Employees and HR

What Grocery Store Pays the Best in 2024 (plus benefits)

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I loved working in grocery stores. But when you’re first starting out, it’s not uncommon to wonder what grocery store pays the best?

Whole Foods Market and Costco both have a starting wage of $15.00 per hour. That makes them the highest paying grocery stores of the stores that report starting wages. However, Target plans to raise its starting wage to $15.00 by the end of 2020. Walmart, by comparison, currently has a starting wage of $11.00

But that’s only the beginning!

You also can’t go solely on base pay alone. Some stores offer benefits even to part-time employees. Others may do 401k matches, health insurance, and employee discounts.

So it’s important to look at the big picture.

Working in a grocery store can be a great experience with lots of opportunities for advancement. Whether you are new to the workforce and working part-time after school, or changing careers.

So, what is the highest paying grocery store? What is the best store to work at? Do any grocery stores provide employee discounts?

Keep reading to find more!

What is the highest paying grocery store?

One of the best things about job hunting for work at a grocery store is that stores are always hiring. Literally every store. From the small grocery store in rural America to the big chain in the city, you won’t have a problem finding work.

High pay, on the other hand, can be hard to come by.

So, which grocery stores pay the most?

The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 per hour. (source)

Fortunately, many stores are going well above and beyond as it relates to minimum wage. In fact, when I was running the original Whole Foods store in San Francisco 18 years ago, our starting wage was $10.00 and many cashiers who had been there a little while were closer to $20/hr.

Stores like Target, Costco, and Walmart all pay well over the federal minimum wage.

Here are the best-known stores from highest to lowest paying:

  • Costco & Whole Foods Market comes in at the highest at $15.00.
  • Target starts off at $13.00 per hour and will increase its wages to $15.00 per hour by the end of 2020.
  • Trader Joes starts off at $12.03 per hour
  • Walmart’s minimum is $11.00 per hour.
  • Safeway starts at a disappointing $9.76 per hour 
  • Kroger starts at a disappointing $8.15 per hour

(source & source & source & source & source & source)

But different positions may have a different starting pay rate. You may be surprised to see how many people it takes to keep a grocery store up and running!

For example, a cashier may start off at $13.00 per hour at Target, but someone who stocks shelves may start off at a different rate; especially if they are working what’s called the “graveyard shift”.

That’s when they stock shelves overnight, often arriving for work at 10 pm.

Not sure what all the different positions are in a grocery store?

I break it all down for you in this recent article. I get into every position and what the job description is and requirements.

After all, if you’re going to excel at it and make the most money possible, it needs to be aligned with your skillset.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

But what about pay, hours, and benefits combined?

After all, great pay doesn’t mean much if they only schedule you 20 hours a week.

And it might be worth taking a dollar an hour less if they cover most of your health insurance. So based on the information the top companies make available, cross-referenced with companies like Glass Door, please refer to the following chart:

Grocery Chain Starting Wage % of Full-time Employees Provide Health Insurance? Paid Time Off? Employee Discount?
Safeway $9.76 37% “Affordable options” Yes 10%
Kroger $8.15 not available Yes Yes 10%
Walmart $11.00 50% “Affordable options” Yes 10% off some items
Target $13.00 not available Yes Unclear 10-20%
Whole Foods $15.00 not available Yes Yes 20-30%
Costco $15.00 59% Yes Yes 190
Trader Joes $12.03 not available Yes Yes Yes

Sources not listed elsewhere: (source & source & source & source & source)

What is the best grocery store to work at?

Grocery stores can be great first part-time jobs. They can also be an excellent stepping stone to a permanent career.

Trader Joe’s has been listed in Forbes as being the best place to work. Costco and Wegmans have both made the list, too. (source)

Not only does Trader Joe’s pay above minimum wage, but they also provide benefits like health insurance, paid time off, and a company-funded retirement plan to part-time and full-time employees alike.

Employees love working at Trader Joe’s, too. They encourage a culture of camaraderie and sharing responsibilities throughout the store. They even encourage employees to sample the food they sell!

But, of course, Whole Foods Market has also made the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, for almost all of the past 25 years.

Costco made the list of top employers, too.

In March 2019, they raised their minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. They also provide part-time workers and full-time workers with access to benefits like health insurance, 401K, and PTO.

Being a team player is an important aspect of working in a grocery store. On busy days you may have to leave your department to help out a coworker.

Not sure what it takes to be a successful grocery store employee?

Take it from me. I worked for Whole Foods for more than 2 decades, starting at the very bottom. Eventually, I became one of their best and top-awarded store managers.

So I know a thing or 2 about being successful in that environment. To learn more, read this recent article.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Do any grocery stores start at $15 an hour?

Yes!

Costco raised it’s minimum wage to $15.00 per hour in 2019, less than a year after they raised it to $14.50.

Target has announced that it will be raising its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by the end of 2020. (source)

Trader Joe’s doesn’t have a specific minimum wage they pay across the entire country. Instead, they pay a wage that is competitive with the surrounding area. Each starting pay is based on what it will take to attract the best talent.

In some places, Trader Joe’s minimum wage is $24.75 an hour??! But $12.03 is currently their average starting wage.

All of these stores provide part-time employees with benefits, too! Things like medical and dental insurance, paid parental leave, access to retirement plans, and even PTO (paid time off) are offered to part-time employees.

This is a great improvement from working at a grocery store 20 years ago.

20 years ago, grocery stores paid the federal minimum wage and didn’t offer any fringe benefits to part-time employees. Employee retention wasn’t a priority.

It’s wonderful that so many employers are making their employees a priority. Work should enhance your life and make you feel valued. Not like you are just a cog in the machine.

How much does Costco pay an hour?

In March of 2019, Costco raised its minimum wage to $15.00 per hour.

Not only do they go above and beyond the federal minimum wage, but Glassdoor has also awarded Costco in its “Best Places to Work” list every year since 2012. (source)

Employees love working at Costco, too. 80% of former and current employers would recommend working at Costco to their friends. (source)

Costco has “great benefits,” even for part-time employees.

The most important benefit, though, is that they offer health insurance to all of their employees, including part-timers. They also offer a matching 401K plan, PTO, and a Thanksgiving turkey.

When considering how much a company pays per hour, it’s important to think about the benefits package, too.

While it’s not something you use every day, health insurance, PTO, retirement options, and disability insurance should all be considered when job hunting.

It’s also not often that companies offer benefits to part-time employees.

So, if you are looking for a job, even a part-time one, Costco should definitely be on your list!

But when applying, know that in some job markets, you’ll be up against dozens, if not hundreds of others!

In those cases, it pays to know an insider’s perspective on how to get noticed and get your foot in the door.

Luckily, I break that all down in this recent article with lots of valuable tips on how to land the job.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Do you get a discount if you work at a grocery store?

Sometimes.

But if they do offer a discount, it won’t be much.

While stores like Aldi provide excellent benefits, even to part-timers, they don’t offer employee discounts. Their prices are already so low, they can’t reduce them much more if they still want to make a profit.

Trader Joe’s and Meijer both offer employee discounts, too.

When I worked for Whole Foods Market (I left in 2013 before Amazon took over), they had a tiered discount system.

Everyone got 20% off once they were out of their initial hiring probation system. But if you were open to submitting for a physical (that they paid for), you could get a larger discount if you had low blood pressure, low cholesterol, and low body mass.

Essentially, and again, this was voluntary, they paid their employees to be healthier. 

I don’t see mention of that system on their website today, but it does say “Plus, after six months, you have the opportunity to increase that discount up to 30%.” (source)

An employee discount, while nice, shouldn’t be your deciding factor in where you choose to work. It’s important to look at the whole benefits package.

Things like health insurance, dental insurance, and retirement plans can’t be replaced by a 10% discount.

And while benefits are great, company culture is important, too. You spend a lot of time at work. You want to work at a place you love and where you actually want to be.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we talked about the highest paying grocery stores.

We talked about what stores pay $15.00 per hour to start. And we also talked about what stores offer benefits to part-time employees.

Then we also talked about what stores offer employee discounts.

Working at a grocery store can be a great experience. Whether it’s your first job or you are looking to supplement retirement.

With a variety of departments, you are bound to find a position you love.

You may even be interested in becoming a store manager. If that’s the case, read this recent article to find out what kind of education and experience you need to get into management.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Which grocery store will you work at? Will you make it a career or will it be a stepping stone to another career.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”7qOd0xMM” upload-date=”Sat Aug 08 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”What Grocery Store Pays the Best? (& has the best benefits)” description=”I loved working in grocery stores. But when you’re first starting out, it’s not uncommon to wonder what grocery store pays the best? Here’s what I know from 2+ decades of experience: Whole Foods Market and Costco both have a starting wage of $15.00 per hour. That makes them the highest paying grocery stores of the stores that report starting wages. However, Target plans to raise its starting wage to $15.00 by the end of 2020. Walmart, by comparison, currently has a starting wage of $11.00 But that’s only the beginning! You also can’t go solely on base pay alone. Some stores offer benefits even to part-time employees. Others may do 401k matches, health insurance, and employee discounts. So it’s important to look at the big picture. Working in a grocery store can be a great experience with lots of opportunities for advancement. Whether you are new to the workforce and working part-time after school, or changing careers. So, what is the highest paying grocery store? What is the best store to work at? Do any grocery stores provide employee discounts? Keep reading to find more!”]

When Does Instacart Pay Me? (A Contracted Employee’s Guide)

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If you’re looking to make a little extra money, but don’t want to work a typical 9-5, Instacart may be an option you’re looking into. But you may be wondering when does Instacart pay me?

Instacart shoppers make money by shopping and sometimes delivering groceries to customers (grocery pickup is an option for customers too). Instacart pays shoppers weekly on Wednesday via direct deposit for the previous Monday through Sunday week. If you don’t have direct deposit set up, they will mail you a check.

But there’s more to know about shopping and driving for Instacart. Things like when shoppers get paid, how they get paid, and what happens if you don’t get any orders.

Instacart’s website says they offer safe and flexible earning opportunities to their personal shoppers. (source) It sounds like a great way to earn a little extra cash, right?

So let’s get going!

Unhappy with Instacart? Consider DoorDash!

DoorDash is a great alternative to working for Instacart.

See how much you could be earning. Available in over 4,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about working for DoorDash!

How much does Instacart pay?

So how much can you expect to earn working for Instacart?

The average base pay for an Instacart in-store shopper is about $13 per hour. Instacart recommends a 5% tip, which is much less than the average 15% restaurant tip. But most Instacart customers will tip more than that. Employees get to keep 100% of the tips they earn.

(source)

But, the exact amount that Instacart shoppers get paid is a bit of a mystery. There was a time when Instacart boasted that shoppers could make up to $25 per hour. But after some backlash from shoppers claiming that the number was less than accurate, the amount of their pay has been kept under wraps. (source)

The gig economy is growing right now.

And it’s no surprise either. You’ve got the flexibility to work when you want and where you want. You get to work on your own terms, and you can make as much money as you want so long as you put in the time.

Working odd jobs here and there is not a new concept. For ages, young people have been delivering newspapers, babysitting, or cutting lawns for cash.

Over time, the gig economy has evolved into what we see now. Now instead of cutting grass, it’s ride-sharing services, providing services online, or even grocery delivery services like Instacart.

Unfortunately, working for Instacart isn’t quite as transparent as making money cutting grass.

Instacart’s pay structure is comprised of several different factors. They take into consideration:

  • The size of the order
  • What the time of day is when the order is placed
  • The number of items in an order
  • And even the size of items in an order

So, an Instacart shopper will get paid more if they are shopping for a full buggy of items during peak hours. They will get paid less during times when the store is less busy.

Instacart shoppers also get tips and bonuses for 5-star ratings.

While this doesn’t seem like a lot of money on the surface, you can set your own schedule and work as much as you want.

One pain point that customers may notice is that Instacart charges higher prices at some stores.

Which stores does Instacart charge more for? How much more do they charge? Is there a way to avoid that markup? Read this recent article in case customers ask you about the Instacart pricing structure.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Do Instacart drivers get paid more than just tips?

Yes.

So, this was a little confusing for me when I first started looking at Instacart. I thought there was one kind of Instacart employee.

Turns out there are two kinds of Instacart employees: In-Store Shoppers and Full-Service Shoppers. 

In-Store Shoppers are responsible solely for shopping and packing up orders. The customer will then come to pick up their order at a specified time.

