- Report: #748551
Complaint Review: KinderCare - Portland Oregon
Reported By:
teenmom2 -
Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
KinderCare
Portland, 97228 Oregon, United States of America
Phone:
Web:
www.kindercare.com
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KinderCare aka Knowledge Universe Corp. 8-hour workdays with no breaks except for brief potty breaks. Portland, Oregon
As a former employee at Kindercare, I must express my dismay at how this company is run at the corporate level. I enjoyed my former job and loved my co-workers, including the center and assistant directors. I need to voice that for-profit corporations and the business of taking care of children is not a very good combination.
These directors are placed under a huge amount of stress by keeping their enrollment numbers high at the expense of the teachers in their employ. Often there are not enough teachers to cover basic needs such as lunch breaks. I worked an 8 hour shift for months without being given a regular break. When there was enough staff, I would then receive a brief break. Having inadequate staffing also led to many classrooms being over their ratio numbers in multiple classrooms.
It was not unusual for an infant teacher to have a few toddlers in the classroom for part of the day. This was also repeated for the toddler and the two year-old classrooms. I clearly remember the stress, discomfort and frustration my center director experienced in having to make daily decisions in who could get a break or which classes had to "bump" their students up or down by age group.
I worked for Kindercare multiple years and my only "raise" or wage increase during that time was less than a dime an hour. I left the company due to burnout and stress. A Kindercare employee seen at the corporate level is just a number, and treated as such. I am expendable, cheap labor that can easily be replaced. This corporation puts their bottom line at the expense of their employees and the well-being of the children placed in these daycare centers.
These directors are placed under a huge amount of stress by keeping their enrollment numbers high at the expense of the teachers in their employ. Often there are not enough teachers to cover basic needs such as lunch breaks. I worked an 8 hour shift for months without being given a regular break. When there was enough staff, I would then receive a brief break. Having inadequate staffing also led to many classrooms being over their ratio numbers in multiple classrooms.
It was not unusual for an infant teacher to have a few toddlers in the classroom for part of the day. This was also repeated for the toddler and the two year-old classrooms. I clearly remember the stress, discomfort and frustration my center director experienced in having to make daily decisions in who could get a break or which classes had to "bump" their students up or down by age group.
I worked for Kindercare multiple years and my only "raise" or wage increase during that time was less than a dime an hour. I left the company due to burnout and stress. A Kindercare employee seen at the corporate level is just a number, and treated as such. I am expendable, cheap labor that can easily be replaced. This corporation puts their bottom line at the expense of their employees and the well-being of the children placed in these daycare centers.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
anonymous
Illinois,United States of America
Try Kindercare in another State
#2UPDATE Employee
Sun, November 25, 2012
I also work for an Illinois Kindercare. We are allowed breaks. For the Smokers paid smoke breaks any time theywant. Our Director does have to push kids up and down due to being over ratio. We have alot of call offs then we are all over ratio. I believe this is true in all child care. Unless DCFS is coming or a Corporate Boss. We have not have a raise in 3yrs+ If I had it to do all over again I would not choose childcare for my profession. I think If Parents really wanted to know what goes on in every child care they would ask more questions,pop in at odd hours ,count kids in each class, hold center accountable to what they put in their information packs. But alas parents dont really want to know because if they did there would definetly be more being closed down because of what they do to children.
teenmom2
Phoenix,Arizona,
United States of America
Denied taking Vacation or Personal time
#3Author of original report
Sun, July 03, 2011
In my rebuttal agains KinderCare, I failed to mention that due to staffing shortages, I was unable to take any vacation or personal time for months. Over a 9-month period, I was able to take just two personal days. I was feeling stressed and burnt-out due to lack of time off and the center's inability to hire additional staff in a timely manner. I understood my limits and pleaded for time off from working 8 hour days with only brief potty breaks. As an employee, I left this company feeling totally depleted and used up. I will never work for a corporate-run child care business again. I am learning toward mom-and-pop operations or non-profit organizations.
