Too funny!! I wouldn't have been so brave as to tell the other sales clerks that. I hope they have a change for the better at that store!

Jenn

Maybe you should try going in with wrinkled clothes and greasy hair. You might have a better chance of getting a call back if the manager of your store is like this lady!

That's just nuts and it's definitely illegal. Lane Bryant has to be an equal opportunity employer and seriously consider your application no matter how pretty or ugly you are . I got this from Charming Shoppes Inc.'s website. They are the company that owns Lane Bryant, Fashion Bug and Catherine's...
"At Charming Shoppes, we evaluate potential employees by examining to what extent their experience, aptitude and ability relate to our business needs. We treat all associates impartially, without regard to color, religion, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, non-job-related disability, or any other category protected by law."

This is a link to their human resources section of the site. You can probably get help from someone in the department about who to contact regarding this incident. Good luck!

I'm putting this one under favorites and I can't wait to hear what they say to you at the head office.

While appearance, per se (where it isn't related to gender,ethnicity or age) isn't protected by law, it's obvious that the manager's attitude goes against the spirit of Charming Shoppe's hiring policies, which are inclusive. I have to believe that the head office would jump on this issue.

It sometimes gives me pause to be waited on by a man or a thin person in "the fat girl stores" (I call them that with great affection, and rejoice that they exist, since they didn't when I was a fat kid). But it certainly wouldn't bother me to be helped by someone pretty (even if prettier than me!). On the other hand, the manager's negativity probably broadcasts, and I wouldn't want her to help me.

Well, I called the Lane Bryant Headquarters and of course I got a machine...press 1 if you want to open an account, press 2 for complaints and so on..so I left my name and number and I am just waiting for a return call right now...so we'll see! I think about it now, and it is pretty funny..but still definitely not right.. Lane Bryant was the ONE place I didn't worry about being discriminated against...us fat girls are supposed to stick together!!!!!!!!

You know, I worked in retail back in the early 90's, and I distinctly remember being told not to hire:

Handicapped People
Ugly People
Odd Looking People
Smelly People

I asked when exactly in the store manuals that information was (knowing full well it was *not in the manuals) and I was told it was the unwritten policy of all retail establishments. That people don't want to buy clothes from someone they feel uncomfortable around.

The next week, my regional manager went behind my back and hired me an assistant, drop dead gorgeous... and dumb as a stump. She didn't last more than a month when she realized that she had to do *gasp* paperwork!

Needless to say, I found work in my field within a few months after that, and I was able to say goodbye to retail. What an experience!

Karen

yikes!


Makes me wonder about something that happened to me yesterday. I was at a job interview for a marketing company, much to my surprise I was hired on the spot, even though the companies own rules say they must leave two weeks after the 2nd interview before calling you back to say if you were hired. This was only my first interview at this place! I had been unemployed for nearly two years, and have been going to interviews several times a week for all sorts of places...even things like mcdonalds and have never been hired! (I had assumed my appearance was an issue with some places...). What I find most funny is that recently I have had my hairstyle not very "proffesional" (i have a bright red fauxe hawk atm), and I even went to this interview with all my piercings in. (this is a suit and tie sort of company!) Before I had always taken my piercings out, and worn my hair in a normal fashion, and still never been hired even for places like gas stations, convenience stores, and fast food restaurants.

Well, just an update...I haven't heard a word back from Lane Bryant HQ yet..I called back again, but they don't seem to want to deal with me.
This is really a disapointment for me.

That's so strange!!!

I worked for Lane Bryant last year and I think I'm on their no rehire list!!! hahahaha!!!

I was hired around Christmas time and to tell the truth, I had a lot on my plate at that time and just couldn't hack the long hours that they wanted me to work. I would be scheduled to leave at 10 but we were there cleaning and folding til almost 12. That would be okay if I had gotten at least a 30 minute break, but because I was scheduled for like 5 hours I would only get 10-15 minutes. This was in addition to my other job and morning groups I used to go to at 7am. Needless to say, I just stopped going in after of course a HUGE shopping spree with my discount!!!

I HATE RETAIL!!!!!! I will never work in retail again. Consider it a blessing you didn't work there!!

MsTwacky.....
I'm going to take this as a sign that I'm not supposed to work there. I'll continue to buy their clothes, I love the styles...but that's it! Out of curiosity, what were you being paid an hour? Did you get commision also? I never got that far in the interview to find out..lol

I don't know what state your in so I think pay varies. It was $7.50 an hour, no commision. In my opinion so not worth it!!!

I make waaaaay more than that now, and all I do is sit around on the internet most of the day.

Retail jobs, make you work hard on your feet all day and pay you very lil!!!
As someone else on this website had stated, I was "born tired" a polite way of saying I'm LAZY!!! It wasn't a very good job for me!!!

It is illegal. It's discrimination.

You really ought to report her immediately. I am guessing that Lane Bryant doesn't want that kind of negative publicity and will take disciplinary action. At the LBs around me, the women who work there (no men) look like everyone else in the world. Some are pretty, some are plain. Some are plus sized and some are quite thin.

That is unacceptable behavior and I am glad you brought the interview to a close yourself. I'm not so sure about letting the staff know though ... I'll have to give that one more thought.

yeah, I know....I've been feeling a little guilty now when I think about how the girls must feel about themselves now..I just wanted them to know what the manager thought of them and why I wasn't hired for that store..hhmm....well, I can't take it back....i guess that's what happens in the heat of the moment..I hadn't thought about the fact that it might bring down the other girls....hhmmm....damn!!

Aw, don't feel guilty, that wasn't my intent. I guess it's just that they're stuck in that odious job and can't do much about their boss but quit.

Maybe your interview was a positive catalyst and they'll get a new manager soon.

Sheet, I'm DYING to see a picture of you now, Melissa!