Is My Work Doing Something Illegal?

[pokeplayer984]

Okay, let me explain the situation fully.

I work at a Walmart Supercenter as a Full Time Sales Associate. At this particular Walmart, a new rule was recently added. One I feel quite uneasy about. One I question the legality of.

It has to do with what we in the business call Telxons. (The hand-held price guns you see us with sometimes.) It is a tool that allows us to do so much. Not only does it check the price, it helps us find an item, see if we have it in stock, see if other Walmart stores have an item in stock, print price tickets,... I could go on forever here. It is basically THE most important tool to help run the store.

At one point, we could just keep them at close proximity. Then the rule changed to them being taken from a cabinet in the Main Office. Then it changed to us having to sign them in and out.

The reason for these rule changes happened was because of some irresponsible associates who either lose them or never turn them back in. There are things I can understand with such an important tool, but I just can't approve of the latest one added.

Now, the new rule is, if we even want to use a Telxon, we have to hand over our Discount Card and will not get it back until we turn it in.

It's bad enough with what we have to do just to get our hands on a Telxon, but now you want to hold my Discount Card hostage just to ensure I will be responsible with it? Seriously!?

So yeah, that is what I question the legality of.

Is it legal for my work to hold my Discount Card hostage just to allow me access to THE most important tool in the store?

I thank in advance all who answer.

 

[Marter]

Pretty sure it's not illegal, although beyond a gut feeling (and some logic, I guess, maybe?) I can't cite any reasons why. The discount card is presumably a privilege, and a company holding a privilege as collateral isn't likely illegal.

Edit: In fact, it might've been illegal if they required something that they didn't give you in the first place, but that isn't the case, so.

 

[Fox12]

I assume it's a card that allows you to buy items at a discount? It's a privilege, not a right, so it's certainly not illegal. We have things like that at Home Depot, called First Phones, though my store doesn't require us to jump through so many hoops to get them. I can understand why the management would do that though, if it became a problem. I know that I left a few in my apron over night by accident a few times : (

There was a period where my store couldn't process ANY markdowns, period, without manager approval. No military discount, no mark off for damaged goods, no mark off for MARKED DOWN GOODS, nothing without approval. It was annoying, but I can understand, since some clever cashier apparently gave every customer a 15% markdown... for every purchase.

 

[TallanKhan]

There will be a clause somewhere, either in your contract or the T's and C's of the card itelf that will detail that the card remains the property of Wal-Mart and that you use it at their sole discretion, so yeah, it may be a somewhat shitty thing to do, but it will will be perfectly legal.

 

[FootloosePhoenix]

At the store where I work, our discount cards are considered company property and management holds the right to request them back from us at any time for any reason. I assume Walmart would have a similar policy. So no, not illegal, but I can imagine the frustration.

 

[Mezahmay]

I agree with the other posts so far, as I also feel the discount card is a privilege that the company reserves the right to revoke at any time for any reason.

The question I have is who the hell continuously loses these things if they're so useful to the point management felt it necessary to hand in your discount card when checking one out on top of having to check and sign it out in the first place. One would think the chain of accountability ends once you actually know who signed out which Telxon. I'd be suspicious if management just decided to start that program one day on a lark since it almost feels like villifying the sales representatives. You know, guilty until proven innocent so we're just going to hold your discount card while you use this device to keep you people from your thieving, irresponsible ways.

 

[Nickolai77]

In my old bar at uni they require you to hand in your student identity card if you want to play any of games on offer- jenga, darts, pool, dominos, that sort of thing. It's basically like an insurance policy to stop anyone running off with the sort of things they were giving out to the students and identifying anyone who damages the bar's property. It works on a similar basis to how financial deposits, so the practise is fairly common.

There should be a clause in your contract saying your discount card is company property and they therefore have the right to take it from you if they wish. It may be annoying, but it's not like you'll be using your discount card whilst working is it?

 

[Something Amyss]

Now, the new rule is, if we even want to use a Telxon, we have to hand over our Discount Card and will not get it back until we turn it in.

I can't think of a reason it would be illegal.

Also, we had to sign ours out as early as 1995.

I'm so oooooold.

 

[spartan231490]

I'm well over 90% sure that it is legal. Organizations do this type of thing all the time.

 

[gigastar]

Harsh though it sounds, i kind of agree with what theyre doing.

My sister has lost at least 4 house keys over the last 2 years, and i absolutely would something hostage from her if it meant she stopped doing it.

Now that i think of it, what could happen if one of theese Telxons got into the wrong hands? And while youre at it, ask yourself if terrible things happen because someone lost a Telxon would you want to hold the person who lost it to account?

 

[Ryotknife]

Well, if its the MC9000, it costs about 1100 dollars. So yea i can see why they would protect them as much as possible. Dont know how it is at Walmart, but when i worked at Kmart employees (and customers) stealing was a problem. Although their solution was to capitulate and not even bother going after anyone even if they had solid video evidence.

 

[MysticSlayer]

The Discount Card is something Walmart gave you as sort of a "reward" for working there, and it's usefulness to you is pretty much entirely contingent on you continuing to work at Walmart. It isn't something that you have a right to. It is a privilege that Walmart allows you. As a result, holding the card hostage isn't illegal. It might, however, be against Walmart's policies. If memory serves me correctly, Walmart has a way of getting in contact with those above your store manager, so you might want to look into that if this means that much to you.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I'm assuming one of the things the device can do it probably print out a prices that you just edited and anyone that served you it will follow that price regardless it isn't to be sold at the price or just how powerful (business wise) is that device?

Either way I think it is fair given how else can they make sure you are responsible for using the device? Fire you if you used it irresponsible?

 

[Auron225]

Is it really an issue? I mean, wouldn't you only be using a Telxon while on a shift? How often do you use your Discount card to buy stuff then?

 

[Dajmin]

Most of the time, those kind of discount and loyalty cards say in the T&Cs that they remain the property of the store. And since you're swapping one item they own for another, there's nothing wrong with it. It's a crappy thing to have to do, but them's the rules.

So once again you can thank the minority doing stupid stuff for something the majority of the world has to put up with. Thanks, morons!

 

[kasperbbs]

I don't see why it shouldn't be legal and it actually sounds like a good idea to prevent people from losing what seems to be a pretty important and expensive item. I wish we had something like that so that i wouldn't have to search for stuff on and under every goddamned table in my workplace.

 

[Artaneius]

Now if they asked for your license or wallet in general as collateral then it would be illegal. Sounds like to me your just angry about having to compensate for someone else's mistake. Welcome to the real world.

 

[Armadox]

New question: If the scanner is connected to their system via some sort of centralized wifi, why allow them to leave the premises? Hell, why not house a sensor in them to prevent loss? There has to be a method of tracking the tools without hassling the workers to much.