Society's Child
With the peak shopping season approaching, Urban Outfitters is asking its employees to pitch in a bit more on the weekends. But there's a catch: they won't get paid for it.
In an email obtained by Gawker this week, the Philadelphia-based retailer told salaried employees that it was looking for weekend volunteers to help "pick, pack and prepare packages" for wholesale and direct customers.
Urban Outfitters, which operates its namesake brand along with Anthropologie and Free People said it would be a great "team building activity." Employees can sign up throughout the five weekends during the busy month of October. The company will offer transportation and lunch to those willing to show a little team spirit.
Urban Outfitters told CNBC it "received a tremendous response" from employees.
"Many hourly employees also offered to pitch in — an offer which we appreciated, but declined in order to ensure full compliance with all applicable labor laws and regulations," a company spokesperson said in an emailed statement.
Earlier this week, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said Urban Outfitters agreed to phase out and eventually end on-call shifts in the state starting in November.
As a part of that agreement, Urban Outfitters also agreed to "provide employees with their schedules at least one week prior to the start of the workweek, said in a statement. "Workers deserve basic protections, including a reliable work schedule that allows them to budget living expenses, arrange for childcare needs, and plan their days."
The company joins retailers Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap and L Brands' Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works in agreeing to end on-call shifts, which require workers to be available for shifts that may be canceled with little notice, according to Reuters.
Reader Comments
as the company lays off salaried workers later this year... and fires the people who wouldn't 'volunteer' to work for free.
From what I understand it's pretty much standard practice among many retailers. They'd be getting free work from the hourly employees, too - if they could. (and they sometimes manage to do just that in various sneaky ways)
Ask anyone who's worked as a starting (and salaried) manager for any big box store - 10 or even 20 hours extra per week isn't so unusual. I think that technically the company is supposed to give that much time off to compensate - but if you're working 50 or 60 hour weeks -- how are you going to take time off?
This was how I remember it working at least as far back as 35 years ago - so this isn't new psychopathic corporate behavior - it's just same ol' same ol'
The workers need to show a little team spirit for " No Pay".
I'm Laughing now..
I think the Company & Management need to show a little TEAM spirit too buy paying their workers a little more over the Good Will season..!!!
Instead of making, say $3.6 mill profit would $3 mill satisfy their lust..
*Yes workers need fair protection...NO PAY will do it.
*A fair Schedule one week prior to start...So workers can tell their family & friends when the scheduled week is over they wont have any money to pay their bills & no Xmass pressies.
Now no pay will really help workers pay for child care & living needs.
Wonder if the Company owners will have the above mentioned problems.
This world is a laugh every minute..!!!



