Thread regarding Big Lots Inc. layoffs

Wow, 26 years. I was let go yesterday over the phone also. However, I've been with big lots almost a year, so I wasn't surprised for it to be done over the phone, but for a 26 year veteran, sad. I guess they were letting so many people go that they couldn't do everyone in person. My DTL is a stand up guy, I know he would have done it in person if he was able. The are all signs of a future failing company, head count reduction at Corp and in the stores, skeleton payroll, no money reinvested into stores, only remodels, not even for basic repairs. DTS 3.O, BOPIS, management restructure will have a short gem impact but not longterm, Store closures are next, then the whole company.

After 26 years with the company I was let go yesterday. Cowards had to terminate me over the phone, then they had loss prevention in the store in case I went ballistic. We just had grand reopening this past weekend and I had to give a speech to our customers waiting on the sidewalk, on how big lots cares about the customers and community. I guess they don’t care about their associates. Big Lots will fail with these job cuts, bye the way I was told over the phone how much my length of service was appreciated . I then was told to turn in my keys and get my personal belongings and leave the store. My associate discount was taken away today!

Our stl said yesterday that he is over furniture now and the atls is now over merchandising. That they are the only managers now that all other managment are just going to be key carriers. He also yold me months ago that something was going to happen with our atlm and he was right they fired her he never said exactly this was going to happen but kind of hinted at it so im postive he knew this was going to happen and didnt give no one a heads up or anything out atlm has worked at big lots for 20 plus years.

They sent an email lastnight sayin they was going to explain the new management structure on conference call today. Our Atls got moved to merchamdising lead and our atlm was to she could either take a demotion and work less than 40 hours every week or she could take severence pay.

ATL=S let go here in California. Have not received final pay in accordance with California's labor laws. Wasn't given a check yesterday and don't see the direct deposit to my bank account today. This is not compliant with the state's labor laws. Owed lots of pay for vacation time (which is owed compensation and part of final pay in California) because every time I'd request it would get denied.

I was also laid off yesterday. ATL-S in Kentucky. We remodeled and opened out SOTF in October of last year. Sales are stupid high (up 27% this qtr) and the store is doing great. Yet I was let go....

8 out of 13 stores were affected in my district. Absolutely no rhyme or reason to who was let go. Half the surviving ones are low volume and most of the ones let go are High volume. All because they can’t fund their store of the future project. Getting real sick of companies c-ap.ping on long term associates. Some of us had given our life to Big Lots. 30+ years. Then let go because they got in over their head on an unnecessary remodeling project

I seen a lot of people mistreated... no one ever says anything that’s the problem... that’s why they will continue to do it..

Yeah, they think they can, you don't matter to them. It's all about $$$$
Do you just want to pick a fight with big lots or did you really love working there and you want the job back? Big lots is sh–ty place to work, move on you will see how much big lots really s—s when you end up somewhere much better.

They think they can get away with it

Yay BOPIS!

Agree or disagree, either way you are terminated. It's basically, big lots is paying you extra money for you to wave your rights to sue them. You can't accept the severance and sue. I guess a lawyer could clear up if you have any legal standing to sue big lots. It is not an illegal termination, it is a lay off because your position was eliminated. The position that you had no longer exists. That's how big lots can get away with terminating your employment. Best of luck.

That’s what I’m going to do.... if you sign it make sure you read the fine print I’m not 100% sure but if you agree to receive the severance pay it’s like saying you agree with the terms of your termination.

Cali, hmm, maybe I should contact a lawyer before signing the severance package.

This isnt good for big lots. The companies that succeed after headcount reduction, tighten payroll as tight as it can, cost and expense reductions and store closures are very few.
In addition big lots isnt special, lot of competition for the same cutomer buying discount consumables. They have a little edge with the c-ap low end quality furniture, but how often do people buy furniture? That's not really a weekly return customer. Finally, most locations are in c-apy ghetto areas with the transient, homeless, d–g addict shoplifter population, most soccer mom Jennifer's arent that willing to deal with that mess.

Cali is a different kind of beast.. they have a different set of laws that weren’t followed when it comes to being laid off

Yes, from Cali.

Is anyone from California?

I was laid off. I was given a severance program document that lists 4069 associates by position, stl atlm or atls , age , and if they are being offered severance and / or demotion. No names or locations. Still wondering what the restructure is , with the impact of 4000 leaders leaving there is no way it was random. Someone had input on individuals.

