And don't give me this holiday pay
crap. Family is more important than money. And before I hear excuses
like family is too far away, why don't you enjoy the day off. Take
advantage of the time you have off and do things around the house,
take your kids to the park, etc. Enjoy life for a change.

Hope things work out for you Carle.

It's unfortunate but this is the world of retail in America. As long
as people are shopping, they will be open as much as possible.

If your daughter doesn't like the way the industry works, she should
get into a different industry.

It's all about the $$$$. If the sales aren't there the manageament
will adjust for next year. Boycott these retaiers (esp. on those
days)spread the word! We will not shop and vow to plan ahead
(days,weeks and
months)for the holidays.It will never happen but my personal wish for
all retail workers out there.

I also worked in retail (from the age of 16 until 25) and always had
to work holidays. My father worked on a farm and I remember many times
in my childhood, we would have to wait until he got home from work
around 1 or 2 pm to open presents (and boy was that tough for us!)

Unfortunately it is a part of retail, but I never complained about
it. My family usually worked around my schedule so I would still get
to enjoy all the holiday festivities . I'm sure her coworkers are
used to it and will also work around their holiday plans around their
schedule.

Some jobs suck around the holidays, retail being at the top of the
list. I'm married to a fireman. I will spend Thanksgiving Day and
Christmas Eve alone, but that's the way his shift worked out this
year. It sucks, but it's part of the job.

I just don't understand why Mommy is complaining? I never took my
mommy to a job interview, and I never asked her to contact my
supervisor if he was mean to me.

And by the way, spell checker is a great tool.

Good luck with your holidays.

I couldn't agree more.

I worked in customer service for several years. Believe me, I didn't
get my college degree (yes, I have one) in customer service. I landed
in the job because jobs in my field were scarce, and after about 3
years of continually going on interviews with no luck, I had reached
the point where I was making enough money in CS to pay my
bills,whereas any other job I could have gotten wouldn't have paid
enough. I worked many holidays, and yes, I got holiday pay, but I
would have MUCH prefered to be with my family. I am no longer in CS,
but the company I work for now has a CS department, and I was
horrified when they announced early this year that the Customer
Service department will be open all day and night on both Thanksgiving
and Christmas. I can only imagine how the CS employees being forced to
work those days feel (and I've spoken to some who are just as
horrified.)

It's just not necessary. We're not talking a hospital or a fire
department. Complaining that your order (which you placed the day
before the big event) arrived late) can wait a day. I have spoken out
strongly at company meetings on this (to no avail, unfortunately) -
customer service and retail employees are people too. They want a nice
holiday as much as your customers do.

Years ago, no company or store would dream of being open on holidays
or even on Sundays. It was much more respectful to employees.

The ironic part is that the CEOs who laid down this policy are off on
ALL holidays. I might respect them more if they gave up THEIR family
celebrations to run their company on the holidays.

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU FIND THINGS THE WAY YOU DO. SOMETHING GOT TO
GIVE!!! YOUR DAUGHTER WAS ONCE A CHILD AND I AM SURE YOU HAVE BEEN IN
A STORE AT ODD HOURS TO GET SOME GIFT OR THE OTHER. DO YOURSELF ( AND
YOUR DAUGHTER) A FAVOR, AND HAVE HER STUDY HARD TO GET A CREDIBLE
CARRER ( MEDICINE, PHARMACY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE(LAW), ENGINEERING, AIR
HOSTESS, PILOT;AND EVEN WITH THESE, SHE WILL HAVE TO WORK HOILDAY
HOURS AND NO ONE CAN SAVE HER. I AM A PHYSICIAN, AND I DO TOO. GUESS
WHAT? I HAVE LITTLE ONES, AND WHEN I GET OFF WORK AT 9.00PM, I WILL
HEAD TO ANY TOYS UR US ON MY WAY AND GET MY KIDS FROM A STORE THAT HAS
RETAILER WORKING IN THEM.
BRACE UP AND BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR CHILD
PEACE!!!!!

I'm reading a lot of comments like "she should have known this working
in retail" and "if she doesn't like it she should find a different
line of work." I'll give anyone $100 if they can show me where the
Toys'R'Us booth at career day at their local high school is. Very few
(if any) retail employees are there because that is there chosen
career path. Even some of the managers are there because they started
out as cashiers and kept getting promoted to the point where they got
comfortable and never left. It's one thing with police/EMS/hospitals,
those are life and death situations. Someone getting their kid the
hot Xbox game is not. People work retail due to a variety of
circumstances, I currently do and I have a college degree. I haven't
been able to find a job in my field due to the economy and the
industry (journalism) so here I am.