Instarcart doesn’t just do grocery delivery though.

They also shop and let the customers pick up the completed order when ready (which is often much faster than waiting for delivery).

If you want to know more about how the company operates, check out this recent article on how Instacart Pickup works.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

For grocery delivery, the drivers are also shoppers, but they are known as “Full-Service Shoppers.”

I’ll continue to use the term driver when I’m talking about Full-Service Shoppers, just for clarity’s sake. Because drivers are also shoppers, they do get a base rate of about $13 per hour.

You may get some questions from customers about tipping.

Refer to this recent article on my site. You can use the talking points to help explain why you should receive a tip.

As a driver, you’ll be happy to know that you get to keep 100% of your tips. This is a fairly recent change from their previous pay structure.

Just click that link to read that article on my site.

Does Instacart pay weekly? 

Instacart pays shoppers weekly on Wednesday via direct deposit for the previous Monday through Sunday week.

What this means is that you’ll work Monday through Sunday. You’ll get paid the following Wednesday morning.

Instacart uses Stripe for its online payment service. This is what will show up on your bank register when you get paid.

How long does Instacart direct deposit take?

If you don’t have direct deposit set up, they will mail you a check.

If you need cash right away, Instant Cashout, allows you to get paid immediately. Funds are accessed using the Instacart app that has been set up with a debit card.

You can use Instant Cashout as often as you like for a fee of $0.50 per transaction.

Does Instacart pay for mileage?

Maybe.

Instacart says they pay mileage, but apparently, it’s not listed as a separate line item in issued paychecks, so it’s really hard to tell.

They do not pay at all for miles traveling to the store to begin shopping. (source)

As an Instacart driver, you are an independent contractor. This means you’ll be responsible for all employment-related expenses.

You’ll also be responsible for all of the usual aspects of owning a car:

  • Gas
  • Insurance
  • Maintenance
  • Auto insurance

These will all be your responsibility.

The upside to paying for all of these things as an independent contractor is that you can write off many of these expenses as business-related expenses when you file your taxes.

You can also write off the miles you drive while making deliveries.

I’m not a tax professional, so refer to your accountant or tax prep software when you file your taxes for what exactly you can write off, including the mileage rate.

Make sure that you keep accurate records of the miles traveled and records of business-related transportation expenses.

Does Instacart pay you if you don’t get any orders?

No.

There was a time when Instacart paid shoppers an hourly rate as long as their Batch Acceptance Rate was greater than 80%.

However, Instacart no longer has an hourly guarantee.

Even though there is no longer an hourly guarantee, your Batch Acceptance Rate should not be overlooked. Even if you have a high overall rating, consistently get positive customer feedback, and have few issues with missing or wrong items, the Batch Acceptance Rate plays a vital role in you getting assignments. (source)

An Instantcart “batch” is a logistical term for a job. Each job may contain one or more orders. So, if you are offered a batch to shop for Sam and Dean, it’s one batch but two orders.

If you want consistent large orders, you should keep that Batch Acceptance Rate above 80%.

Does Instacart take out taxes for its employees?

No.

If you make more than $600 per tax year, they’ll send you a 1099-MISC tax form. This is a standard tax form for contract workers.

You don’t send the form in with your taxes, but you use it to figure out how much to report as income when you file your taxes.

Because your taxes won’t be withheld from your pay, it’ll be your responsibility to make sure you are paying necessary tax payments.

You’ll likely have to pay quarterly. If you don’t you may end up paying a late penalty to the IRS. (source)

Final Thoughts

Instacart is a great addition to the gig economy. You work on your terms when you are available to work and can make as much money as you want.

In this article, we took a look at how and when Instacart shoppers get paid. We talked about how they get paid weekly or instantly with Instant Cashout.

We talked about filing taxes and expenses that you may be able to write off on your taxes.

But most importantly, I answered the question when does Instacart pay me.

Photos which require attribution:

instacart 3 by Mapbox is licensed under CC2.0

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”tMT53YbM” upload-date=”Tue Aug 04 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”When Does Instacart Pay Me? (A Contracted Employee’s Guide)” description=”If you’re looking to make a little extra money, but don’t want to work a typical 9-5, Instacart may be an option you’re looking into. But you may be wondering when does Instacart pay me? Here’s what I discovered: Instacart shoppers make money by shopping and sometimes delivering groceries to customers (grocery pickup is an option for customers too). Instacart pays shoppers weekly on Wednesday via direct deposit for the previous Monday through Sunday week. If you don’t have direct deposit set up, they will mail you a check. But there’s more to know about shopping and driving for Instacart. Things like when shoppers get paid, how they get paid, and what happens if you don’t get any orders. Instacart’s website says they offer safe and flexible earning opportunities to their personal shoppers. (source) It sounds like a great way to earn a little extra cash, right? So let’s get going!”]

Can You be Fired for Looking for Another Job? (Maybe, here’s why)

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Sometimes a job just isn’t a good fit for us and we’ve decided to look elsewhere while still employed. If that’s you, you may be wondering can you be fired for looking for another job?

In an at-will state, employees can be fired at any time for any reason not protected by the EEOC. But most employers would not fire an employee simply for job hunting. They might, however, fire an employee for calling in sick excessively to attend interviews or falsifying time cards in order to apply for jobs.

But there’s a lot more to know about job hunting while employed, so let’s keep going!

After all, while in most states an employer could fire you for job hunting, most would not fire you for that alone. But there are dozens of other related reasons they could fire you for that may come up.

But, there’s no shame in deciding a job isn’t a good fit. After all, if the job isn’t a good fit for you, chances are you aren’t a good fit for the company either.

Maybe you feel under-appreciated. Maybe you feel underpaid. You’ve asked for a raise, but it was denied. Maybe it’s just not the right work environment for you.

Regardless of your reasons, you want to start looking for another job. But you have questions.

Should you tell your boss you are job hunting? If you don’t tell them, can they ask? Can you be fired for job hunting or posting your resume online?

We have answers to all of these questions and more.

Just keep reading!

Can you be fired for job hunting?

Yes.

It is perfectly legal for an employer to fire you for the sole reason that you are looking for a new job.

But, it’s very unlikely. I discussed the bad practice of firing people for asking for a raise in this recent article. Just like it’s a bad business practice to fire someone for asking for a raise, it’s equally bad to fire someone for looking for another job.

Just click that link to read more on my site. After all, while there are lots of things you could be fired for, that doesn’t mean it’s likely.

In fact, you can get fired for anything that’s not protected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (think gender, race, pregnancy, and disability), particularly if you are an at-will employee.

An at-will employee can be fired at any time, for any reason, with a few exceptions that would violate federal employment law, like discrimination. In turn, at-will employees can quit at any time, without notice.

There are some exceptions to at-will employment.

If you work in the public sector, if you are a union worker, or if you are refusing to violate public policy, you cannot be fired for no discernible reason.

You should be aware of whether or not you are an at-will employee and chances are, that you are an “at-will” employee, as all states recognize at-will employment, with a few states that have limitations in place, in addition to federal law.

If you are a citizen of one of the states listed below, you should refer to those laws and regulations as it relates to employee’s rights. These states have various limitations and restrictions as it pertains to at-will employment.

Here are all of the at-will states:

Alabama Missouri
Alaska Nebraska
Arizona New York
California North Carolina
Delaware Pennsylvania
Florida Rhode Island
Georgia Texas
Indiana Utah
Louisiana Virginia
Massachusetts Wyoming

Can an employer ask you if you are looking for another job?

Yes, they can.

You also have the right to lie or to be evasive with your answer (e.g. “Why would you ask that?”), on the other hand, you can use this question as an opportunity.

An opportunity to show integrity and be honest.

Something led your manager or boss to ask you if you are looking for another job. Maybe it was a rumor or they’re just getting a certain vibe.

Bosses are people, too, and if they have treated you with integrity, they deserve your honesty.

If you’re a valuable employee, maybe they will be eager to keep you around. However, if you’re less than stellar, they may decide to let you go upon finding out you’re job hunting.

It is a risk.

If you decide to be honest with your answer, make sure you have enough money saved up to live off of, if necessary. That way, if you do get fired, at least you’ll be able to survive until you find another job.

But, if your boss asks you if you are looking for another job, think about what you are doing at work, regardless of how you choose to answer the question.

  • Are you taking calls at work?
  • Are you leaving early or coming in late?
  • Do you call out sick frequently?
  • Are you taking extra-long lunch breaks?
  • Are you talking to coworkers about your job hunt?

If you are doing these things, your manager is likely picking up on it. If you don’t want them to know you are looking elsewhere, you should be a little less obvious about your job hunt.

Here are some tips to covertly look for another job while you are still employed:

  1. Don’t tell anyone at work that you are job hunting: Telling coworkers that you are job hunting can poison your working relationships. If you tell one person, chances are that everyone will eventually know. Most importantly, don’t post about it on social media. If you’re going to post it on social media, you should just go ahead and post it on a billboard.
  2. Don’t let prospective employers talk to your current employer. Just don’t. Not unless you know for sure that your current employer will be okay with your job hunting.
  3. Don’t post on job boards: Your current employer uses these same job boards for recruitment. Wouldn’t it be shocking to see an employee’s resume on a job board?
  4. Turn off the “update network” feature on LinkedIn: If you are updating your LinkedIn profile, it’s going to be obvious that you are looking for a new job. Particularly if you are not regularly active. If you turn off the feature to update your network, you can make your updates without notifying everyone you are connected with. You can also let recruiters know you are open to job offers without notifying your whole network.

Can my employer stop me applying for another job?

It depends.

Of course, if you are using company time and resources to apply for jobs, not only can they stop you, but they can fire you.

As I mentioned in this recent article, your employer most likely spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to get you properly trained and to make sure you have the resources you need to perform your job for them.

Just click that link to read more on my site.

If you are using company time to look for a new job, especially if it’s in the same field, your employer is not going to be happy.

Think about it.

If you spent time and money training someone to do a job, and they jumped ship, how would you feel?

  • Disappointed?
  • A little betrayed?
  • Annoyed?

Additionally, if your performance and overall work quality go down, your boss can fire you.

But I get it!

Sometimes a job simply isn’t a great fit. Maybe your work environment isn’t great, or the commute is longer than you’d like.

There are lots of reasons to look for a new job.

Just do the job hunting on your own time. Submit applications and resumes outside of working hours. When you are at work, treat work like you should – with the same enthusiasm and professionalism as always.

It is perfectly fine to look for another job. It is not okay, however, to let your current work product suffer.

Should I tell my boss I’m interviewing for another job?

That’s really up to you, but probably not.

If you have the PTO (paid time off) available, and you use it, you don’t have to tell your boss you’re interviewing. However, as I discussed in this recent article, there are ways you could get fired just for calling in sick. Just click that link to see the article on my site and to find out what those reasons are.

So use your PTO, but use it wisely.

Things like this really depend on the relationship you have with your boss. Bosses can be amazingly supportive when you are looking for another job.

Bosses can also be really annoyed and fire you.

Some may even see it as completely disloyal and take it personally. Some immediate supervisors may seek ways to punish you while you are still with the company.

And of course, you should be careful about seeking jobs with competitors. If you’ve signed a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA) or No Compete Agreement, it is almost certain that ethical or legal issues will arise if you go to work in the same field.

In most cases, unless you are certain your boss will be supportive, it may be best to make sure your boss doesn’t find out. If you fear you will get fired before you are ready to quit, it may be a good idea just to keep quiet.

Take interviews outside of working hours, or during your lunch break.

If you do it during your lunch break, make sure the recruiter knows you have a finite amount of time available. Taking extra long lunch breaks will shine the spotlight on you and make you a target for scrutiny.

Most importantly, stay focused on your current job. They are currently your source of regular income and deserve your respect and professionalism.

Can you be fired for posting your resume?

Sure you can.

Remember the “at-will” employment information from above? That applies in this situation, too. In the majority of states, you can be fired for any reason.

But just because you could be fired for any reason doesn’t mean most employers will actually do that. It’s just not very likely you’ll be fired unless you’re doing so on company time and/or using company resources to do so.

However, if your boss comes across your resume online, he or she may take it personally.

They will see it as a lack of loyalty to them and the company. Bosses want employees who are committed and loyal to the job.

It may be best not to post a resume at all.

Chances are that your company uses many platforms for recruitment. If they happen to come upon your resume, it could come as an unpleasant shock.

