- Report: #186381
Complaint Review: PetSmart - Champaign Illinois
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PetSmart
petsmart.com Champaign, 61820 Illinois, U.S.A.
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PetSmart No training at PetSmart-Unfair to animals- Fired after injury Champaign Illinois
I am a 16 year old who was recently hired by Champaign Illinois PetSmart in the grooming department.
The second day i was handling and partially grooming dogs (Big and Small) on my own.
The only training I reieved was from someone who had started the day before me (ONLY 3 DAYS OF EXPERIENCE!!!)
I watched him for about 20 minutes and then was excpected to do these tasks. The way animals are treated at petsmart is apalling. They manhandle the dogs in the back of the grooming. The dogs are left alone on the table with "noose" like leashes connected to the table around their necks, and i have seen plenty of them jump off and choke on the leashes. 95% of the employees no nothing about animals they just say things that sound good.
I was bitten by a dog that had been marked down in the records as a biter. I should not have been handling the dog by myself. I did not receive any training and I had only worked there a 2 days. I worked any hours they scheduled me for, arrived early and stayed late when asked. I never had one complaint from a customer about my care of the animals. I worked one day 8 hours without a lunch and was by myself because the other employee went home. I worked 7 to 10 hour days eveyday and I was scheduled to work 5 days a week.
4.10.06 I lifted a big dog and popped something in my back. I told my mother about it when she brought in my lunch. She told me I should tell a supervisor. And of course I was afraid of being fired so I didnt, but I mentioned it a co-worker.
I was scheduled to work until 7:00 that day. At 5:00 right after my lunch break I was called to the office and fired. He asked me to sign paper work and I polietly said no, shook his hand, and walked out. When my mother picked me up the manager Mark told her that I had been fired because mystery shoppers called and went into the grooming salon and out of 10 people i work with I was the only one that had been "mystery shopped". He said I did not identify myself to the customers and that I did not establish eye contact. The employee was identified as a blond between 21-25. There is two other females there that fit that description. I have a very nice personality and the other female manager even said that I was the sweetest girl.
All of this dedication and giving 100% happened in about a 2 week period. I asked the Mark the manager why he did not talk to me and ask me if there was a problem. He said that he does not have the time and that he felt that I was not a "fit" but I was a "fit" when I was working by myself without a lunch break and when I was working a 10 hour shift.
He said that he was not aware of the fact that I worked that many hours. That is a manager "right on top of things" and he does not know who is working, how long they are working ,nor does he feel that he has the time to handle training or the proper protocol for write ups.
I had to go to hospital for my back and I have to see a doctor again this Friday to see if treatment is helping. I am wondering if there are laws that protect me?
Nuretta
Champaign, New York
U.S.A.
The second day i was handling and partially grooming dogs (Big and Small) on my own.
The only training I reieved was from someone who had started the day before me (ONLY 3 DAYS OF EXPERIENCE!!!)
I watched him for about 20 minutes and then was excpected to do these tasks. The way animals are treated at petsmart is apalling. They manhandle the dogs in the back of the grooming. The dogs are left alone on the table with "noose" like leashes connected to the table around their necks, and i have seen plenty of them jump off and choke on the leashes. 95% of the employees no nothing about animals they just say things that sound good.
I was bitten by a dog that had been marked down in the records as a biter. I should not have been handling the dog by myself. I did not receive any training and I had only worked there a 2 days. I worked any hours they scheduled me for, arrived early and stayed late when asked. I never had one complaint from a customer about my care of the animals. I worked one day 8 hours without a lunch and was by myself because the other employee went home. I worked 7 to 10 hour days eveyday and I was scheduled to work 5 days a week.
4.10.06 I lifted a big dog and popped something in my back. I told my mother about it when she brought in my lunch. She told me I should tell a supervisor. And of course I was afraid of being fired so I didnt, but I mentioned it a co-worker.
I was scheduled to work until 7:00 that day. At 5:00 right after my lunch break I was called to the office and fired. He asked me to sign paper work and I polietly said no, shook his hand, and walked out. When my mother picked me up the manager Mark told her that I had been fired because mystery shoppers called and went into the grooming salon and out of 10 people i work with I was the only one that had been "mystery shopped". He said I did not identify myself to the customers and that I did not establish eye contact. The employee was identified as a blond between 21-25. There is two other females there that fit that description. I have a very nice personality and the other female manager even said that I was the sweetest girl.
