Thread regarding Sears layoffs

Thing is, most Sears stores are so slow that taking vacation time or calling out wouldn't even register with the rest of the store.

I can't count how many times we were standing around twiddling our thumbs on blackout days when there's supposed to be a big sale.

"no one can take any vacation or flex days during November or December "

Wrk'd for Monkey Ward in mid 80's in IT dept - they had same policy - never told ya' that on interview - took me 8 months to get out of there - any wonder why brick n' mortar retail has been dying a slow excruciating death

I take vacations all the time.

Because no one can take any vacation or flex days during November or December at Sears,

All vacstion time must be used within 10 months of the year, plus if you actually have vacation time to use with all the black out dates,it is sometimes heard to schedule.

OP here. I think the reason why the store manager takes a week off per month on average may not be necessarily taken as vacation. It may be sick time, "flex" time, personal days, what have you. All I know is the SM is gone for 5-7 days each month like clockwork.

As for sick time, you can technically be terminated if you call in sick. At my store you WILL be written up if you call in. Too may write-ups = attendance points = termination of you get a certain amount of points. The ONLY way you could escape a write-up is by bringing in a doctor's note.

So...I cannot call in sick, even though I'm sick mentally. Not enough to be hospitalized, thank God, but I'm just drained and exhausted. Working here without a comprehensive break has given me memory problems, depression, anxiety. Needless to say, I am looking for a way out of this. Trying to find work while working full-time is difficult. Oh, speaking of which...I can't interview because chances are I would be scheduled to work! If I call out, I would get a write-up! It has happened a couple of times before.

Other stores may be different. Sears has so many rules and policies that no two stores will operate the same way. Other stores may have a store manager that actually cares about the employees and their well-being.

You're better off looking for a better job, even if you have to wait a year to begin accumulating vacation time.

I'm in a slightly different boat. I've got a fair amount of vacation hours banked, but the problem is that apart from one other person who never really wants to do it and usually doesn't do a particularly complete job of it, I'm the only one in the store that knows how to do my job. That job is something that pretty much needs to be done every day. When I'm just off for one day I sometimes come back to find the job hasn't been done and I've immediately got double the work. I don't even want to think about how it would look after a week off.

I don't know of any company that fired someone for calling in sick. Like the person said above just call in sick for 2 days leading to your weekend. Then you get 4 total days off. And looking for a better job would be a great idea.

Even with the most amount of vacation time allowed, it wouldnt equal to a week a month off. That sounds off. I know it is tough due to work load. I myself never took off more than a couple days at a time until the last couple of years as I felt I would be really behind.

How about asking the store manager when you can take a week or a couple days? Just say something like what week would be good? I am by no means condoning his or her behavior, but that forces the individual to come up with a time and hence you would get your vacation.

Demand the time off if you have vacation days and personal days. You can't be fired for that. You earned those days. Also. call out sick for a few days. Can't be fired for that either. Don't get pushed around.

Fortunately, my manager has always been understanding and okay with needed time off. Although I don't have any hours at all now this week or next, and only three last week (woo!)... (Seems they cut our hours back to cover just the few full-time MCAs and us part-timers were left with nothing.) I'd gladly trade some of this unasked for "vacation" with you if I could since I do need the hours.

get your time off....if your store goes your gonna lose em......pro rating is worthless...

Too late now to complain. The company is toast. Your manager will be in for a big pay cut, if that gives you some peace of mind.

Must be your manager - unfortunately the person doesn't realize, or doesn't want to accept reality, that THEIR job is going to be toast too - so what difference should it make if time off is granted

Must just be your manager. Our SM has never denied anyone time off. He says that because he can't give us a raise that it is the least he could do to work around our schedule.