It would be best to use a platform like LinkedIn to job search and submit resumes directly to companies you are interested in.

This way your resume isn’t out there in the wild and you are performing a more targeted job search. Alternatively, you could work with a recruiter. Recruiters keep your resume in their database and contact you when a job comes up that you may be interested in.

How do I schedule an interview if I work full time?

It can be tricky to job hunt while you are working full time.

Thankfully, employers are more likely to hire candidates that are already employed. It gives them more confidence that you’ll be a good hire.  source

The first and most obvious option would be to use vacation days to interview. Alternatively, you could call in sick. Obviously, that’s less ethical though.

You may not have any vacation days available, and if you’re calling in sick all the time, your employer will quickly lose patience with you.

So it’s important to communicate with your recruiter or the interviewer. Let them know that you would prefer to keep the job search confidential.

If you are a strong candidate, they will meet you at a time that is most convenient for you.

Recruitment does not only take place between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. You also have a life outside of work. Let the recruiter know what time works best for you.

If they are not willing to work with you, then just keep looking.

One of the best things about looking for a job while you are already employed is that you don’t need the job. There is less pressure on you so you can take the time to find the job that best suits you.

If my boss fires me for job hunting can I collect unemployment?

It really depends on why you were fired. But yes, if they fired you just for job hunting, you should be able to collect unemployment benefits until you get a new job.

It’s not likely that you are going to get fired simply for job hunting. You are very likely to get fired due to misconduct or poor performance. Stealing, lying about your hours, or doing something that is in clear violation of company rules are all valid reasons to get fired.

They are also valid reasons to deny any claims for unemployment.

In my decades of leading people, I often found employees to be confused about what unemployment really is. Unemployment is a state government benefit that pays the employee when they have been laid off or wrongfully terminated.

And it only pays them while they remain unemployed.

If the employee quit or abandoned the job or was let go for legitimate reasons, they are not eligible for unemployment. Also, if they already had a 2nd full-time job or quickly found a new one after leaving, they are not typically eligible for unemployment.

Keep these things in mind during your job hunt.

If you are being sneaky and fudging your time card while interviewing, that is a fireable offense. If you are job hunting while you are on the clock, it could be considered time-theft because the company is paying you to work for them.

They are not paying you to jump ship.

Generally speaking, if you were fired with cause, you may not be able to collect unemployment. But unemployment benefits are determined by the individual states, and each state has different regulations.

Job hunting is not usually considered “with cause” when it comes to unemployment. However, if your job hunting causes your performance to decline, the ability to collect unemployment becomes a little more muddled.

Final Thoughts

Staying at a job that you want to leave can be miserable.

In this article, we took an in-depth look into at-will employment states, and how job hunting while still employed works. We looked at how to do that responsibly, but also discretely.

Ultimately, we answered the question of can you be fired for looking for another job with a definite yes, but it’s unlikely unless you are breaking the rules in doing that.

If you are looking for a job while you are still employed it is tricky. Managers can take it personally and may try to punish you if they find out. Be covert during your job search, but remain respectful and focused on your current job.

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Can I Get Fired for Being Late? (Yes, but how late is too late?)

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Everyone is late to work sometimes. Things happen. Traffic accidents en route, you forget something and have to turn around, or you just wake up late. But those new to the job market often wonder can I get fired for being late?

Yes. You can be fired for being late. In at-will states, employees can be fired at any time for any reason, and can also quit a job at any time for any reason. However, most employers will have an attendance and punctuality policy that spells out exactly how late and how often you can be late before you will be fired.

But there’s a lot more to know about lateness, including which states are at-will, and how late is too late for most employers. So let’s keep going!

Lateness. It happens to everyone occasionally.

Most employers won’t fire you if you are late to work a handful of times. But they can, and likely will fire you if you are consistently late. If even by just a few minutes.

There are dozens of reasons your dozens of reasons your boss can fire you, but will they fire you if you are five minutes late?

Keep reading to find out!

Can you get fired for being 5 minutes late?

Yes.

It is perfectly legal for an employer to fire you for the sole reason that you are a few minutes late.

Unless you are consistently late, however, it’s very unlikely. I discussed the bad practice of firing people for asking for a raise in this recent article. Just like it’s a bad business practice to fire someone for asking for a raise, it’s equally bad to fire someone for being just a few minutes late.

Just click that link to read more on my site. After all, while there are lots of things you could be fired for, that doesn’t mean it’s likely.

In fact, you can get fired for anything that’s not protected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (think gender, race, pregnancy, and disability), particularly if you are an at-will employee.

An at-will employee can be fired at any time, for any reason, with a few exceptions that would violate federal employment law, like discrimination. In turn, at-will employees can quit at any time, without notice.

There are some exceptions to at-will employment.

If you work in the public sector, if you are a union worker, or if you are refusing to violate public policy, you cannot be fired for no discernible reason.

You should be aware of whether or not you are an at-will employee and chances are, that you are an “at-will” employee, as all states recognize at-will employment, with a few states that have limitations in place, in addition to federal law.

If you are a citizen of one of the states listed below, you should refer to those laws and regulations as it relates to employee’s rights. These states have various limitations and restrictions as it pertains to at-will employment.

Here are all of the at-will states:

Alabama Missouri
Alaska Nebraska
Arizona New York
California North Carolina
Delaware Pennsylvania
Florida Rhode Island
Georgia Texas
Indiana Utah
Louisiana Virginia
Massachusetts Wyoming

How many minutes can you be late to work?

This really depends on the policy in place at your job.

There is a saying that if you aren’t fifteen minutes early, then you are late. This is generally a good rule to live by.

People at your job depend on you to be there on time.

Coworkers may depend on you to relieve them from their shift. If you are just one minute late, you are the reason they aren’t getting off on time. By being late at shift change, you are sending the message that your time is more important than your coworker’s time.

If you work in an office with set opening hours, you’re letting your boss down and potentially causing her to lose clients.

For example, let’s say you work at a law firm that is supposed to open at 9:00 a.m. If a potential client calls the office at 9:05 and no one answers the phone, they are going to call a different lawyer.

By being five minutes late to work, you’ve just cost your boss potentially thousands of dollars.

Do you find that you are often just a few minutes late because you work two jobs?

In this recent article, I talk about how you could get fired for working a second job if it presents a conflict of interest.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Having a second job may not be against company policy. But If you are consistently late due to working a second job, you will likely get fired.

How many times do you have to be late to get fired?

The short answer is it depends on the company you work for and what their policies are on attendance and punctuality.

Think of it this way – employers are investing in their employees, and they want them to be on their A-game.

This means coming to work on time.

However, there should be some relatively clear guidelines in the employee handbook that address the number of allowed times you can be late.

Some companies may give verbal warnings followed up by a written warning for being late too many times. If you are late after the written warning, you may then be fired.

The best rule of thumb, however, is to show up on time or at least a few minutes early.

What is the grace period for being late to work?

This is another one to check your handbook on.

I ran stores for Whole Foods Market for decades, and in that time hired thousands, and, unfortunately, had to fire a few people too.

With that company specifically, their policy on time and attendance generally allowed a 5 minute grace period. There were more concerned with excessive absenteeism and excessive tardiness than a 1-time issue. Tardiness of greater than 30 minutes, however, was counted as an absence.

Specifically, their policy on excessive tardiness included:

  • 3 tardies in any 30-day period
  • 5 tardies in any 3-month period
  • 10 tardies in any 12-month period

If you went beyond any of those, you would be issued a verbal warning first, then a written warning, then a final written warning, and then fired. That is plenty generous, and your employer may not be so generous. So always read your employee handbook.

People are counting on you to be on time. Coworkers, bosses, customers, sometimes even vendors.

If you are going to be late, make sure that you have several phone numbers for employees and managers.

As soon as you think you are going to be late, call them to make sure they know. Be honest. If you overslept, tell them and give them an ETA.

If you were going to be early, but you hit an accident on your way into work, call and let someone know.

Communication is important. It shows that you are responsible and value everyone else’s time as much as your own. It also makes being late not so stressful.

If you come in late without letting people know, they are going to be stressed out, too.

On the other hand, if you communicate with them, they will be able to make any necessary arrangements because they know what to expect from you.

Is one minute considered late?

Probably not, but yes, technically.

If you get to work one minute late, you’re going to be frazzled and not entirely ready to start work.

There’s always what I like to call a settling in period before starting work. You’ve got to clock in, talk to other team members, and remember where you left off when you left work last.

If you are coming in late, you’re not going to be ready to work, even if it’s just a minute. And if you’re relieving someone of their shift, they are going to be annoyed. That’s just going to add to your already high-stress level.

Many jobs have meetings first thing in the shift. If you are one minute late, you are making people wait for you to get started.

If they’ve already started, then you are interrupting and causing people to stop for you to grace them with your appearance.

Can I get a written warning for being late?

Yes.

Many employers won’t fire you the first or even second time you are late.

They understand that you have a life outside of work and that things happen. They may, however, give you a verbal or written warning for being late.

If you are late because you are looking for another job, you may not get fired solely for job hunting. But you may get fired if you are consistently late or calling out as a result of your job search.

To learn more about that and what can legally happen when you are job hunting on the side, read this recent article on my blog.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Final Thoughts

Chances are that you won’t get fired for being late once or twice. It happens to the best of us.

However, if you are consistently late, it shows that you don’t really value the time of your coworkers, managers, or customers.

A good rule of thumb is to be 15 minutes early for every shift every time. This shows that you value everyone’s time.

It also gives you a chance to settle into work mode so that you are ready and able to bring your A-game to the office.

 

Can I Get Fired for Dating My Boss? (Maybe. Here’s How)

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A lot of romantic relationships start in the workplace. But when sparks fly between an employee and the boss, it’s not uncommon to wonder can I get fired for dating my boss?

When a subordinate is in a relationship with their direct supervisor, they are unlikely to get fired unless they are dishonest about it when questioned. Typically the person in charge is more likely to be disciplined or fired.

But really, in an at-will state, employees can be fired at any time for any reason. 

But there’s a lot more to know about workplace romances, nepotism, favoritism, and some of the other downsides that come from dating your supervisor. So let’s dig in a little further.

After all, we spend a third of our day at work.

As a result, it’s easy to develop relationships with coworkers. It’s natural to want to learn about the people you are spending so much time with.

You may even find that you want to learn more about one particular coworker. You may find that you share the same interests or just enjoy being around each other.

Eventually, you may find that you even have romantic feelings for this coworker. That’s okay. But what if these new romantic feelings are for not just any coworker, but a boss? That can be a little trickier.

Dating your boss could lead to resentment and jealousy among coworkers. It could also be perceived that your boss is manipulating you. So how do you date your boss? Can it be done?

Keep reading to learn more!

Can you date your boss legally?

There is no law against dating one’s boss. But many companies have policies in place that restrict bosses and managers from dating subordinate employees. These policies are in place to prevent an employee from being pressured into a relationship.

But you should consider that there is definitely a conflict of interest.

If your company does have a policy in place, they could require that one of you quit or move departments. They could also require that you sign a contract stating that you are in a consensual relationship.

Bosses have an exceptional amount of power and employers have to be mindful of this to prevent any claims of harassment.

Furthermore, no matter how professional and discreet you try to be, there is always going to be the perception that you are being treated with favoritism.

In truth, in an at-will state, employees can be fired at any time for any reason. And employees, in turn, can quit without notice at any time.

You can even be fired just asking for a raise.

Don’t believe me? In this recent article, I talk about how asking for a raise while you are a subpar employee could get you fired.

Alternatively, if you get a raise, even though you perform subpar work, it may appear that you’ve been given a raise because of your relationship with your boss.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

What happens if you date your boss?

Dating a direct supervisor can impact the morale in the company if fellow employees perceive favoritism. Additionally, make sure the company policy does not prohibit a manager from dating a subordinate. If it does, one or both parties may have to move departments or leave the job entirely, or risk being terminated.

First and foremost, think about why you want to date your boss? Do you genuinely like them as a person, or are you attracted to their high position within the company?

Chances are, your boss is a boss for a reason, and likely unwilling to leave the company. Ultimately, this will be a decision to be made by the two of you. Just be mindful that it is a possibility that you’ll have to quit.

If neither one of you are willing to quit, then maybe the relationship shouldn’t move forward.

Also, if you don’t quit now, and you move forward with the relationship, keep in mind that you may want to quit if you break up.