All of this dedication and giving 100% happened in about a 2 week period. I asked the Mark the manager why he did not talk to me and ask me if there was a problem. He said that he does not have the time and that he felt that I was not a "fit" but I was a "fit" when I was working by myself without a lunch break and when I was working a 10 hour shift.
He said that he was not aware of the fact that I worked that many hours. That is a manager "right on top of things" and he does not know who is working, how long they are working ,nor does he feel that he has the time to handle training or the proper protocol for write ups.
I had to go to hospital for my back and I have to see a doctor again this Friday to see if treatment is helping. I am wondering if there are laws that protect me?
Nuretta
Champaign, New York
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Kat
Puyallup,Washington,
U.S.A.
You were just too young.
#2UPDATE Employee
Sat, February 10, 2007
The grooming salon is a place where people should not get their first jobs. It is an environment unlike other jobs~even in Petsmart. You are not monitored there like other jobs. The managers out in the store have so many tasks to do (managing the store) that it is no surprise they are not clear on YOUR breaks and YOUR hours. You need to take some responsibility here ~take it as a lesson you can use in your life. If you haven't had a lunch, ASK for one! They are your employers, not your parents. There are rules about breaks, lunches, and specific rules on young employees like yourself, where you cannot be over~worked and things. Did you read your employee handbook and splash information that explain your responsibilities? They are not there for you, you are there for them. You're young, and if you were a cashier, you'd have had the guidance and someone reminding you of your breaks and things~but in the salon, everyone is responsible for their own dogs, their own breaks, and for following the PNP's (policies and procedures). When you were injured, it's your fault for NOT reporting it (that is in the handbook too). You were supposed to tell a manager immediately (the same thing you would do if you injured a dog) and fill out an incident report. But this isn't just a Petsmart policy..this is common for ANY job. How can Petsmart take the correct measures to care for you if you didn't take the correct actions to give them the opportunity? You can't keep quiet about something like that and then expect to pipe up about it later as an attack and think it's fair. Not only is it not fair, but in the legal aspect of it you are no longer an asset to Petsmart, you are now a liability. You just need to accept that you weren't fit for that kind of work. You were working around ANIMALS ~did you think there wouldn't be at risk of being bitten? It doesn't matter if you are new or not~if the dog had notes or not~you can be bitten at ANY time hun, and that is the risk you take when working with animals. It isn't the kind of job where you pet poochies and make them smell nice~it stinks, it's filthy, they bite, they bark, they poop (sometimes on you), and if you're lucky at the end of the day you still have some pride left over. I suspect you were fired because you couldn't fullfill the task at hand. In the short time you worked there, you displayed work qualities that raised concern enough to let you go. Petsmart does not fire people over reasons you have stated. Mystery shops are done to improve the quality of the store~and I suspect that that particular mystery shop only solidified their decisions to let you go...if it played a hand at all. Petsmart did the right thing in this situation, because not only did they protect other dogs and themselves, they protected you from further injuries. If you HAD reported your injury claim like you should've, it would've been taken care of (just for future information). I'm sorry it didn't work out for you, but I hope you learned what you needed to in the experience.
David
Sellersburg,Indiana,
U.S.A.
Workmans Comp
#3Consumer Comment
Fri, April 21, 2006
You MAY be able to get workmans comp to cover the medical costs, but the fact that you did not follow procedures and report the injury to your supervisor means they can deny it happened on the job. Use this as a learning experience... it's unfair if they fired you for no reason, but some states they are allowed to do that... check with the labor board in your state to see what the laws are.
Rachel
Cahokia,Illinois,
U.S.A.
There are laws...
#4Consumer Suggestion
Fri, April 21, 2006
You need to keep all your medical records, paystubs and if possible a log of hours worked. I strongly suggest visiting a lawyer or two and telling them your case, you should atleast be reimbursed for you medical bills, if there is any. I have a question though, do you go to school? I don't understand how you can work these long hours and go to school too. Just wondering...
