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Denali gift companies Kevin and Linda Helwig Mistreats employs, only cares about the bottom line Denali park Alaska
First I want to state that I'm submitting this anonymously because the owners, Kevin and Linda, can be vindictive. I've seen them attack and go after employees simply based off of what they've seen on their security cameras (usually the employee is just sitting or sending a text). When I say attack, I mean they do so behind the scenes by first defaming character followed by firing. I'm also just sending this report now because I happened upon their website while searching for another summer job. I have worked multiple summer jobs in multiple states and this, by far, was the worst experience I've had. Now I did make a lot of great friends, Alaska is a beautiful place, and I am grateful I went but I wish I had worked for another company. To address a few things mentioned in kevins rebuttal and the previous report: The employee housing is nasty! We were told the previous years employees cleaned at the end of the season but it doesn't look like it. Trash is everywhere. Not only that but no one would even touch the bathroom til it had been soaked in bleach. And the worst part is the mice droppings. They are everywhere! And that problem doesn't go away. The mice infiltrate the kitchen all summer long. When there's 20-30 people cooking in one tiny kitchen I understand there will be a problem with dishes and trash but the mice are just nasty. The individual cabins aren't much better. Two or more people are housed in each and it gets cramped. Especially after we are expected to keep all our food, clothes, dishes, hiking gear, etc, inside the cabin. The cabins are heated but with a space heater, some only have lights through lamps, and some have to keep their fridges outside because either there's no room inside or the fridge would not fit through the door. On the same property a giant orange dump trailer is kept for us to toss our trash in which is fine until the wind blows or the Ravens find it. Then trash gets EVERYWHERE! I've been stopped by neighbors who, some not so nicely, asked us to clean up the trash that has blown down the road. Apparently that has been a problem for years. The last thing I want to say about the housing is that it's loud! The night shift gets home around 11, and usually wakes the morning shift employees. They aren't trying to by any means but with how the cabins are set up its inevitable. Same with the morning shift, they usually wake the night shift just by getting up and getting ready for work. Now onto the work situation. You are told you WILL get 40 hrs but not every week. I've overheard Kevin stressing out over payroll multiple times so most of the time you won't get 40 hrs. You might be scheduled for it but he'll either make you take a lunch break (unpaid) or he'll send you home early. Also he'll change the schedule at a drop of a dime. I've gone to bed thinking I had the next day off only to get a phone call the next morning asking where I was because the schedule was changed the night before! Or I'll be working where I thought I was scheduled to work (one of his 3 stores) only to get reprimanded by Kevin or his wife Linda (who is never never nice) again because of a last minute schedule change. I will say however that I've always gotten paid on time, Kevin is correct in his rebuttal with that but only that! Also I know for a fact because I've seen it, that when Kevin isn't in the store he is in his house staring at his computer watching, obsessing over the security cameras. If he sees someone sit down for a second, stand idly for a minute, be in the bathroom too long, etc, he will call the store and rudely demand why that employee isn't working. He expects to pay us minimally yet we must work like slaves. I'm not exaggerating. And it's all on his or Linda's terms. Once when it was cold the employees carrying in 50 plus pound boxes of merchandise had to open the back door each time to come in because Kevin was standing at the computer close by and he was cold. Also watch out if you are overweight or slightly unattractive. He will want you working more behind the scenes and/or he will look for a reason to fire you. This goes for men as well. ive heard him make comments about overweight employees and their ability to move quickly enough or fit into the shuttle van (which is disgusting too.., we had to pile the days trash in the back everyday and a lot of the time it leaked and smelled!) Lastly, the 50% off sale is a scam. This didn't affect the employees so much other than dealing with mad customers but since it was mentioned i will expound upon it. Yes there are signs posted everywhere but what he doesn't tell you is he has some employees change the prices on the products before the sale. For example, if a book is priced all season at 5.99, he'll change that price to 10.99 days before the sale. There are many other violations but I just don't have the time to elaborate. I think I've made my point. Don't work for this company! You can make more money and be better respected somewhere else in the area.