If you are willing to quit, or if you break up and are looking for a second job, check out this recent article on my site.

Just click the link to read about whether you can get fired for looking for another job.

It’s also important to be able to recognize whether or not you are being pressured into a relationship.

If you are pressured to quit or if your boss fires you because they want to have a relationship with you, it could be considered harassment. However, if you quit to pursue a relationship, and it doesn’t work out, harassment could be very difficult to prove.

If you do get into a relationship with your boss, you should also understand that you will likely be a target for gossip. Coworkers will be stressed and may be unwilling to have relationships with you out of fear that you will talk about them with your boss/partner.

It could also give the impression that you are being treated preferentially. This could lead to jealousy and resentment among your coworkers.

Is it wrong to date your manager?

While it may not be wrong to date your manager, it could be wrong for your manager to date you.

Peer-to-peer relationships are not much of a concern to employers because there is no imbalance of power.

On the other hand, managers are responsible for many facets of the workplace. Including scheduling, pay, discipline, and enforcement of policies. As a result, they hold a lot of power over subordinates.

This is why many companies have policies in place prohibiting supervisor-subordinate relationships.

In the wake of the #MeToo movement, there is greater awareness of sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers want all of their employees to feel safe in the workplace. By having a policy in place, they are ensuring that employees are entering into consensual, non-predatory relationships.

If you are considering dating your manager, you should consider whether it can look like your manager is using their power to manipulate or pressure you.

Are they pressuring you to quit because they want to date you? If so, this could be harassment, as opposed to leading into a healthy relationship.

In my years at Whole Foods, I know of MANY instances of bosses dating subordinates, and I did it myself.

Granted in the early days of the company, there was not a policy against it, and it was obviously sanctioned at the highest levels.

I can say without a doubt, that it is something I wish I had avoided.

But I also don’t like to live in the past and I feel strongly about mistakes being great learning opportunities as long as we’re willing to actually learn the lesson and not keep repeating the mistake.

Technically, though, my wife was my subordinate when we both worked together in 2005.

Granted she was one of 650 employees I had and I didn’t even know her full name or start dating her until I stopped working at that location.

But that still didn’t stop the unfair perception against her that she had been favored somehow, which was ridiculous.

So I can say from personal experience if you are attracted to your boss (or your subordinate), really ask yourself if it’s worth the downsides.

Then, ideally, one of you should leave that location (or the company) before the relationship starts.

How do you successfully date your boss?

To date your boss without fear of disciplinary action:

  • Make sure it’s not against company policy
  • If it is not against policy, go to HR and disclose your relationship.
  • If it is against company policy for a direct supervisor-subordinate relationship, it may be acceptable for you to continue your relationship if you are in different departments.
  • They may also require you to publicly disclose the relationship by signing a “cupid contract.” This is a formal statement indicating that you have consensually entered into a romantic relationship. It will make it clear that you are not being pressured to enter into a relationship.
  • Be discrete at work and avoid public displays of affection
  • Don’t use the boss’s position of power to bend any rules in your favor

Your company may be willing to work with you by moving one or both of you to different departments.

And by signing a cupid contract, it will usually prohibit you from bringing any claims of sexual harassment or assault against your boss or the company.

Ultimately THAT, along with disgruntled co-workers thinking you are getting special treatment, is really what the company is afraid of.

Above all, make sure you follow all the rules that everyone else is supposed to follow.

For example, if your company has a policy against holding a second job, you could get fired for that. If you are dating your boss, and you have a second job, you are putting them in a tough situation.

Read this recent article on my site where I talk about whether you can get fired for having a second job. Just click that link to see that on my site.

What do you do if you fall in love with your married boss?

If you fall in love with a boss who is married, the best course of action would be to quit and find a new job and cut off all contact with them. Even if they are separated, you don’t want to be responsible for splitting up a marriage or to be perceived that way by your peers at work.

And that’s on top of all the HR downsides of dating your boss.

If your boss is married, you shouldn’t be entering into a relationship with them. Marriage has its ups and downs for sure. It’s complicated and sticky. It’s hard, especially when you throw kids into the mix.

I’ll be honest.

This is one I have personal experience with, unfortunately. In 2013, I engaged in an affair with a subordinate while married. The affair only lasted 2 months, but it had a devastating effect on my wife, daughters, myself, and the team of people who worked for me.

It’s one of the biggest regrets in my life.

So while I can understand falling for a subordinate or a boss, I can tell you wholeheartedly that it rarely ends in your favor. And in the case of the woman I had my affair with, it wasn’t her first time having an affair with a married man. And the 1st time ended badly for her as well.

And sometimes, I get it, a boss might confide in you about marriage problems at home.

But if you swoop in and provide your shoulder to lean on, you could actually exacerbate the marital problems. In some states, adultery is not only grounds for divorce, but it can be the reason your boss loses everything in the divorce settlement.

If it comes to that, your boss could end up resenting you, and feeling like it was your fault that they lost everything.

Is that really something you could live with?

If you find you are having feelings for your married boss, I think it’s time for you to find another job. Even if they are not having problems in the marriage, if you insert yourself into your boss’s life, you could create problems in their marriage.

Final Thoughts

In this article, I talked about whether you can get fired for dating your boss.

I talked about whether you can legally date your boss and the potential pitfalls. I also talked about how to successfully date your boss.

Dating your boss can be very tricky.

But it is also doable. If you follow company policy and make it known that you are in a consensual relationship. Have respect for your coworkers and don’t take advantage of the situation.

Whatever you do, do not insert yourself into the marriage of your boss.

Would you ever date your boss?

Can an Employer Deny FMLA? (Maybe, here’s how to know)

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Many of us need time off occasionally to help family members with medical problems or for the birth of our child. However, certain requirements must be met for someone to be given FMLA leave. So, many people wonder can an employer deny FMLA?

An employer can deny an FMLA request if the employer has fewer than 50 employees, if the employee has been employed less than 1 year, or has worked fewer than 1,250 hours in the prior 12 months. But if none of those apply, they must grant the leave.

But there’s a lot more to know about the Family Medical Leave Act, what the rules are and how to make sure your request is approved.

So let’s keep going!

If you want to know what FMLA is and why employers can deny the request, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find the medical act reviewed in detail.

What is an FMLA Leave?

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a labor law created in 1993 in the USA. This act allows employees to take unpaid leave to stay at home and help their family members in certain situations.

The law was signed to promote job security for families who experienced medical emergencies frequently enough to cause an issue.

The health insurance is maintained under the same terms during the period that the employee is on leave.

If you’re an eligible employee, you’re entitled to one of these two options:

1. 12 workweeks of leave in 12 months

This option counts 12 workweeks of leave in a year. It is granted under any of the following medical or family situations:

  • Maternity leave when a baby is born or within the year of the child’s birth.
  • At the time when an adopted child or a child placed for foster care is put in the custody of the employee and within the year of such placement
  • If a family member (spouse, parent, or child) has a serious health condition and requires consistent care
  • If the employee has a serious health condition that compromises his/her performance at work
  • In case of any military service emergency – If a member of the employee’s family (son, daughter, spouse, or parent) is a covered military member on “covered active duty“.

2. 26 workweeks of leave in 12 months

This option is also described as ‘military caregiver leave’ and grants 26 workweeks of leave in a year.

The purpose is to take care of a seriously ill or injured servicemember who is covered. The eligible employee has to be the servicemember’s spouse, daughter, son, parent, or next of kin.

The provisions of these two options are in review since October 2019 following a 60-day public consultation on proposed revisions.

Does FMLA Have to Be Approved by an Employer?

No is the short answer.

An employer isn’t required to approve FMLA. But as an employee, you do need their approval before taking the time off work.

When an employee tries to apply for FMLA, they have to have a legitimate reason.

Otherwise, almost anyone would apply for it. The law describes the situation as having a serious medical condition (or having a loved one with such a condition) to qualify.

However, if an employer denies someone who rightfully deserves FMLA leave, they could be in for some trouble. Lawsuits, liability, and all sorts of other issues can arise for a company that doesn’t treat the situation correctly.

For this reason, employees who file for FMLA have to go through a long process to be verified.

This process is designed to look into the situation to know if they truly deserve the additional time off. It also allows employers to see if there would be any liabilities or problems that could occur upon denial.

Can an employer reject FMLA?

Yes, employers are allowed to reject FMLA requests if the employer has fewer than 50 employees, if the employee has been employed less than 1 year, or has worked fewer than 1,250 hours in the prior 12 months.

If the filed case doesn’t meet the specified requirements, then it’s unlikely that the employee will receive unpaid leave. There are multiple requirements, some of which are out of the employee’s hands.

Here’s a list of reasons that an employer could deny FMLA:

  • If the company has less than 50 employees, they’re not required to accept FMLA cases. This is because they could be understaffed if they allowed multiple employees to use FMLA leave. It’s part of the law, which protects the employer from excessive absences.
  • The employee has been employed for fewer than 12 months by this company.
  • The employee has worked fewer than 1,250 hours during the prior 12 months of employment.

Now I mentioned 50 or more employees.

That counts for any location of the business within a 75-mile radius of the job. So even if your location only has 25 employees, if there are other locations nearby that bring the total number of employees over 50, they can’t deny your leave based on that.

There’s also a bit of a gray area in certain situations. 

For example, it states that the presence of a physical or mental issue alone isn’t enough to guarantee FMLA leave. Instead, the employer may require a note from a licensed medical professional.

This note is usually required within 15 days of the application period.

When Should an Employer Offer FMLA to an Employee?

Employers are also allowed to offer FMLA on the employee’s behalf if they believe that there’s an issue that qualifies such as a medical emergency or if the employee routinely complains of pain or mentions a medical issue.

So even if the employee doesn’t request FMLA leave, the employer is responsible for following through if necessary.

An employer should offer FMLA to an employee if they notice any serious medical ailment. Information gathered from the employee, their friends, family, or other coworkers could be enough to warrant an FMLA case.

If the employer refuses to request FMLA for their employee or they don’t follow through with it, they could be held responsible in the event of a medical emergency. It might not always be obvious or directly in the employer’s hands, in which case, the employer might not be in a bad situation.

The main problem is when an employee consistently expresses discomfort or refers to a medical problem (with themselves or a dependent family member) without any action taken by the employer.

In these scenarios, employers should always file FMLA paperwork.

It should be noted that, even if the employer files for the employee, it still has to work its way up the chain of command in the company. It can be denied on several levels, though it’s unlikely if the employer is the one requesting it for their employee.

There are also HIPAA laws associated with this aspect too.

HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and it’s a law put into place to protect an individual’s sensitive medical information.

Technically, as an employer, it would be against the law for me to discuss with an employee about their medical condition without them first signing a HIPAA release to authorize that discussion.

Now in the case of a serious injury, an employer is obviously going to put the care of the employee above paperwork. But in the case of filing an FMLA leave request on their behalf, many employers will want to have the employee sign that release first authorizing the employer to be privy to their personal health information.

FMLA Denied. What Now?

If you’re denied FMLA leave by your employee, you should start by figuring out why.

Request an inquiry to learn what issues they found with your specific case. Keep in mind that you have to fit the employment qualifications listed above to even be considered.

Once you’ve reviewed the denial and you know that you’ve been with the company for 12 months with 1,250 hours of work (in a company with 50+ employees), you can move forward. You can either file another FMLA request or inform the employer that you’ll be hiring an attorney.

You should always make sure that your reason is legitimate.

Hiring an attorney should be something that you do once you know that you’ve checked all of the requirements, and you have a medical issue that falls in the FMLA category.

An attorney will work with you to get you the FMLA leave if you’re supposed to have it. Some employers might renegotiate if they know you’re reaching for an attorney.

If your FMLA leave request follows the law it will be granted. Hopefully, that will be without requiring legal assistance.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we took a quick look at FMLA leave.

We explored who is eligible, what the laws say, and what to do if you get denied leave. But ultimately, we answered the question of can an employer deny FMLA with the answer of maybe, depending on the circumstances.

It’s both the job of the employee and the employer to make sure that FMLA leave is given when required. FMLA grants additional unpaid days off for medical conditions of the employee or a dependent.

If your FMLA request was denied, make sure your employer lets you know the exact reason. If they won’t, or you believe they have not followed the law correctly, it may be time to consult an attorney.

