Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active duty
and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the level
of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all, but I'm
spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that is a very
admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs as much
support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears for their
policy.
Thomas
We went around with this a few weeks ago (here on the 'wreck').
I always liked Sears - not so much for their own brand of power tools,
but for the way they run their business.
When I walk into a Sears store, I feel real "comfortable"
about it - if that makes any sense. 40+ years of buying their
appliances (and other stuff) - and the few complaints
were addressed promptly.
A good company to deal with.
Lou
In article <[email protected]>, Thomas
<scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
> Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active duty
> and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
> only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the level
> of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all, but I'm
> spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that is a very
> admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs as much
> support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears for their
> policy.
> Thomas
>
>
"Thomas" <scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
> duty and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country.
> Not only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
> level of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all,
> but I'm spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that
> is a very admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs as
> much support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears for
> their policy.
Yes, this is a very admirable thing that they don't have to do. Be sure and
let them know that is why you are shopping there so they will be more likely
to continue the policy. Perhaps more employers will follow suit.
Frank
> We went around with this a few weeks ago (here on the 'wreck').
> I always liked Sears - not so much for their own brand of power tools,
> but for the way they run their business.
I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business. Their
marketing practices often border on outright deception.
>> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business. Their
>> marketing practices often border on outright deception.
>
>
> Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
> figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
I don't know of any other business who's been hauled off to court for false
and deceptive advertising more often than Sears. It's just not an isolated
incidence or two. Seems like it's ingrained in their business philosophy.
Maybe it's in their corporate mission statement too.
> A good part of the reason for that is that they are such a prime target -
> big, lots of advertising, somewhat subject to the discrepancies of the
> manufacturers who they contract with, all of which makes them a tasty
> morsel
> for the greed gods that look for targets like this.
Perhaps, but I doubt it. No other big box stores land in court nearly as
often as Sears.
"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>>> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business.
>>> Their marketing practices often border on outright deception.
>>
>>
>> Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
>> figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
>
> I don't know of any other business who's been hauled off to court for
> false and deceptive advertising more often than Sears. It's just not an
> isolated incidence or two. Seems like it's ingrained in their business
> philosophy. Maybe it's in their corporate mission statement too.
Hummm
Walmart, Kmart, Used Car lots, New Car Dealerships just to name a few that
make national news.
Leon writes:
>"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>>> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business.
>>>> Their marketing practices often border on outright deception.
>>>
>>>
>>> Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
>>> figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
>>
>> I don't know of any other business who's been hauled off to court for
>> false and deceptive advertising more often than Sears. It's just not an
>> isolated incidence or two. Seems like it's ingrained in their business
>> philosophy. Maybe it's in their corporate mission statement too.
>
>Hummm
>
>Walmart, Kmart, Used Car lots, New Car Dealerships just to name a few that
>make national news.
Yeah. Walmart was getting busted almost monthly until a couple, three months
ago.
Charlie Self
"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)
"Eugene" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Any company is required by law to keep their job available for them.
> There
> are a few companies like sears that will make up the difference in pay and
> I know of one company that still pays their employees their full pay so
> the
> employees get two paychecks while in service.
>
Heck, post the name off the company. SWMBO could use a job like that. :)
Tom B
> Any company is required by law to keep their job available for them.
> There are a few companies like sears that will make up the difference
> in pay and I know of one company that still pays their employees their
> full pay so the employees get two paychecks while in service.
>
I had a boss, 2900 miles away from my office, who could be a 'challenge' at
times, but the 6 hour flight, and the fact that HIS boss was right down the
hall from me made it a little more manageable. ;-)
However, when one of our guys 'disappeared to Afghanistan' on reserve duty,
right after 9/11, this 'challenging boss' took almost a year to let HR know
that he was off, serving the country. Paid him his group bonuses and
everything. "Screw the rules. Do the right thing."
I came to appreciate that boss a lot more thereafter.
Patriarch
dot wrote:
> Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
> duty
> and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
> only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the level
> of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all, but
> I'm
> spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that is a very
> admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs as much
> support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears for
> their policy.
> Thomas
Any company is required by law to keep their job available for them. There
are a few companies like sears that will make up the difference in pay and
I know of one company that still pays their employees their full pay so the
employees get two paychecks while in service.
In article <[email protected]>,
Upscale <[email protected]> wrote:
>"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
>duty
>> >and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
>> >only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
>level
>> >of pay they were receiving as employees.
>
>I maybe opening a Pandora's box with this question, but since I live in
>Canada, I'm not knowledgeable about this.
>
>I was under the impression that when people were called to duty, it was the
>law that their jobs and positions had to be maintained? Is this not so? Or,
>does the reality of the situation find a way to ignore the law (if there is
>one)?
"Close", but not exact. Just for starters, there are two separate conditions
where laws kick in. 1) a _routine_, *scheduled*, short-term call up (typically
_two_weeks_) for refresher/training purposes. 2) a unit 'activation' for full-
time, *indefinite*duration* (usually _minimum_ 6 months) services.