All of this said, this is the reality of the world we live in. Once
upon a time, you couldn't even shop on a Sunday let alone a major
holiday. My parents lived in a small town in Texas in the early '80's
and NOTHING was open on Sundays. Somewhere along the way, these
stores decided they could make a little bit more by being open on
Sundays. One store does it then all the competitors follow. Likewise
with Thanksgiving and Christmas. A lot of people will complain that
these stores shouldn't be open on these holidays. Have you ever been
in a store on Thanksgiving? Guess what, you're part of the problem.
Ever stand in line all night for a chance at getting crap you probably
don't even need for dirt cheap? Guess what, you're part of the
problem. Ever been in a store to do last-minute shopping late on
Christmas Eve? Guess what, you're part of the problem. If people
would do their Thanksgiving shopping on Monday-Wednesday and do their
Christmas shopping ahead of time and stayed away from the stores on
the holidays, eventually the stores would realize there's no money to
be made and close. Unfortunately, none of this is likely to happen.
This is a fast-paced, competitive, play for keeps society and we all
better just suck it up and deal with it. Okay I'm done.

The only reason stores are open on holidays, early hours, late hours,
etc. is because too many people want to go shopping during those
times. I have worked at a movie theater and a video store. Lots of
customers would come in on Thanksgiving and Christmas and tell us how
sorry they were that we had to work on the holiday and yet,they had
traveled there to watch/rent movies. Your daughter knew they would be
open early and late during the holiday season. It is one of the
drawbacks to working in retail. She can ask to be scheduled for
certain shifts and, since she is a minor, will likely not have to work
past a certain time at night, usually 10 or 11pm.

They are usually hiring seasonal help now and with any luck she could
be kept longer

As the child of one of the original "helicopter parents", I can tell
you right now that moving forward, your daughter should complain to
her employer herself. My mother would always try to complain to my
bosses about my hours, or call in for me (because I was willing to
work, when she thought I was "too sick" because I had the sniffles).
Let me tell you, it makes for a very difficult work life. Thanks
goodness it's 20 years later and I've been standing up for myself,
when need be.

If you are writing for your daughter because she is a minor, she might
be able to get out of working through the night on Thanksgiving
anyway. I believe there is a certain hour when minors need to clock
out to abide by labor laws. You might want to have her check into
that.

Your daughter works at Toys R Us during the Christmas season and she
is SURPRISED that they have mandatory Thanksgiving/Black Friday
hours?

Look, I know it sucks, but she took the job and she should have
realized that this is what it would entail. Growing up, my Mom was a
nurse in a hospital and Daddy was a cop - we NEVER had a "normal"
holiday. It all centered on their schedules, which could mean doing
our family time Christmas Eve or late on Christmas day if need be.
That's just the nature of it, but my folks didn't complain. They were
needed at these times and they knew it going into the position.

Your daughter should realize that working on a holiday doesn't mean
the day is totally unenjoyable. Why not make the most of it for her
instead of writing public letters on the Internet bashing her
employer! It isn't like they are requiring her to work 24 hours
straight - she WILL be home the majority of the time!

Hopefully if she hates working holidays so much, she will position
herself for a career in a field that DOESN'T require working on
holidays.

He'll work Thanksgiving eve, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's
Eve, and New Year's Day.

Probably Christmas Day, too, but I'm not sure yet. Somehow, we'll
manage to work it out.

Clearly, your daughter is not in a "serious" relationship yet. Wait
until you have to work "work" and "in-laws", into the equation. And
the in-laws' in-laws, along with yours. You'll be reminiscent of
these days, when it was JUST one person's work schedule.

Thanksgiving is JUST a day. Christmas is JUST a day. Work it out.

Black Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Feel better?

(My youngest will be 16 in January; the nearest Toys R relation is at
least an hour away; we are drastically cutting back on most gifts.
Teen.olie is "getting" a license and insurance for
Christmas/birthday.)

She works retail. She really IS just a number to corporate.

I work at Sears.

We are open on Thanksgiving Day for the first time in the history of
the company--85 years. At least she gets to spend the daytime hours
with you. I don't get to spend that day with my family at all. None of
us in the store are happy about it. Long time employees (I'm talking
twenty years plus) have to work for the first time on Thanksgiving and
there's nothing we can do about it.

It's all about money. Until the workers in this country push for
better workers' rights, it's just going to get worse.

Employers have to walk a very fine line when it comes to certain
things, like holidays. I own a pet services business and have three
part-time employees. Prior to beginning the business I had made plans
(which include non-refundable airline tickets) to be out of town
starting on Christmas Day for 4 days.

That means, when you're doing pet sitting, that someone is going to
have to work that day ~ and the holidays can get very busy. It's hard
to find a balance. I'm working on Thanksgiving and that weekend by
myself so my employees can have time with their families and I they
will be off Christmas Eve as well.

