Archived Being forced to work as Cart Attendant??

[Lucros]

After applying for cashier, in the interview I was told I might have to work as a cart attendant once in a while. I agreed. They've scheduled me a cart attendant shift every week, one week they scheduled like 4.

I was told that new cashiers have to work as CA sometimes, however, none of the cashiers that started with me or after me have even been trained for CA.

I hate it. I've talked with them multiple times. One employee told me that it shouldn't be a problem to drop from CA but they won't let me. They still schedule me for it.

I've informed them that by the end of a CA shift I'm having moderate to severe chest pain, and they still insist on scheduling it. Any way I can get out of this bs?

 

[leo443]

"If somebody ever asks you to do something, do it really bad so you never have to do it again." - Paris Hilton

Jk!!! You could always ask to be cross trained in other areas like Food Avenue, and they will likely begin to schedule you there instead once youre trained. I would just keep persisting on being taken off the schedule as a cart attendant, and if your chest pain continues, try to get a note from your doctor. Good luck, I know how much being CA sucks

 

[Him]

try to get a note from your doctor

^^ This. Otherwise you will always be ignored. Once you have this, you have a "leg to stand on" so to speak. And you also will have justified your transition into another workcenter.

 

[Kartman]

I don't understand... what's so bad about being a CA?

My only complaint is the heat, and my coolvest makes that tolerable.

I hate being stuck on a register...

 

[SrTLall]

When you say you talked to 'them,' who is 'them?'

 

[HRZone]

I don't understand... what's so bad about being a CA?

You love it, but it's not for everyone.

SrTL hit the nail on the head. OP you need to make sure you are talking to the right person. I am guessing it's your etl GE or etl hr/sr HR.

If you are telling a gsa you don't want to push carts anymore you are barking up the wrong tree.

Thoughts:

A) Being told you need to get carts once in a while and then getting mad you are getting carts a lot is a communication issue. You should have clarified how often "sometimes is in the interview

B) Ask someone in HR if your store has a staffing issue with cart attendants they may be looking to hire one and just be short handed.

 

[Kartman]

It's not so much that I love it but more that I don't hate it.

There are much harder jobs out there.

but yea I kinda love it...

 

[Kartman]

I just did a 11 to 7 CA shift and not a single TL/ETL/STL told me what to do.

For me, that's the best part... being left alone.

But, I AM the CA Master Of The Universe.

 

[TTGOz]

#cartattendantsunite

But seriously, doctor's note if it's a serious issue. Don't be afraid to take a break, let your GSTL know, come in for some water, cool down etc.

I really f***ing love doing carts because you're so independent once you learn how to do it and ETLs and LODs and GSTLs stop yelling at you and those moments turn into credit and exceeding expectations. When I was doing carts, I was basically the "head" cart guy even though I wasn't the one working their the longest, I was kind of the go-to guy when ETL or LOD wanted something done and I had to inform the rest of the CAs on duty. If there was a TL Cart Attendant position I might of actually went for it lmao. Or like a TL Maintenance I guess?? Idk. I never got yelled at after a few successful closing carts shifts and never had any more issues after that with anyone or anything, it was just me and my pusher and occasionally team.

HRzone is also not wrong in saying it's not for everyone... it takes a specific person to do it and deal with it. It's definitely stressful because you're treated like shit 98% of the time. I, myself, was thrown right into Cart Attending, forefully? Kind of, GSTL at the time basically turned my lane lights off, gave me a vest and keys, gave me a quick 15 second run down on how to run the pusher and his last tip was "don't hit anything"

I know for a fact if I told my HR I couldn't do Carts due to creative differences or inability to do it, unconfident in it or whatever, they'd try to accompany me and tone it down.

 

[Catalina]

In my store it doesn't matter if you're trained for carts or not, if a cart attendant calls off they'll make a cashier go and get them by hand. Doesn't matter if you have health problems. Have a note in my file about my copd. Was still made to do carts in the middle of winter, Obviously ASANTS.

 

[Bosch]

In my store it doesn't matter if you're trained for carts or not, if a cart attendant calls off they'll make a cashier go and get them by hand. Doesn't matter if you have health problems. Have a note in my file about my copd. Was still made to do carts in the middle of winter, Obviously ASANTS.

That is a hotline call right there.

