I'm not really a member of TDC but I do love reading all your posts - I get a lot of inspiration and motivation from the threads in the TDC forum - thanks so much guys

I'm quite appalled by this Lane Bryant thing - geesh. Sure doesn't sound like a place where anyone would want to work, let alone shop. I say it like that because you couldn't pay me to work for a place that employs management personnel who seems to think it's fine to yell at or berate their staff in front of the rest of the team - that kind of behaviour is unprofessional, immature and low-class.

So if you couldn't pay me to go in the store, you certainly won't be seeing me paying them to buy something

You know, over Christmas - I was in a Radio Shack store looking for something. I had to ask the clerk at the front desk about whether or not it was in stock, and his manager came up to him (while he was interacting with a customer) and started giving him heck over something I had no clue about. I was standing there..stupified. I mean..I'm about to buy something and here's this so-called manager reaming out the clerk who'd been so helpful with me. I didn't buy the product, and I haven't returned to their store(s) for anything else.

Not a good scene for mgmt to be harrassing their employees in front of staff or clients. Even if there were no clients in the store, the staff are their best asset, and they are like spokespersons for the company - I'm sure these staff members talk to their friends, families and whatnot about their work experience.

Down with Radio Shack and down with Lane Bryant..!

Retail is a totally different "animal" aside from the rest of the working world. I have found that they play by their own set of rules. Whether right or wrong, retail has a revolving door when it comes to employee retention.

I work a full-time job, go to school full-time and work this (what used to be fun) part-time job. I am lucky I have other options. Unfortunately, the young (and naive) sweet girls I work with do not have any other skills outside of retail. However, they have been quite an asset to me while working there as they have shown me the ropes.

When I was hired there I was perfectly honest with them by saying I am only planning to be here a year maybe more as I graduate Spring 2005. The manager (that would later scream at me) said, "Wow, that is a long time especially in retail." From my perspective that is nothing coming from the corporate world its just getting your feet wet.

So here I am going on nine months and I am so ready to leave L.B. once I am told Torrid is interviewing for their new store. The manager is still not over the fact I told on her for her behaviour and as a result is punishing me by scheduling me with crappy hours, for instance three Saturday nights in a row. Thus, not fully utilizing my talents for selling a lot as there is not a lot of traffic during that time. I do have a life outside of working and going to school.

Very good point you made. I probably was the manager that had the issues.

We have a guy working in our store off and on for the past five years. He is not well-liked by a lot of the girls, but management loves him so. (A BIG Yech) I personally do not feel comfortable buying clothes in a plus size store with a man present.

We always wonder why he works in our store to begin with?

You reminded me of the time my son went in Radio Shack to get a free catalogue ! Mark was all of 8 when he started going in there once a year and asking for one! He would wear them out thumbing through them and designing things! He was 10 and went in there to get one and of course look at everything they had and my mom and I went in the store just across the way! After ten minutes he came back over in tears and at first he wouldn't tell me what was wrong! Turns out the manager (we'd never seen this one before) told him he had to pay for it and it wasn't cheap! Of course he walked out! So, being a protective Mommy I comforted him then left him with my mom and went to get my baby his catalogue! And, yes I was going to pay for it because he wanted it so badly! Anyhow, imagine my surprise when I asked for one and they said it was free! I asked the young man to get his manager and make sure that was ok and he did. The manager said they never charge for them! Guess what Mommy did? I ripped so badly into that man for what he tried to pull and of course he said my son lied and that made it all even worse because Mark just wouldn't have lied about that! So, we got the catalogue and the manager wasn't there for long...wonder if it had anything to do with letters of complaint? You sure brought back a memory when you brought Radio Shack up!

Melissa,

When I had MY incident with a company, they kept emphasizing how they're hiring a "high profile" position and I would need to "reflect the image of the firm".

It'd just be easier if they said "we won't hire you because you're too fat."

And in all honesty, I'm understanding of it, from both ends.

It's the reality of things. . . you don't have to like it, but it's the way things are.

It would be funny though. . . if a campaign were launched against Lane Bryant because of this. You know, local news fluff-stories that go national, that sort of thing?

Discrimination against heavy people by prospective employers is nothing new. In today's environment, however, it can take some new forms.

Where my DD is employed, a woman was force feeding herself to eat up to the weight requirement for qualifying for gastric bypass surgery. She was outspoken about not even trying to lose the weight on her own because her benefits would pay for the surgery. Here you have not just the cost of the procedure to consider but the additional time off work cost to the employer as well. If things don't go as well as hoped, more time off work and health care expense for the employer down the road.

In the last few days I saw a segment on the TV show "I Lost It" about a young woman who weighed over 300 pounds. She was so depressed about her weight that she had begun cutting her wrists when she changed her mind and called 911 instead. How she helped herself, according to the show, was by getting a job first and gastric bypass surgery second. This woman had not been employed before, she lived at home with her mother and had spent most of her time partying. I have to think that the reason she got a job first and GBS second, was because her employment benefits covered the procedure.

Benefit package costs for employees is a very serious matter for today's employers. I'm not saying that your experience with LB was because they are trying to avoid possibly having to pay for a new associate's GBS down the road. I'm just mentioning that it might be something to think about from the other side of the obesity discrimination point of view. GBS is a fast growing industry that appeals to a great number of people today who would rather not or otherwise cannot try weight loss on their own for varying reasons. Just my $.02.

Dawna, here's my two cents. . . that should be insurance fraud or something.

That's like shooting yourself full of heroin so you can be admitted into a heroin clinic or something.

It just goes to show you how helpless people can make themselves feel when there's a crutch available. I guess she didn't connect the dots that gastric bypass is major surgery and there are plenty of complications possible. . . why should she?

It's free. . .

That's crazy! I would report it because that is not the type of person that the company would want representing its name.

As a follow-up to my initial post about working at Lane Bryant, I have given my two weeks notice and last Friday was my last day, thank GOD. Last week my friend Carrie told the main manager to take this shift and shove it as she was reprimanding her for not being able to come in due to child care issues. Two days later my friend Norma Jean gave her two week notice, but they expected her to train the new person they hired. Luckily Norma Jean (legitimately) called in sick and is not coming in on her last day to do something the manager should be doing - training new staff. Norma Jean even told them she is going to work for their competitor Torrid as an Ass't Manager. So why ask that of her?

As I mentioned the management is not the brightest bulb in the pack. For example I gave them my two weeks on 3.9.05 which would make my last day on 3.23.05. No, they ended me on 3.18.05 marking it "last day" and the next day they marked me as "R.O." which means requested off. So nice of them isn't?

Two days after my last day at Lame Bryant I got hired at Torrid and I cannot wait to start. After all why would I not want to work for a company that ranked 55th out of 100 of the best places to work? And also ranked 20th of best mid-sized companies to work for? I am a winner and therefore want to work for a winner of a company. They are continuing to grow, offering their sales associates a comparable (to LB) discount, hourly wages plus commissions, better then Lame Bryant.

Lame Bryant did not have a very good financial quarter last time around, now (before I left) their new approach is to meet and greet customers as they walk into the door, bombarding them with do you have a charge with us? To telling them all about the sales/promotions going on. I for one HATE that approach that is the biggest turnoff and biggest deterrent of keeping the customer in the store. I for one of course like to at least say hello to the customer, then let them be, feel them out and offer assistance after they have gotten a chance to look around a bit.

However, I will miss the sick discount on the beautiful clothes LB does have to offer.

What a major turn off to shopping! When stores greet me like that I turn around and walk out!