Apple Store employees tell Tim Cook: We're treated like 'criminals'

[G_j]

http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/11/technology/apple-store-lawsuit-tim-cook/index.html


An Apple Store employee told Tim Cook that the company treats its staff like "criminals."


That's according to a recently unsealed e-mail that is part of a lawsuit filed against Apple (AAPL, Tech30) in 2013. The suit, filed in federal court in California, alleges that Apple Store employees were not paid wages for time spent waiting while managers checked the workers' personal bags for stolen iGizmos before they left the store.

In an e-mail sent on April 2, 2012, with the subject line "Fearless Feedback from Apple Retail Specialist," an unnamed employee told Cook that the bag check policies are "both insulting and demeaning to Apple employees."

The employee said Apple Store employees are issued a card with the serial numbers of all their personal Apple devices. Managers ask employees to present their iPhones and cards when they leave, and then they perform a bag check -- often in front of "gawking customers."

"These procedures imply that Apple doesn't trust or respect their employees," the person wrote. "Managers are required to treat 'valued' employees as criminals."

..more..

[Thinkingabout]

1. This happens in other businesses also, the US Mint is really strict.

[NightWatcher]

2. I used to work Loss Prevention and this happens at many businesses

Especially where high end tech toys are sold. How else can you tell the difference between your personal iphone6 and the ones you have access to in the stockroom.

[lpbk2713]

3. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Sorry folks. This isn't a unique situation.

[JanMichael]

5. Too true. Those weak bastards. nt

[OnyxCollie]

4. Work in retail, get a bag check.

Sometimes employees steal stuff. (Shocker!)

I worked in retail, and I never had a problem with bag checks.

[tritsofme]

12. Yes, I agree. But the time ought to be paid.

In this article they are saying the mandatory checks happen off the clock, which is not right.

[OnyxCollie]

13. Not knowing how long it takes,

I can't say if I agree with them.

I've had to wait for bag checks; sometimes I couldn't find a manager, or the manager was helping a customer, etc.

If I had to wait five minutes, I wouldn't complain. Ten minutes, every day, and I think I would bitch.

[tritsofme]

14. The problem with these types of places is that if an employee is 5 minutes late from a break,

they call it "time theft", and impose consequences up to termination. If that wasn't the sort of culture where you worked, I can understand not making a fuss.

But if that is how they typically treat their employees, and they have these sorts of mandatory off the clock checks that they believe are critical to their loss prevention efforts, they should be happy to pay and not steal the time from employees.

[ManiacJoe]

6. I have no problems with any of these type of "bag" checks.

However, they need to be done on company time with compensation for the time.

[1939]

9. One place I worked for in the federal goverment

You had to open your briefcase or attache case and show the interior to the security guard on the way out (1985-1989). About the only things we could be stealing would be ball point pens. I am not sure what they were looking for because I never saw them stop anyone, you just had to open up and display the contents.

The security guard was a large woman with a double digit IQ known affectionately as "Jabba the Hutt". I am not sure she even understood what she was supposed to be watching for. On the way into the building, you had to show your building pass which you flashed in front of her face and she would flicker an eyelid as you passed.

[Travis_0004]

7. I guess one easy way to piss off the company and make it easier is to get a samsung phone.

That will show them.

[name not needed]

8. Standard operating procedure for the retail industry.

I'd be more pissed about selling a luxury good and not getting commission for it.

[Cheese Sandwich]

10. Most employers steal from their employees in little ways like this every day.

That's pretty much the point of capitalism.

[NV Whino]

11. They need an app for that.

[littlewolf]

15. amazon also doesn't pay OT for the outgoing check.

not sure what is going on with it.