There have been a few cases litigated in the area, with defaulting employers
generally getting nailed to the wall.
For case 1), employers are required to hold the *specific* job open for the
reservist, _and_ to give =unpaid= leave if requested (so that the employee
is *not* required to consume 'vacation' time),
For case 2), employers are required to provide "equivalent" employment --
in terms of job duties, seniority, pay scale, etc. -- to the reservist, when
he returns from the active-duty call-up. It does -not- have to be 'exactly'
the same position -- could be in a different department, or reporting to a
different manager, etc.
'Fringe benefits', especially ones that are (at least partly) funded by
employee contributions are a sensitive area.
*MANY* employers, especially the _larger_ ones, make it a policy to go _well_
_beyond_ 'what the law requires'. The "cost is *comparatively* trivial;
it is good 'employee relations' to do so; and it doesn't hurt them in the
eyes of the public, either. It's the _little_ shops that have real problems
with compliance. If a call-up takes out 40% of your work-force (2 of 5
total employees), you don't have the choice of leaving the positions vacant
until the people return. Then, when they _do_ come back, you have to either
'lay off' those temporary replacements -- with the resulting damage to your
'unemployment insurance' rating, and greatly increased UI liability for the
next _five_years_ -- or you've now got a work-force of 7, instead of 5. If
you can't create enough work for all 7, you've got a problem.
For a large employer, like a Sears, they can usually re-work employee schedules
so that there is no need to take on any 'temporary replacement' employees.
They can simply assign some extra hours to some part-time employees. And cut
back on those hours when the called-up employee returns.
And, of course, a Sears is *far*less*likely* to have 40% of _its_ work-force
called up. They'll have _maybe_ a few hundred call-ups, out of a national
work-force that is probably well into 6 digits.
I'm _not_ picking on Sears with the above. The situation is near-identical
for *any* large employer.
Sears *is* to be commended for 'going beyond the requirements', and 'doing
what is *RIGHT*'. Both for their employees and for the country.
On Sun, 05 Dec 2004 21:07:18 -0500, loutent <[email protected]> wrote:
>We went around with this a few weeks ago (here on the 'wreck').
>I always liked Sears - not so much for their own brand of power tools,
>but for the way they run their business.
>
>When I walk into a Sears store, I feel real "comfortable"
>about it - if that makes any sense. 40+ years of buying their
>appliances (and other stuff) - and the few complaints
>were addressed promptly.
>
>A good company to deal with.
That they are. I went in last Thursday with my tape measure from work
to see if they'd exchange it, and they took it no questions asked. I
didn't buy the thing in the first place, all the numbers were worn
off, and the case had been crushed by being left in the path of an
opening vise. All they asked me was how long it was (didn't have a
label, either) and handed me a replacement one from under the counter.
Now if only they had some of the hand tools I want, it'd be a great
store- but it seems like everything is pretty much geared to mechanics
and diy home-improvement types. Not much in the way of specialty ww
tools there!
>Lou
>
>In article <[email protected]>, Thomas
><scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>
>> Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active duty
>> and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
>> only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the level
>> of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all, but I'm
>> spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that is a very
>> admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs as much
>> support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears for their
>> policy.
>> Thomas
>>
>>
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam
Upscale wrote:
> "Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
> duty
>> >and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country.
>> >Not only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
> level
>> >of pay they were receiving as employees.
>
> I maybe opening a Pandora's box with this question, but since I live in
> Canada, I'm not knowledgeable about this.
>
> I was under the impression that when people were called to duty, it was
> the law that their jobs and positions had to be maintained? Is this not
> so? Or, does the reality of the situation find a way to ignore the law (if
> there is one)?
Their positions yes, but the law does not required that they be paid by
their employer for the time that they are away on government service.
--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
On Mon, 6 Dec 2004 11:04:31 -0500, "Upscale" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> >Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
>duty
>> >and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
>> >only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
>level
>> >of pay they were receiving as employees.
>
>I maybe opening a Pandora's box with this question, but since I live in
>Canada, I'm not knowledgeable about this.
>
>I was under the impression that when people were called to duty, it was the
>law that their jobs and positions had to be maintained? Is this not so? Or,
>does the reality of the situation find a way to ignore the law (if there is
>one)?
They can't fire a serviceman for being called to active duty, but they
don't have to pay them anything while they're not at work. Some
companies pay soldiers the difference between what the military pays
them and what they would have made had they remained at work- there is
no law forcing them to do this, it's just something some employers do
to support their employees. It's the right thing for them to do for
young families- besides being good PR, and probably a decent tax
write-off to boot.
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam
"Ba r r y" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> >Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
duty
> >and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
> >only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
level
> >of pay they were receiving as employees.
I maybe opening a Pandora's box with this question, but since I live in
Canada, I'm not knowledgeable about this.
I was under the impression that when people were called to duty, it was the
law that their jobs and positions had to be maintained? Is this not so? Or,
does the reality of the situation find a way to ignore the law (if there is
one)?