 

[BackroomBear]

And, ETLs/STL should be cart wrangling in such case

 

[Bosch]

And, ETLs/STL should be cart wrangling in such case

If you can get those sorority girls out of the office.. Never happens..

 

[Panda13]

If you can get those sorority girls out of the office.. Never happens..

Or out of Starbucks

 

[Bosch]

Or out of Starbucks

Truth.

 

[HRZone]

In my store it doesn't matter if you're trained for carts or not, if a cart attendant calls off they'll make a cashier go and get them by hand. Doesn't matter if you have health problems. Have a note in my file about my copd. Was still made to do carts in the middle of winter, Obviously ASANTS.

Nope, all you have to do is decline. Best practice is for ETLs and an stl to get carts when there is no cart attendant. Most team members don't realize this and are looking to please so they say yes.

My old stl would happily get carts whenever we had a callout. It was one expensive cart attendant but he realized getting carts wasn't in our job duties.

 

[Kartman]

GSTL at the time basically turned my lane lights off, gave me a vest and keys, gave me a quick 15 second run down on how to run the pusher and his last tip was "don't hit anything"

Totally not brand and NOT the way to do it.

Like any other mobile piece of equipment, you have to be certified with signed documentation in your records.

I'd better not catch any non-certified TM's operating MY cart pusher.

 

[Kartman]

Best practice is for ETLs and an STL to get carts when there is no cart attendant.

When push comes to shove, it's all hands on deck to gather carts!!!

And that ain't no shit. If you have a health condition, at least go out and push in just one load of however many carts YOU can handle and be done with it. At least you helped!

If you have the physical ability to do more, then... DO MORE.

One Team, my friends.

 

[BackroomAlpha]

Try going to hr

 

[buliSBI]

Just let your mgmt respectively know CA is not your ideal position but your willing to cross-train in other areas when available.

I was forced in Food Ave about the same way by one of my former ETLs. Yet other cashiers were not placed there when I was told all cashiers had to work it. But I did it anyway.

CA was not bad for me except for one store.

I stayed inside most opening shifts cashiering and zoning lanes until there was a need for carts. Closing shifts was to keep the cart well full and funnel extra carts to the building side. Hangers and other stuff as called for.

My Super in Iowa was bad at mismanaging CAs. Broken down cart pushers, tons of extra duties (can/bottle recycler/carry-outs/push food orders/fill spill stations/clear backroom carts...) with extreme hot to cold outside temps. But since I was working another job, CA and cashier was about the only availabile hours I could work and I worked it until I left.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Totally not brand and NOT the way to do it.

Like any other mobile piece of equipment, you have to be certified with signed documentation in your records.

I'd better not catch any non-certified TM's operating MY cart pusher.

This is pretty much how I was taught how to use the Crown. The one thing in the store most likely to kill someone. (Before we got our GIANT Yale, which involved just as much training, and I have seen bend our Steel structure in the backroom, into an upside down V shape.

Since then, I have learned that I have earned my Crown, bahaha.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Totally not brand and NOT the way to do it.

Like any other mobile piece of equipment, you have to be certified with signed documentation in your records.

I'd better not catch any non-certified TM's operating MY cart pusher.

Really.... We r down a couple CA's and they are pulling cashiers to p/u shifts and they are using the pushers.

 

[tgtguy]

We don't even have a cart pusher.

 

[Kartman]

We're a ULV store and we sure as shit have one.

Something is fishy at your store.

 

[Tessa120]

And that ain't no shit. If you have a health condition, at least go out and push in just one load of however many carts YOU can handle and be done with it. At least you helped!

Sometimes health conditions are too debilitating. And in an attempt to nip that argument in the bud, there are a lot of health conditions/disabilities that can be worked around when the person is kept in a temperate and low humidity environment, rarely walks more than a few steps and has learned ways around actually handling heavy objects, but cannot be worked around when it requires physical exertion in extreme hot or cold environments. Lung issues, heart issues, asthma, nerve problems....the list is long.

Heck I shouldn't have been pushing carts of unsorted reshop when I had my shoulder problem. My push/pull limitation was so low pushing an empty shopping cart violated it by a lot, which would have caused one heck of a legal issue if I had gotten worse rather than better. I could never have been drafted for cart duty.