My store is also a high volume store... I believe the DMs had some part in choosing who to keep and who to let go... How do you lose an ATLM that’s been with company for 20 years no write ups, no attendance issues, performance review for the last two years was exceeds expectations... I would like to know how they determined who to keep and who to let go..

Great question, I was an Stl that was laid off, I was told that my position was being eliminated but the store is still open, not closing I assume . To me that means that store will not have an STL but a cheaper paid leader under a different title.

Manpower to let 4000 go, even by phone, is a task for 1 day. 1400 stores...that's 3.8 people per store. I dont think that is a correct figure or some corporate people where ditched too. Only 22k employees...that would be firing 5%.
It would be interesting to see this email

I’m in West Texas and was apart of the conference call. Since I’m a higher volume store I was not affected. Im a STL And I must say I am in awe of how this went down today. How was everyone let go. And who are running the stores that the STL were let go ? The conference call was very brief and unclear.

Do you have the email? I think that because I was left go, it was not sent to my email. Curious to know what the restructure looks like.

After an email sent by Bruce this morning.

Over 4000 employees let go today.

07/29/19

How were you let go? Over the phone??

1. I

Who's running the store if the stl and atl are being let go.

It must be company wide. I am in Texas and was laid off today, along with the ATLS and STL. I was ATLM. A friend in Oklahoma called me and he was laid off along with the ATLS. He was STL

Massive layoffs happening company wide does anyone know why

Was laid off today. It's this company wide? Does it have to do with the size of the store?

I was an ATL-S and got laid off today along with the ATL-M.
I don’t see this ending well for the company.
I say 2 years and there will not be a Big Lots.

If you were terminated today by Big Lots. If you reside in California they must pay you right when they terminate you for all hours worked.
The severance is a separate issue.
Also(if you were a salaried employee) if you worked over 50% of your time doing non managerial duties like stocking, cashiering, ect....you may be entitled to getting backpaid for all hours over 40 that you worked per week.

I was an STL, i was just laid off today. I am relieved. In my experience it is a terrible retailer and a miserable place to work . Hours are just enough to have 1 person ringing a register, expectations are crazy high. If you take personal pride to be successful it will s— the life out of you. We watched a video about Northstar, Big Lots road map to success. The CEO is cracking jokes while the stores are breaking their backs just to barely get by. His corporate audience is so un-intersested and disengaged. The guy in-charge of HR states that Big Lots will someday be an "employer of choice", he wont commit to a date cause he knows it wont happen. Based on my experence, the crazy turnover 100%+, and the lack of investment into older stores (payroll and maintenance), Big Lots being an "employer of choice will NEVER happen.
The real road map to success is selling closeout junk cheap, not trying to be a new, on-trend retailer.

Now they're restructuring the stores and getting rid of people. A few months back they started making their crews come in half an hour later to save money, while at the same time they were trying to revamp all of the stores to the "store of the future" concept, which was a lot more expensive than they thought. What they should be doing is asking for a refund from the consulting firm that told them they could afford the "store of the future" and leave the employees alone.

Big Lots restructuring - more like destroying. Too many great people being let go! New CEO is letting a consulting firm ruin oops I mean run the company. He’s a puppet and they’re pulling his strings. As a CEO if you have to hire consultants to assess your company then you should not be a CEO. Very poor leader. He will make all these cuts and then take his fortune and move on. Associates should get out before they’re put out. I see the company closing within 3 years. I’m looking!

I was very disappointed in how this RIF was handled. The email notifying associates to remain at their desks and wait for a call from HR resulted in panic for the majority of associates and you could hear associates crying at their desks after the email came out. And the amount of security roaming around was overkill and created additional unnecessary angst for associates. As a former employee of a Top 100 Places to Work company, it is clear to me that Big Lots has a long way to go to meet the standards and obtain this goal.

Corporate layoffs at Big Lots is a real thing. On 4/23 60+ Corporate Associates were walked out the front door. The entire company was put on notice at 9 AM to stay at their desks and wait for a call from HR, by 11 AM it was over. The building was on lock-down all day and undercover officers were in place in case of any backlash from the mass layoffs. It was a sad day for everyone and many long term associates now find themselves without a job. This is all done as the company undergoes a realignment of assets to lead the company forward with a leaner more competitive edge, part of the new leadership strategy adopted by recently appointed CEO, Bruce Thorn.

They just had a reorg and laid off a lot of the corporate employees.

If a store is closed, employees are laid off.