Upscale asks:
>
>I maybe opening a Pandora's box with this question, but since I live in
>Canada, I'm not knowledgeable about this.
>
>I was under the impression that when people were called to duty, it was the
>law that their jobs and positions had to be maintained? Is this not so? Or,
>does the reality of the situation find a way to ignore the law (if there is
>one)?
There is such a law, with provisions for some escapes. But the law does not
require the employer to supplement military pay and benefits, and very few do
so.
Charlie Self
"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)
"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>> We went around with this a few weeks ago (here on the 'wreck').
>> I always liked Sears - not so much for their own brand of power tools,
>> but for the way they run their business.
>
> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business. Their
> marketing practices often border on outright deception.
Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
Leon responds:
>"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>> We went around with this a few weeks ago (here on the 'wreck').
>>> I always liked Sears - not so much for their own brand of power tools,
>>> but for the way they run their business.
>>
>> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business. Their
>> marketing practices often border on outright deception.
>
>
>Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
>figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
Marketing is marketing is marketing...except in a very few, very specific
instances, among which Lee Valley shines. But they have advantages no
corporation of Sears or WalMart's size has had for many decades: small, family
run, pride in both product and presentation. I very much doubt you'll ever see
a non-family owned billion buck corporation working that way.
Charlie Self
"Ambition is a poor excuse for not having sense enough to be lazy."
Edgar Bergen, (Charlie McCarthy)
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Marketing is marketing is marketing...except in a very few, very specific
> instances, among which Lee Valley shines. But they have advantages no
> corporation of Sears or WalMart's size has had for many decades: small,
> family
> run, pride in both product and presentation. I very much doubt you'll ever
> see
> a non-family owned billion buck corporation working that way.
Exactly. Actually some one will always find something to complain about and
not even LeeValley is exempt. If you will recall, a troll was here a few
weeks ago and condemned Lee Valley because of the difference in what
Canadians are charged vs. those in the U.S.
I agree however that Lee Valley is way up on the honorable list.
"Frank Ketchum" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Thomas" <scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active
>> duty and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country.
>> Not only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the
>> level of pay they were receiving as employees. Don't know about you all,
>> but I'm spending my money with Sears for as much as I can. I think that
>> is a very admirable policy and should be supported. Our military needs
>> as much support as they can get as far as I'm concerned. I applaud Sears
>> for their policy.
>
> Yes, this is a very admirable thing that they don't have to do. Be sure
> and let them know that is why you are shopping there so they will be more
> likely to continue the policy. Perhaps more employers will follow suit.
>
> Frank
They also maintain current levels of health benefits.
"mp" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >> I can't find too much to admire in the way they run their business.
Their
> >> marketing practices often border on outright deception.
> >
> >
> > Well you have an ideas of how Sears markets, now all you have to do is
> > figure out how everyone else's marketing borders on deception.
>
> I don't know of any other business who's been hauled off to court for
false
> and deceptive advertising more often than Sears. It's just not an isolated
> incidence or two. Seems like it's ingrained in their business philosophy.
> Maybe it's in their corporate mission statement too.
>
>
A good part of the reason for that is that they are such a prime target -
big, lots of advertising, somewhat subject to the discrepancies of the
manufacturers who they contract with, all of which makes them a tasty morsel
for the greed gods that look for targets like this.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
On Sun, 5 Dec 2004 18:28:25 -0600, "Thomas"
<scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>Heard on the radio today that Sears has a policy of maintaining active duty
>and reserve service members jobs while they are serving our country. Not
>only that, but they supplement their military pay to bring it to the level
>of pay they were receiving as employees.
So do some others.
However, let's think about some facts. The majority of retail jobs,
like many of those at Sears, are McJobs. How much pay matching do
they really have to do?
The company I work for employs highly paid, skilled, unionized
technicians. The guys who work for me typically make more than double
what they made after 20 years of active duty technical work in the Air
Force or Navy. In this case, the match is expensive, but it's also a
bargained for contract item. I doubt the company would match if it
wasn't in the contract. Position protection is totally different and
has some legal protections.
It's interesting that this always seems to come out at holiday
shopping time. Was Paul (the undercover shill) Harvey "reporting" the
news?
Barry
On Mon, 6 Dec 2004 14:49:48 -0800, "mp" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Perhaps, but I doubt it. No other big box stores land in court nearly as
>often as Sears.
This is the reason why I wonder if the whole radio "news" item was a
paid mention from someone like Paul Harvey.
Barry
On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 16:30:41 -0800, hoppie_2k3 wrote:
>
> Has anyone caught wind of this story??
>
> http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/NewsDetails.asp?News_id=11306
>
> Just Sears going the extra mile for our troops... Love to hear your
> thoughts...
Yup, we caught wind. Google up the lengthy discussions as we probably
don't need to go all through it again.
- Doug
--
To escape criticism--do nothing, say nothing, be nothing." (Elbert Hubbard)