Of course, I am not an attorney and nothing here should be interpreted as legal advice. As a leader with Whole Foods Market for more than 20 years, I have hired thousands of employees and dealt with countless FMLA leave requests. As such, I do have a wealth of first-hand knowledge of the laws and processes. But if you need legal advice, you should consult an attorney in your area.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”10NJxuG0″ upload-date=”Thu Aug 20 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Can an Employer Deny FMLA? (Maybe, here’s how to know)” description=”Many of us need time off occasionally to help family members with medical problems or for the birth of our child. However, certain requirements must be met for someone to be given FMLA leave. So, many people wonder can an employer deny FMLA? Here’s what I know from having managed thousands of employees: Yes, an employer can deny FMLA. If the employer has fewer than 50 employees, if you have been employed under a year, or have worked fewer than 1,250 hours in the prior 12 months, you can be denied FMLA leave. But there’s a lot more to know about the Family Medical Leave Act, what the rules are and how to make sure your request is approved. So let’s keep going! If you want to know what FMLA is and why employers can deny the request, you’re in the right place. Below, you’ll find the medical act reviewed in detail.”]

What Education Does a Grocery Store Manager Need?

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Grocery store managers oversee the day-to-day operations of grocery stores. They are in charge of every aspect of a store’s operations including supervising personnel, inventory and tracking financials. But many who aspire to run a store often wonder what education does a grocery store manager need?

To run a grocery store, a manager will minimally need a high school diploma or GED. However, some chains such as Target require a college degree while Trader Joe’s, Safeway & Kroger strongly recommend a degree & favor candidates with one. 

But that’s just the beginning!

After all, each company has different requirements, and even those like Trader Joe’s or Target that do require formal education still have different experience requirements too.

Maybe you’re considering getting in the grocery store management but you aren’t sure where to start.

Are there special education requirements? We’ll examine several of the most popular grocery store chains and their requirements to go into management.

Just keep reading!

Just getting started in the grocery business?

If so, your first step is to get a job in one to gain experience and start working your way up.

Luckily, I get into the best tips and strategies for getting hired at a grocery store and beating out dozens of other applicants in one of my recent articles. After all, I’ve literally hired thousands of employees for Whole Foods Market. So I know what works and what doesn’t.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

What degree or education do you need to be a grocery store manager?

Whole Foods Market and Walmart only require a high school diploma or GED to manage a grocery store. However, chains such as Target require a college degree. Kroger, Safeway, and Trader Joe’s all look for a mix of college and hands-on experience.

So, ultimately, the education required will depend largely on the company doing the hiring.

1. Walmart

While Walmart doesn’t require any formal education, they do expect you to have experience supervising employees and have some general management experience under your belt.

Because they sell firearms, Walmart also requires you to complete a general firearms training and pass a criminal background check. If they only sell ammunition you have to obtain a specialized certificate to sell ammunition.

2. Safeway

Safeway’s educational preference consists of some college and some retail experience combined for a total of 4 years.

This could mean a two-year college degree combined with two years of retail/retail management. It could also mean that you are a high school graduate and have four years of retail/retail management experience.

3. Kroger

Kroger only requires a high school diploma or its equivalent. They also want you to be proficient in computer usage and have a lift truck certification or license.

Kroger prefers that you have a four-year degree in business or some related field. They also prefer that you know the Fred Meyer policies, procedures, and organizational structure.

This means that most likely they’re going to hire in-house because their in-house employees are the ones who are going to have the most solid knowledge of their policies.

Although Kroger’s minimum requirements are high school diploma or GED, they’re going to give preferential treatment to people with experience or a bachelor’s degree.

4. Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s does not have an education requirement, but they require 3 years of recent retail, restaurant or hospitality experience. They also require two years of recent experience at the supervisory level. While they don’t require a bachelor’s degree, they do prefer that you have one.

Target’s educational requirement is that you have a four-year degree or equivalent experience.

5. Whole Foods Market

Whole Foods doesn’t have any educational requirements.

But they do want you to be proficient in math. They also want you to have an understanding of computer applications and programs including things like Microsoft Office.

It may have changed since Amazon bought them, but when I ran stores for them, all the most successful store managers worked their way up from the bottom. And that was encouraged.

What qualifications do you need to be a grocery store manager?

Generally, to be a store manager or department manager, you’re going to need some, if not all of the following skills and qualities:

  • Be an effective communicator
  • The ability to remain calm under pressure
  • Be able to use a computer, ideally with knowledge of Excel
  • Have a flexible schedule; the best managers work some evenings and weekends
  • Speak to others, even subordinates, the way they would like to be spoken to
  • Willing to perform any task you would ask of others; no double standards
  • Have at least 2 year’s experience working in retail

But let’s explore some of those in greater detail.

Being a manager also requires the ability to pay close attention to detail, to prioritize tasks, and to be able to work in a fast-paced environment.

Management is not just about leading employees. It’s also about making sure that customers are delighted, shelves are stocked, and money is managed appropriately.

Managers also need to be available to work flexible hours.

Being a manager of a store is not a Monday through Friday kind of job. They are typically busy all day, especially on weekends and holidays, and often work long hours.

In addition to educational requirements, some companies have age restrictions or require specialized training or certificates.

For example, Walmart doesn’t require any formal education, but they do expect you to have experience supervising employees and have some general management experience under your belt.

Walmart also prefers that you have experience running a fresh or dry grocery area.

Also, they want you to have several years of experience supervising 50+ employees, including performance management, mentoring, hiring, and firing.

They’d also like for you to have four years or more of general management experience that includes financial responsibilities.

If you don’t have a good handle yet on grocery store profit margins, don’t worry!

I break it down simply and easily in a recent article. After all, grocery store profit margins are surprisingly small. So there isn’t a lot of room for error on the part of the store manager.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Can I be a manager without a degree?

It is possible to be a retail manager without a college degree, especially with employers such as Whole Foods Market or Walmart. Some chains, however, will require a degree or at least favor candidates who have one.

I don’t have a college degree and I ran stores as a GM (General Manager) for Whole Foods for many years.

Whole Foods calls GMs Store Team Leaders. All told, as either a GM or assistant GM, I worked in 9 stores in 4 states over 14 years.

While it’s true that some employers like Kroger or Trader Joes prefer their store managers to have a degree, most large grocery chains don’t. And in my experience, someone with 5 years of experience working in a store will trump someone fresh out of college every time.

People with experience understand the ins and outs of the store, the employees that work there, and the customer base.

They understand the products, the organizational structure, and store policies. They also understand the relationship customers have with the store. These are things that can’t be taught in school.

If they haven’t worked their way up through the ranks at a store, there’s just a lot they don’t know. And coming in at the top and trying to learn it then is tough.

If you don’t have a degree, make sure that you have effective communication skills and put yourself in a position to gain leadership skills.

Also, consider taking business courses online in computers generally, Excel, or anything related to profit and loss.

If you don’t know what to take, or you don’t know the gaps that need to be filled, look at job descriptions from your desired companies. These job descriptions will give you insights into the type of candidate they are looking for. They will very thoroughly list the required skills.

You can find some great courses online, many of which are free.

List these courses on your resume even if you haven’t completed them yet. Just be sure to make it clear that the courses are currently in progress. This shows that you are taking the initiative to sharpen your skills and it’s a great way to show your commitment to prospective employers.

How do I become a grocery store manager with no experience?

Without experience, the best way to become a grocery store manager is to start in a more entry-level position, learn the essential skills for not only your position but positions throughout the store, let your career goals be known by supervisors, and work hard and be reliable.

The good news is that below a store manager, there’s an assistant store manager.

Then department managers below that and assistant department managers too. Then there are supervisors and shift leaders. It’s very easy to work your way up. And if you’re dedicated, hard-working, and flexible, you can do that pretty quickly.

Look at your current or past positions and see what skills are transferrable into management.

Managers need to be comfortable giving presentations, developing and interpreting policies or processes, recruiting and interviewing, and creating schedules.

  • Do you have any financial responsibilities at your current company or in the past?
  • Are you calm under pressure and good at juggling multiple priorities?
  • Have you taught, coached or mentored someone?

You also need to know how to manage conflict have difficult conversations and give feedback to lower-level employees.

Chances are you’ve had some exposure to at least a few of these responsibilities throughout your career. You just need to explain how these experiences can translate into a leadership role.

Most importantly, you need to be able to manage multiple priorities calmly, efficiently and quickly.

There have been days in my career where in a matter of minutes I had to deal with the following:

  • An employee was badly injured
  • A customer slipped and fell and was injured or required an ambulance
  • A piece of equipment caught on fire
  • My boss called to ask about a concerning financial matter
  • Someone was trying to return a large purchase and didn’t have the product or receipt but wasn’t afraid to yell and make a scene

So never underestimate the importance of being able to juggle multiple priorities and make quick decisions coolly and calmly.

If I have a lot of experience, can I become a grocery store manager without a degree?

Generally speaking, you can start your career towards management without a college degree.

Leadership skills are seldom taught in college. Typically a bachelor’s degree is a way of screening people without retail experience into the recruitment and selection of management personnel.

Managers are leaders. The best leaders can work in teams and get to know the staff. They want to coach and mentor. And they model behavior that supports company values. These are skills that cannot be taught.

Other skills, like performing accounting, keeping records, or taking inventory can be taught. These skills will likely be taught in-house as every company has its own system for these processes.

Grocery chains that hire store managers without a degree

If you want to go into management, you’re in luck.

Below is a list of popular grocery chains that do not require a degree. I’ve also made note of any special training each company requires. Most companies are going to do their own in-house training, too.

Walmart While Walmart doesn’t require any formal education, they do expect you to have experience supervising employees and have some general management experience under your belt.

They’ll give preferential treatment to folks that have at least a year of experience running a grocery area. They also prefer that applicants have at least four years of experience supervising 50 or more employees. Their website also indicates that they want applicants to have at least four years of general management experience that includes Financial accountability.

Because they sell firearms, Walmart also requires you to complete a general firearms training and pass a criminal background check. If they only sell ammunition you have to obtain a specialized certificate to sell ammunition.
Safeway Safeway will hire you without a college degree, but they require that you have a minimum of 4 years’ experience in the retail/retail management industry.
Kroger Kroger will hire you without a college degree, but they prefer that you have a Bachelor’s Degree in business or some other related field.
Whole Foods Whole Foods does not have any formal education requirements.

Grocery chains that require store managers to have a degree

Several stores require store managers to have a four-year degree.

Note that Safeway and Kroger are both listed in each list. Though they name a high school diploma as a minimum requirement, they each make it abundantly clear that they prefer candidates with a four-year degree.

Safeway Safeway will hire you without a college degree, but they require that you have a minimum of 4 years’ experience in the retail/retail management industry.

Safeway’s job description makes it pretty clear that they prefer to hire people with a college degree. If you don’t have a college degree, they want an abundance of retail and retail management experience.

They also strongly prefer candidates that have a retail management certificate through WAFC.
Kroger Kroger will hire you without a college degree, but they prefer that you have a Bachelor’s Degree in business or some other related field.

Like Safeway, Kroger makes it very clear that they prefer applicants to have a four-year degree in business or a related field. They also expect applicants to know Kroger policies, procedures, and organizational structure. This leads me to believe that they will most likely hire their managers in house.
Trader Joe’s Not only does Trader Joe’s want you to have a bachelor’s degree, but they also want you to have a minimum of two years experience at the management or supervisory level. Also, they want you to have at least three years experience of recent retail restaurant or hospitality. They also want you to have a “history of developing individuals and teams through empowerment and integrity.”
Target Target wants you to have a four-year degree or equivalent experience.

Final Thoughts

Grocery store managers carry a lot of weight on their shoulders.

Not only are they responsible for day-to-day operations, but they’re also responsible for personnel issues and helping the company reach long-term goals. they need to be able to communicate effectively with customers as well as staff.

As a result, managers are expected to be able to wear many hats. But I can tell you having run million-dollar stores for Whole Foods Market for many years, while some employers may require a degree, there’s no substitute for learning as you work your way up.

Not only does that make you a better leader than someone fresh out of college with a piece of paper in their hand but minimal experience, but you’ll earn the trust and respect from your employees a lot faster too.

What’s one of the most important skills to know as a store manager?

If you guessed merchandising, you’d be right! Of course, you also need financial skills, customer service skills, and leadership skills too. But if your store looks terrible, your sales will suffer along with all of those other areas.

Luckily, I cover merchandising skills in-depth in a recent article.

Merchandising is weird because it’s part-skill and part-art. So it involves both sides of your brain. But, as a former leader at Whole Foods once said, it’s also not rocket science.