Lucky for me they have all unequivocably stated that they are willing
and able to work on Christmas, so I hope it's a non-issue. My hope is
to divide up the jobs by proximity to their houses so they don't have
to be out and about too long on Christmas.

And you had better believe they will get paid extra for it too!

I work in the hospitality industry, and we are open and operating
24/7, 365. Hotels don't close on holidays, so we have a sign-up sheet
where you can put your name down if you are interested in working on a
specific holiday.

I will be working from 7am-11pm this year on Thanksgiving day and
Christmas Day. As a canadian, I celebrate thanksgiving with family in
October, and I go away and have "christmas" with family after the
specified date.

Every year we get some letters from workers or parents of workers
which complain about how stores are open too late on holidays or open
on holidays at all therefore people can't spend time on the holidays
with their loved ones. The usual comments to such letters chastise the
letter writers for their position; generally stating that's the way
retail is and if people in retail want to be home with their families
on holidays, they should work somewhere else.

Then, as each holiday goes by, we get some letters from customers that
complain because stores closed earlier than their posted hours or
stopped taking orders before their posted closing time. The comments
to these letters almost always chastise the letter writers for their
position; generally stating that its understandable for workers to
want to get out of the store as quickly as possible, even if its
before closing time, so they can spend time with their families on the
holidays.

Twould appear the only common thread for the seemingly curious
dichotomy between the responses is that, in both cases, the commenters
get the chance to chastise the letter writers.

"The holidays are a time when you can relax with your family"

Not when you work in retail.

About the only "holiday" I get is Christmas Day. And the day probably
isn't too far away when stores will be open on that day, to take
advantage of people returning things and spending gift cards they got
Christmas Eve.

Your daughter may want to more carefully chose her jobs/profession in
the future. Retail in notorious for working late these days. In
fact, sears is open on Thanksgivng day this year.

Steak and Shake across the street from me already has a sign up saying
they are open thanksgiving day

Lets not forget police officers, hospitals, etc.

Even the local cable call center and one local wireless call center is
open until at least 11PM both the days you complain about.

This is life today.

So... you feel the store should only schedule the people who would
normally work those hours.

On the BUSIEST shopping day of the year?

Somehow I don't think that option will be very reasonable considering
there's going to be a hell of a lot of work.

and ... that's the price of having a job. sometimes you have to go to
work when you don't want to.



Sure it'd be nice if no one had to work the holidays but... then you'd
have people complaining about stores not being open.

QUOTE
"The holidays are a time when you can relax with your family" /QUOTE

If only that were true.

The holidays are a time where everyone and their dog is out SHOPPING.

I too have worked retail 22 years and it's not anything new to have
mandatory hours on the holidays.

Someone has to ring you up.

I have to echo what other posters have said...that's the price of
working in retail.

I have to say that because of your letter, your daughter may not be
working there long...I don't think ToysRUs will take very kindly for
this...and while I don't think your daughter should pay the price for
this letter...you never know...of course they wouldn't tell her that
was the cause of her losting her job....

Is the work schedule out this far in advance, especially Christmas
Eve? How does your daughter know she will even be scheduled to work?

I echo the other posters. Retail workers routinely have to work
nights, weekends and holidays. It's the nature of the business. Please
join me in welcoming your daughter to the adult world of
responsibility.

HA! So your daughter works retail, apparently with your approval, and
you're shocked and dismayed at the holiday hours? If she refuses to
work them, she will get fired.

Hope you don't ever plan to go shopping on those days.

LOL Been there heard that.

That is what you sign up for when you work retail, espcecially a toy
store. Hello?

They are facing stiff competition from online retailers that can in
some cases undercut their prices, so they have to compete with
service, Black Friday.

I'm sorry, I manage a grocery store, been working grocery for 20
years.

We all work on Holidays, that is what comes with the job.


good day

I do think that it is sad that more and more stores are open
Thanksgiving, late Christmas Eve, etc. You are right, those are times
meant for family and celebration. However, in the past few years,
this trend has grown, obviously supported by those who do want to shop
on those days, perhaps to get a good deal in rough economic times, to
beat crowds, etc. Stores wouldn't open if there were not customers to
shop there.

This all being said, if your daughter does not want to work those
hours (or other employees don't want to work), they should seek a
different line of work than retail. I work in a hospital. We will
not be closed on Thanksgiving or even on Christmas. There is a demand
for services on those days and MANY employees make sacrifices to work.
By choosing my profession, I was and still am aware that I have to
work some inopportune times. Its part of the job and its why we have
choices as to where to work and what to do.

I have never heard of an employer that does not pay holiday pay for
working on a major holiday. The day after Thanksgiving and Christmas
Eve are not major holidays, therefor, holiday pay might not be given.
If they are not paying a premium for working on Thanksgiving, they
should!