Just click that link to read that on my site.

Links to job descriptions:

Trader Joe’s

Target

Safeway

Kroger

Walmart

Whole Foods

Can I Get Fired for Asking for a Raise? (Maybe, here’s why)

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For employes fairly new to the workforce, asking for a raise can be intimidating! But even worse is that many newer employees wonder “can I get fired for asking for a raise?”

In an at-will state, employees can be fired at any time for any reason that doesn’t violate the law. However, most employers will not fire you just for asking for a raise. But if you are underperforming, or often call in sick or show up late, asking for a raise could remind your employer that you aren’t a good fit.

So you’ve been at your job for a while now. You’ve done all of your training and you’re navigating office politics like a seasoned pro. You come to work on time every time and with a great attitude.

You’ve noticed that some of your coworkers are leaving for competitors with the promise of higher pay. But you know what a hassle it is to change jobs, and you really like your current gig, so you feel a sense of loyalty.

But you really could use a raise.

Asking for a raise is a completely normal part of being an employee. But it can be difficult to approach a manager about a pay raise. Should you ask for a raise? What, if any, are the repercussions for asking for a raise? Could you get fired?

Keep reading to find out!

Can you lose your job for asking for a raise?

Yes is the short answer.

But it’s very unlikely as it’s simply not a good business practice to fire someone simply for asking for a raise.

In fact, you can get fired for anything that’s not protected by federal law (think gender, race, pregnancy, and disability), particularly if you are an at-will employee.

An at-will employee can be fired at any time, for any reason, with a few exceptions that would violate federal employment law, like discrimination. In turn, at-will employees can quit at any time, without notice.

There are some exceptions to at-will employment.

If you work in the public sector, if you are a union worker, or if you are refusing to violate public policy, you cannot be fired for no discernible reason.

You should be aware of whether or not you are an at-will employee and chances are, that you are an “at-will” employee, as all states recognize at-will employment, with a few states that have limitations in place, in addition to federal law.

If you are a citizen of one of the states listed below, you should refer to those laws and regulations as it relates to employee’s rights. These states have various limitations and restrictions as it pertains to at-will employment.

Here are all of the at-will states:

Alabama Missouri
Alaska Nebraska
Arizona New York
California North Carolina
Delaware Pennsylvania
Florida Rhode Island
Georgia Texas
Indiana Utah
Louisiana Virginia
Massachusetts Wyoming

What should you do if you ask for a raise and get turned down?

If you do ask for a raise and you get denied, ask for feedback and actionable steps so that you can improve. Then act on the feedback given.

For example, if your manager or boss tells you that you miss too many days or make too many mistakes, stop calling out sick because you partied too hard the night before. Better yet, stop staying out late when you have to go to work the next day. Come in fresh and ready to work.

If you’re making too many small mistakes, slow down and think about what you are doing.

Ask a coworker for help if you need it. Asking for help shows an eagerness to learn and to do things properly. Managers would much rather you ask for help than do work that is incomplete, half-hearted or just wrong.

If you are not a team player or have a bad attitude, check yourself and your attitude at the door. If you just can’t seem to get in a better mindset, maybe it’s time to just time to look for another job instead of asking for a raise.

But always remember, no matter where you go, there you are.

By that, I mean that while it’s OK to leave a job that just isn’t a good fit for you, you don’t want to leave simply because your boss has high standards. Because if you don’t excel at your work, chances are you won’t at the next job either. And that boss might have even higher expectations.

You can’t run away from yourself. So do whatever it takes to give 100% to your job; even if you know this isn’t your forever job or long-term career path. Learn to strive for excellence. It’s a skill that will serve you throughout life AND will be much more likely to get you that raise.

Most importantly, if you get denied for a raise, do not get hostile or give your manager an ultimatum (e.g. “Give me a raise or I’ll quit!”). This kind of behavior is completely unacceptable and likely to get you fired.

How long should you work for a company before asking for a raise?

According to this Glassdoor survey, 45% of employees who quit their job, cite salary as the primary reason for leaving their jobs.

BUT, assuming you’re working for a good company, it’s always easier and faster to move up the ladder (and payscale) staying with 1 company rather than jumping around.

There isn’t a particular waiting period before asking for a raise, from a legal standpoint. But, you should ensure that you’ve been at your company long enough to prove that you are a valuable asset.

If you are underperforming or still learning, it’s probably not the best time to ask for a raise.

However, if you’ve proven yourself by coming in to work when you’re supposed to, you don’t contribute to office gossip, and you go above and beyond in your duties, you are in a good position to ask for a raise.

A good rule of thumb is to wait a minimum of six months to a year before asking for a raise. That’s enough time to prove that you are a valuable team member and willing and able to put in the effort that the job requires. But some large companies will have a set scheduled for evaluations and wage reviews.

When you do ask for a raise, have a clear goal in mind.

Find out what your work is worth by talking to colleagues, doing research online, and talking to other people in the industry.

Don’t ask for a raise when your manager is in a bad mood or has had a particularly harrowing day. When you approach your manager, do it respectfully and with a dollar amount in mind.

Additionally, you should find out when the salary review process happens.

Many large companies, especially chain stores, will have a set HR schedule that determines when job reviews and pay raises happen.

Finally, keep the focus on your accomplishments, not finances.

You deserve this raise and your contributions and value as an employee prove it. Yes, rent has gone up and you want to pad your savings account, but those are not good reasons to ask for a raise.

Can an employer add duties without compensation?

Yes is the short answer.

Employers can change just about anything as it relates to the terms and conditions of your employment unless there is a well-defined contract in place or you are represented by a labor union.

Employers can change your rate of pay, title, duties, and more so long as those changes take place in the future. For example, employers can lower your rate of pay for the next pay period, but they cannot lower the rate of pay for services and duties already performed.

Employers are also required to act within federal laws when changing your terms of employment.

For example, they cannot give you extra duties because of your race, gender, national origin, religion, etc. Those are known as protected classes under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was born out of the Civil Rights Act in 1964.

They must also provide a safe work environment, so if your additional duties represent a safety hazard, then your employer may be violating the law.

But in a free country, employers are allowed to change almost anything about your job and job description, just like you are allowed to go work somewhere else.

Are employers required to give cost of living raises?

No is the short answer here.

As inflation causes the cost of living expenses to rise, employers will often give cost of living raises to offset the inflation rate. But there is no law requiring it.

Everyday purchases like clothing, the cost of living expenses, gas, etc. all increase in price over time. If employers don’t offset this with a cost of living raise, they are not maintaining a competitive edge as an employer.

Cost of living raises help keep employee wages reasonable compared to living expenses. They also help keep employees happy and can be a bullet point in the benefits of a job description put out by employers.

Typically, the cost of living raise is a small percentage that is given to every employee at the same time on an annual basis and is not an arbitrary amount. Cost of living raises because they are intended to offset inflation, are based on the Consumer Price Index.

While a nice perk, cost of living raises are NOT required by law.

However, if you are a government employee or represented by a labor union, it could part of your contract negotiations.

Why would an employer fire you if you ask for a raise?

If you are asking for a raise, you should make sure that you deserve a raise before you ask for it.

Ask yourself these questions and always remember, raises should be earned. You aren’t entitled to one automatically.

  • Have you proven that you are a valuable employee?
  • Do you have a good attitude and complete tasks on time or before the deadline?
  • Do you come to work every day and on time?
  • Are you producing excellent work?

If you answered yes to all of these questions, you’re good to go. Even if you get denied at that moment, it’s not likely that you’ll get fired.

If you do get denied, ask for feedback and actionable steps so that you can improve. Then act on the feedback given. However, if you are not a valuable employee, it will be evident.

Frankly, you know if you are not a good employee. If you are asking for a raise, and any of these situations apply to you, you probably deserve to get fired.

Most importantly, if you get denied for a raise, don’t get hostile or give your manager an ultimatum (e.g. “Give me a raise or I’ll quit!”).

This kind of behavior is unacceptable and likely to get you fired.

The bottom line is that employers want to get their money’s worth out of their employees. As employees, we want to feel valued and that we matter to our employers, but it’s a two-way street.

If you are not giving it your all and then ask for a raise, it may just make your employer resent you. That could, in turn, lead to them firing you.

Make sure to avoid some of the worst employee attributes:

  • Gossiping about other employees
  • Frequent mistakes
  • Bad customer service
  • Excessive tardies and/or absences
  • A bad attitude

Those are all reasons to get fired not only when asking for a raise, but as an employee overall.

In a recent article, I get into exactly how you could be fired for calling in sick. But in another recent article, I also cover how something as simple as gossiping could get you fired.

Just click those links to read them on my site.

Additionally, if you ask for a raise, and you’ve been making a lot of mistakes or otherwise performing subpar work, a request for a raise is not likely to go over well and can show poor judgment on your part

Final Thoughts

Asking for a pay raise is a normal part of being an employee.

While many employers will focus a pay raise around an annual review, not all companies perform annual reviews. So if you are confident in your skills, have a good attitude and work ethic, you are in a good position to ask for a raise.

Just remember that a request for a pay raise is just that – a request.

Don’t approach your boss as if you are entitled to a raise. Make sure your timing is right and have a solid plan in place when you ask for your raise. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged if you get denied. There could be circumstances that you are not aware of going on in the background, such as company restructuring or budget issues.

Ask for feedback, and implement it. That way, the next time you ask for a raise, your boss will be remiss to deny you!

In today’s economy, it’s not uncommon for some employees to have a 2nd job.

But did you know that sometimes employers can fire you for that too? It’s true. While you may not be in danger of that, it’s worth looking into.

In a recent article, I examine exactly that and what kinds of 2nd jobs an employer might frown upon. But I also get into how a 2nd job can affect your job performance too.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

What Do Grocery Managers Do? (duties, responsibilities & pay)

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Grocery managers run the center of a grocery store in what is typically the largest department in a store. I was a grocery manager for 7 years, but before I got hired, I used to wonder what do grocery managers do?

Grocery managers are in charge of the operations in the grocery department of a store & should not be confused with a Grocery Store Manager which runs the whole store. A grocery manager will train & lead employees, order & stock products, manage inventory, check for expiration dates, and provide customer service.

But that just scratches the surface of this busy and complicated job. So let’s keep going.

There are numerous duties that a grocery manager has to take on, and without a good grocery manager, most stores would struggle to stay in business.

So in this article, we’re exploring what that role is, what they do, and what skills they need. But we’ll also look at how this job is different from that of a Grocery Store Manager (sometimes called a General Manager). And we’ll look at how the job differs from other department managers too.

Let’s get going!

In a recent article, I break down my best tips for working in a grocery store (something I did for over 20 years, eventually earning a 6-figure salary). Since I started with Whole Foods at $4.25/hr, I know ANYONE can do what I did.

So click that link to read it on my site.

What is a Grocery Manager?

A grocery manager is a person who manages the grocery department, which is the largest section of a grocery store. Grocery Departments also often include not only the aisles of canned and boxed goods but also frozen foods and the dairy department.

But that can vary a little bit.

This department can vary a little bit from company to company. But it is generally the center of the store and contains all the boxed, canned, and jarred food items.

Most grocery chains have a store manager, sometimes called a general manager. They may have 1-3 assistants depending on the size and sales volume of the store.

Then each major section of the store, usually referred to as departments would typically also have a department manager overseeing it.

Those departments would include:

  • Produce (fresh fruit & vegetables)
  • Meat
  • Seafood (sometimes combined with meat)
  • Bakery
  • Deli
  • Front End (cashiers and baggers)

Grocery managers, like all department managers, are responsible for the daily operation of their department.

That includes tasks such as:

  • Scheduling that department’s employees
  • Handling minor HR tasks for their team (but hiring & firing would often be done in conjunction with store leaders and/or HR)
  • Writing orders for products to ensure the shelves stay full of product (but not too much excess)

Before I became a store manager for Whole Foods, I was a Grocery Manager for Whole Foods for about 7 years in 3 locations.

The 3rd and final time I did that role was in San Francisco at the 1st store in that city at the intersection of California and Franklin. My team consisted of myself and an assistant and about 15-20 employees.

It was a busy role in the store with a lot of moving parts.

It was also a very physical job as we got large deliveries several times a week in the early mornings that needed to be stocked before we opened.

What Roles and Responsibilities Do Grocery Managers Have?

Grocery managers, not to be confused with grocery store managers, handle purchasing, staff management, financial reporting, customer service, and stocking of the shelves for the grocery department in a grocery store.

So, grocery managers have plenty of roles and responsibilities.

Without them, the store would be a mess! After all, the Grocery Department is often close to 60% of the sales floor and about 30% of the sales dollars.

With no Grocery Manager, you’d see expired food on the shelves, or empty shelves. There’d be no order or organization, and customers wouldn’t know where to look for their items.

Here’s a list of a few essential tasks that a grocery manager must keep up on:

1. Managing the inventory of a grocery department

Inventory is a huge responsibility.

Grocery managers have to keep track of what goes in and what goes out of their department. Unfortunately, they also have to take theft into account, which often leads to Loss Prevention services. Inventory needs to increase or decrease based on the amount sold compared to the company’s expectations for each item.

After all, when you order more product than you really need, it clogs up the backroom where the excess product is stored. It also is highly inefficient to go from the truck to the aisle, then to the backroom and then back to the aisle later. It also ties up the company’s purchasing dollars.

So a good grocery manager only orders just enough product to keep the shelves full until the next delivery.

2. Customer service

Customers are the lifeblood of a grocery store. AND, there are a million options when it comes to deciding where to buy your groceries from.

So what keeps customers loyal often comes down to their experience in the store and the customer service they get.

Not only do Grocery Managers have to be well-informed about the items in their department, but their employees need to be educated as well.

3. Training employees

It may take weeks, sometimes even months, to understand the whole process of a complicated grocery department.

This timespan often depends on the size of the store and the season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other big times of the year are hectic for grocery managers. That season also has the busiest days of the whole year.

Employees will be trained at a quicker rate during the holiday season; it’s sink or swim time!

Merchandising refers to the presentation and appearance of the products and displays in a store. Grocery managers and their employees must ensure that products are pulled to the front of the shelves and facing towards customers. This is known as facing or fronting products.

Stores like Whole Foods, which pride themselves on the appearance of the store, do this throughout the day. By comparison, large so-called “conventional stores” like a Safeway or Kroger may not do this at all other than when the shelves are first stocked overnight or in the early morning.

Employees also have to be trained not just on the physical tasks but also on the store layout, product information, and even basic cooking tips. In the grocery department, we get asked a lot of questions!

But there’s a lot more to know about merchandising and what makes it great or terrible.

Luckily I take all the mystery out of it in a recent article. I not only cover how to build displays, but I throw in some industry tricks for making big displays when you only have a small amount of product.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

What Skills Does a Grocery Manager Need?

There are five specific skills that every grocery manager should have:

  • People skills – You must be good with people. Customer service entails the fact that you’re going to be interacting with all sorts of people throughout the day. They might be mad, relaxed, sad, and so on. In any sense, you have to be ready for them all.
  • Leadership Experience – The grocery manager is an important leadership role that trains, directs, and fixes everything that goes on in their department.
  • Retail Sales Experience – Even if you have a college degree, you’ll have to work your way up through the customer service industry to land a grocery manager job. Nothing beats hands-on experience for 2-3 years.
  • Be a Problem Solver – Every single day a different issue will come up. Whether it’s a late arrival from a truck delivery or employees who refuse to do their job, problems are going to need fixing. Your job will be to solve those occurrences as they show up.
  • Be organized – Organizing the back room, employees’ schedules, and product orders can all be complicated tasks. Without the right systems in place, it’s easy for those things to fall apart.

Whether you’re coming in from another department or you’re curious about how you can work your way up, you’ll need a specific set of skills to be a grocery manager.

This position requires you to be always alert and ready to take on any concerns or problems that might arise. Angry customers, missing products, and spills are just a few common issues that need you to be a quick-thinker.

Are those skills more important than a good attitude?

It’s worth pointing out, that a good attitude will almost always get you hired over experience if that experience comes with a bad attitude.

When I first got hired as a Grocery Manager for Whole Foods in 1992 (they use the term Team Leader instead of manager) I got hired over a few much more experienced people. One of those people had even been my 1st boss (and I still call him a friend today).

Why did I get hired with only 4 years experience over 3 much more experienced grocery leaders?

Because I came in with a positive attitude and was humble. But I also had a detailed plan of how to take a department that I thought was great and make it even better.

The other 3 came in more with the attitude that either the store owed it to them to hire them or that the store would be incredibly lucky to have them.

In the end, what was perceived as a bad attitude by the store manager and hiring team cost them the job and gave me my first shot at leadership. I went on to later win the National All-Star Grocery Team Leader award.

How Much Does a Grocery Manager Make?

If you’re considering a grocery manager job, you’re probably wondering how much money you’ll make.

Generally speaking, grocery managers make between $19,000 to $33,000 a year, according to salary and career experts Glass Door.

They can be paid either salary or hourly, depending on the company they work for. But generally speaking these days most companies pay hourly. The reason being is that legally someone isn’t supposed to be on salary if they can’t hire and fire on their own.

Most companies these days require decisions like that to go through store management and/or HR, to limit their liability. So, most Grocery Managers do not perform tasks like that without having to consult with someone else.

The average grocery manager makes about ~$25,000 a year, but this can vary.

Three key factors contribute to how much money a grocery manager will make:

  • The country, city, and state all matter. It’s much more likely that someone who manages a grocery department in a busy, populous city will make more money than a slow store in a small town.
  • Experience in the field also will play a role in how much money the manager makes. If they’ve never been a grocery manager, then they probably won’t make as much as a person who has been one for 5+ years.
  • The size of the company – Well-known nation-wide chains usually pay more simply because they have a higher store budget and a larger sales volume. This estimation isn’t always the case, but it often plays a role.

Companies often have some sort of profit-sharing program in place too which can provide additional annual or quarterly bonuses also. But these programs vary widely from company to company.

If you’re applying for a grocery manager position, ask about the possibility of bonuses in the future. They’re usually mentioned during the interview and hiring process.

How Does the Job of a Grocery Manager Differ from Other Departments in a Grocery Store?

The grocery manager is in charge and responsible for the grocery department.

As I mentioned above, each major department in a grocery store will have a department manager unless the store is really small and/or really low in sales volume.

Many of the tasks performed by a grocery manager will be similar to the tasks performed by other department managers. Those tasks include:

  • Scheduling employees
  • Ordering products from wholesalers and warehouses
  • Stocking the shelves
  • Mentoring their employees
  • Helping customers

The big difference is simply the kind of products they are selling.

Of course, each department also requires different skills. A Meat Department manager, for instance, needs to know how to cut meat, which is a trained skill and an art.

A Produce manager needs to know about the farms where their fruits and vegetables come from and also things like pesticide use and waxes used to coat things like apples.

In a recent article, I go a lot more in-depth about all the different positions in a grocery store and how they differ.

If you’re new to grocery store work, it can be confusing. You may also be unsure of which department or job suits your personality the best. So just click that link to read it on my site.

Final Thoughts

Throughout this article, you’ve seen all of the important tasks bestowed upon a grocery manager.

They need to deal with everything in their department. Training, merchandising, sales, and customer service are the name of the game for a grocery manager.

If you plan on becoming a grocery manager in the future, here are a few tips:

  • Get 2-3 years of experience in the customer service industry (preferably a position at a grocery store).
  • Learn the essential duties and get yourself let the store manager know of your interest.
  • Remember that the customer always comes first.

At this salary level, Grocery Manager is a great job for someone in their twenties with plenty of energy. But it’s also wise to eventually look at moving up in the store to higher positions that pay better.

When I first made the leap from Grocery Manager to Assistant Store Manager, my salary almost doubled. And while the job got more mentally challenging, store leadership roles are considerably less taxing on your body too.

But it all starts with getting hired for that first position.

In a recent article, I give all my best tips for getting hired at a grocery store. After all, depending on what city you live in, there could be dozens of other people all going after the same job you want.

Having hired literally thousands of people over the years, I know a thing or 2 about how to make sure you stand out in a crowd.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Can I Get Fired for Having a Second Job? (Maybe – here’s why)

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Are you currently working or considering a 2nd job because you feel like you are not making enough money? If so, you’ve probably wondered can I get fired for having a 2nd job?

Employees in at-will states can be fired at any time for any legal reason. However, most employers won’t prohibit employees from working a 2nd job as long as it’s not for a competitor and as long as it doesn’t affect your availability or work performance.

But there’s a lot more to know about working a 2nd job and what an employer can legally do about it. And those of you living in at-will states, have other things to consider, which we’ll get into below.

So let’s keep going.

Moonlighting is relatively common, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.9% of workers hold multiple jobs.

Moonlighting is a term used to refer to holding a second job outside of normal working hours. Moonlighting policies vary by employer, but may require disclosure and approval of secondary employment.

You may be considering moonlighting, but have some questions:

  • Can your employer prevent you from getting a second job?
  • Can you get fired if you get a second job?
  • Why would your employer even care?

Don’t worry, all of these questions are going to be answered. Just keep reading!

Do I have to tell my employer about a second job?

Employers’ reactions to moonlighting can vary widely.

Some employers couldn’t care less, as long as it’s not interfering with job performance or in conflict with their values, and you’re not working with a competitor. Some employers are okay with moonlighting but have policies that require the disclosure and approval of outside employment.

Other employers strictly prohibit moonlighting. If you work for an employer that prohibits moonlighting, and you get a second job, you can get fired.

So it’s important to communicate with your employer and read the employee handbook so that you are familiar with company policy.

If moonlighting isn’t strictly prohibited, talk to your employer about your desire to get a second job.

Strictly speaking, if moonlighting isn’t prohibited, you don’t have to tell your employer about a second job, provided that the policy doesn’t require disclosure and/or approval.

However, it’s always best to be honest with your employer.

It says a lot about not only your work ethic but your integrity, too. And who knows, if you are a valuable employee, and are just looking to make a little extra money, you may even get offered a raise or given more hours.

What is the moonlighting employment law?

While there isn’t a specific law prohibiting moonlighting, it can be governed by the policies of your employer.

Public employees may be subject to federal laws and agency regulations, depending on the position and classification.

Even then, the federal laws don’t necessarily prohibit moonlighting,  they prohibit taking on second jobs that could prove unethical in that it causes a conflict of interest, whether it’s the source of income or the type of work that the job entails.

If your company has a policy prohibiting moonlighting, it should be well documented in the company handbook and/or your employment contract or agreement. If you are unsure of the company policy, ask.

I list out the states below that fall into the at-will territory.

However, in a recent article, I got much deeper into at-will laws, how they vary from state to state, and what they mean for both employees and employers. I even get into wrongful termination, what that means, and what to do about it, if it happens to you.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Can an employer prohibit moonlighting?

Absolutely.

Not only can they prohibit moonlighting, but they can fire you if they find out you are working a second job if you are violating any written policies or agreements.

And if that 2nd job appears to violate the company’s trust or propriety ideas, not only could you get fired, but you could get sued.

So, not only can they prohibit moonlighting, but they can prohibit the use of company time and resources as it relates to secondary jobs and activities.

It’s also important to know if you are an “at-will” employee.

An at-will employee can be fired at any time, for any reason, with a few exceptions that would violate federal employment law, like discrimination. Chances are that you are an “at-will” employee, as all states recognize at-will employment, with a few states that have limitations in place, in addition to federal law.

Many states have various limitations and restrictions as it pertains to at-will employment. If you live in one of the states listed, you should refer to those laws and regulations as it relates to employee’s rights.

Here are all of the at-will states:

Alabama Missouri
Alaska Nebraska
Arizona New York
California North Carolina
Delaware Pennsylvania
Florida Rhode Island
Georgia Texas
Indiana Utah
Louisiana Virginia
Massachusetts Wyoming
South Carolina  

Is it illegal to work two jobs at once?

No, it’s not illegal to work two jobs.

But it could violate your employment contract and/or company policy, particularly if it presents a conflict of interest. What is illegal, however, is stealing trade secrets and customers.

Even if you are not stealing trade secrets or customers, if your second job is in the same field as your primary job, it could appear that you are working for a competitor, and therefore, sharing trade secrets.

In fact, the 2nd job may have hired you specifically hoping they would learn some insider secrets about their competition.

So, be very careful about who you choose to work for at your second job to avoid any perceived conflicts of interest.

Lastly, as we’ll get into more below, also make sure your employer doesn’t prohibit 2nd jobs or have restrictions you should know about before accepting a 2nd job.

Ultimately, there are a lot of reasons an employer can fire an employee.

But one that might surprise you is gossiping.

We all know someone who loves gossip! But if that’s you, make sure you check out my recent article that breaks down how you could actually get fired for that.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Why would employers care if I have a 2nd job?

Think of it this way; employers are investing in their employees, and they want them to be on their A-game.

If you’re working a second job, you are likely to get burned out and let your work quality slip. Then all of a sudden, your employer is paying the same amount of money for sub-par work.

It could also be a conflict of interest.

Employers don’t want their employees working for competitors, directly or indirectly. Even if you are not selling trade secrets or stealing customers, it could appear that you are. As a result, they are going to want to know what kind of work you are doing, and who you’re doing it for, so they can decide whether it could be detrimental to their business.

When I worked for Whole Foods Market, they didn’t prohibit employees from working a second job.

Specifically, the employee handbook at that time stated: “We have no objections to any Team Member holding another job as long as he or she can effectively meet the performance standards for their position at Whole Foods Market.”

The GIG (general information guide) also clarified that it was expected that a 2nd job’s schedule should be coordinated around the employee’s Whole Foods schedule and not the other way around.

However, Whole Foods was very clear about working for competitors or anyone where a conflict of interest could exist. There, the GIG states that they prohibit all employees from working for “a direct competitor, vendor, supplier”.

This may not seem like a big deal if you are waiting tables at your 1st or 2nd job.

But if you work in software, for example, and you take on another software development job, the waters can get muddied when it comes to ideas and who those ideas actually belong to.

Other reasons an employer might not want you working a 2nd job

Let’s also not forget the loyalty aspect.

Your employer most likely spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to get you properly trained and to make sure you have the resources you need to perform your job for them. If you are using that training and resources at a second job, your employer could feel betrayed or annoyed.

Also, as you saw in my example above from my Whole Foods days, their GIG book clearly states “as long as he or she can effectively meet the performance standards”.

That means they won’t fire you for working a 2nd job. But they can fire you if your performance and overall work quality go down.

But I get it!

There have been times in my life where I’ve worked 2 jobs (like writing this blog). Sometimes it’s necessary to put food on the table. So if you are financially forced to have 2 jobs, just take steps to make sure you’re able to give your best performance to both; especially to your primary employer.

Lastly, take into consideration, too, that moonlighting can be a hassle.

You’ll have another job to commute to, less free time, less time with friends, and tax repercussions. As a result, your mental health and physical health could decline.

If you are not taking care of yourself, both your primary job and your secondary job could suffer, and then you could get fired from both because you are performing subpar work.

Final Thoughts

Moonlighting is not uncommon, especially when you are in your younger years and just getting started looking for a career.

However, it can be really challenging not only from an employer/employee aspect but from a mental and physical health aspect as well. You should think about whether you really need to get a second job.

If you do decide to get a second job, you should talk to your primary employer and make sure company policy doesn’t prohibit moonlighting.

If moonlighting isn’t prohibited, choose a second job that is vastly different from your primary one, just to prevent any chance of giving the impression that something nefarious is going on.

Of course, a 2nd job isn’t the only thing that could potentially land you in hot water with your employer.

In a recent article, I break down how even being sick could potentially get you fired. So just click that link to read it on my site.

Have a car and a smartphone? Consider a 2nd job with DoorDash!

As a Dasher, you be your own boss and enjoy the flexibility of choosing when, where, and how much you earn.

See how much you could be earning. Available in over 4,000 cities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. All you need is a mode of transportation and a smartphone to start making money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about working for DoorDash!

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”WcFN6PYN” upload-date=”Wed Aug 26 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Can I Get Fired for Having a Second Job? (Maybe – here’s why)” description=”Are you currently working or considering a 2nd job because you feel like you are not making enough money? If so, you’ve probably wondered can I get fired for having a 2nd job? Here’s what I know, having hired thousands over the years: Employees in at-will states can be fired at any time for any legal reason. However, most employers won’t prohibit employees from working a 2nd job as long as it’s not for a competitor and as long as it doesn’t affect your availability or work performance. But there’s a lot more to know about working a 2nd job and what an employer can legally do about it. And those of you living in at-will states, have other things to consider, which we’ll get into below. So let’s keep going. Moonlighting is relatively common, and according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.9% of workers hold multiple jobs. Moonlighting is a term used to refer to holding a second job outside of normal working hours. Moonlighting policies vary by employer, but may require disclosure and approval of secondary employment.”]

Do Grocery Stores Drug Test? What You Need to Know!

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A grocery store career can be a great one. But for those first starting out or looking for their first job, it’s not uncommon to wonder do grocery stores drug test?

Yes and no. Some grocery stores drug test, especially big chain stores that stretch across the state or country. However, smaller chains may be less strict about it. Whole Foods Market is the largest chain to not typically drug test.

But there’s a lot more to know about grocery stores, drug tests, and which ones do them. So let’s keep going.

In the rest of this article, we’ll answer some essential questions related to grocery stores and drug testing:

  • Which grocery store chains drug test?
  • What does an employer drug test look for?
  • Do employers tell you if you passed a drug test?
  • Can you retake a drug test if you fail?

When you are looking for your first job, you may not have any idea about all the different positions in a grocery store.

In a recent article, I break them all down, including which ones tend to pay the best. Just click that link to read it on my site.

Which Grocery Store Chains Drug Test?

If you’re applying at a grocery store, the store is likely a chain. While there are thousands of stores around the world that are not attached to large corporations, you’re probably applying to one of the big grocery chains.

Here are a few of the largest chains and their drug test requirements:

1. Safeway

Safeway drug tests 100% of their employees. If you’re applying for a job, you should expect a drug test before being hired.

These tests can be either a saliva or urine sample and are often done at a local clinic. The clinician will send the test in for analysis, and the lab sends the results to the Safeway management.

Another situation in which Safeway performs a mandatory drug test is if an employee gets hurt at the workplace.

This necessary test happens because they need to see if the employee was under the influence of a drug when they were injured. If this is the case, the employer is often not responsible for the accident.

2. Kroger

Kroger is another big brand that performs drug testing.

They usually check for more than just marijuana, which is the most common drug typically tested for by most grocery stores. This test is mostly a saliva swab, though the method can vary from store to store, as some of them prefer to use a urine sample.

Once the clinic or office gathers the information, they send the results to Kroger, who makes a hiring decision based on the info.

3. Whole Foods

Whole Foods is a rare outlier, as they don’t always require drug tests before hiring their employees. However, employees who get hurt at work may be subject to a mandatory drug test.

Certain Whole Foods locations will drug test potential employees who will work around heavy machinery. And the warehouses will likely test drivers.

They test these people because they need to ensure the employee is sober when operating dangerous equipment.

But I can tell you in my 20+ years as a leader at Whole Foods, I was never drug tested, never had anyone drug tested. And I was not aware of anyone ever being drug tested. So if you plan to work in a store, you’ll likely never be drug tested.

Note: Although they don’t have mandatory hiring drug tests, Whole Foods still performs a background check to look for potential criminal activity.

4. Trader Joe’s

Trader Joe’s uses the desire to build an employee-employer bond to push comradery in the workplace. They almost always avoid drug tests, as management believes drug tests make it harder to find good employees.

There are a few Trader Joe’s locations that have been known to drug test potential employees, although it’s not nearly as frequent as other prominent chain store locations.

5. Aldi

Aldi performs drug and alcohol screenings for all potential employees. They deal with heavy packages and deliveries, making it a company requirement to work around potential hazards.

These tests protect the company if an employee fails a drug test after an accident happens. They usually go with a saliva test, although a urine sample is also possible.

What Does an Employer Drug Test Look For?

If you’re considering working at a grocery store, you should know which substances they test for. Most employers do a saliva test, which often tests for marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamines, and even alcohol.

Saliva tests usually aren’t as accurate as urine samples because urine tests show substances consumed over a longer time.

Here are most of the drugs tested for during grocery store drug tests:

  • Amphetamines
  • Opiates
  • Nicotine (although this might not be an issue for the employer)
  • Marijuana
  • Cocaine
  • Alcohol (not considered a drug, and it also likely won’t cause problems)
  • Methamphetamines

Some companies frown upon alcohol in their tests, but this can vary from company to company.

In most circumstances, it’s not an issue unless the employee consumes alcohol before or during work. You should contact the company that you want to work for if you’re concerned about alcohol testing.

If you are applying for a driving position, alcohol in your system could be a dealbreaker.

Do Employers Tell You if You Passed a Drug Test?

Employers will almost always inform you whether or not you passed the drug test.

If you passed, they either offer you the job or move forward with the hiring and interview process. Employers don’t typically hire applicants who fail drug tests.

Just because you haven’t received a call within a few days of submitting a urine or saliva sample doesn’t mean you failed.

Employers don’t always receive the results right away, and even if they do, there are other company problems to deal with as well. They have to test all potential employees before they decide who to hire.

Another reason that you might not have received a call for your drug test yet is that some clinics don’t send results on weekends.

You might’ve taken the test on a Thursday, but the company might not receive the results until Monday or Tuesday. Once they get the information, they will call you with the results quickly in most cases.

If you haven’t received a call in a couple of weeks, there’s still no need to panic.

You might even be notified via mail or email. Not all companies send out a phone call with the results, so keep an eye on your inbox and mailbox. Most companies won’t leave you in the dark since they know that you’re waiting for the results.

Can You Retake a Drug Test if You Fail?

Unfortunately, you cannot retake a drug test for a job.

There are no retests because the tests are extremely accurate, reducing the chance of error to almost zero. If you retake the test, it can give you time to flush the drugs from your system, which is the main reason that companies don’t allow retesting.

If you’re applying for an important job or one with minimal applicants, you can dispute the results. You still won’t be able to retake the test for the reasons mentioned above, but there’s a bit of hope if it truly was an error.

It’s also good news if the company requested a urine sample as well as a saliva swab.

When you dispute a drug test, your first and only sample is reanalyzed. You can’t take another, but the clinic performs the test as if it were a new sample. Since the sample is stored correctly, substances cannot leave or enter the container.

Once your results are reanalyzed, you’ll receive a notification through a phone call, mail, or email with the new results.

Final Thoughts

In this article, I reviewed a question many prospective employees wonder when applying for some of their earliest jobs; whether or not grocery stores drug test.

We reviewed several aspects including:

  • Which grocery store chains drug test? Almost all grocery stores drug test. Many drug test as part of the employment screening, and those that don’t still drug test after workplace incidents that result in injuries.
  • What does an employer drug test look for? Employer drug tests look for all sorts of drugs – even legal ones like alcohol and nicotine.
  • Do employers tell you if you passed a drug test? Most employers won’t tell you if you passed a drug test – you’ll only find out if you move on to the next part of the hiring process.
  • Can you retake a drug test if you fail? While most grocery stores won’t let you retake a failed drug test, you can occasionally ask them to reanalyze a sample or check your second sample to confirm.

In short, while some grocery stores won’t really care that much if you smoke weed occasionally, do yourself a favor and avoid doing anything while job hunting.

Trust me, you’ll be a lot happier with a good job and income to get your career started.

Considering a job at a grocery store?

I have a recent article that breaks down the best tips and strategies to get the job you want. What might really surprise you is how doing just a little bit of pestering can make all the difference.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

Photo credits which require attribution:

Modern road sign (Safeway logo) by Northwest Retail is licensed by CC2.0

Kroger logo on company website displayed on computer screen with ripple effect by Ivan Radic is licensed by CC2.0

WFM_Logo_LargerR_Kale_Green_RGB_square_smaller by Virginia State Parks is licensed by CC2.0

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”old9jByV” upload-date=”Mon May 04 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Do Grocery Stores Drug Test? What You Need to Know!” description=”A grocery store career can be a great one. But for those first starting out or looking for their first job, it’s not uncommon to wonder do grocery stores drug test? Here’s what I’ve learned: Yes and no. Some grocery stores drug test, especially big chain stores that stretch across the state or country. However, smaller chains may be less strict about it. Whole Foods Market is the largest chain to not typically drug test. But there’s a lot more to know about grocery stores, drug tests, and which ones do them. So let’s keep going.”]

Is Sweethearting a Crime? (what you must know!)

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I ran grocery stores for many years. Over time I had to fire many seemingly great employees who never thought to ask is sweethearting a crime?

Yes! Sweethearting is a crime, and it makes up the highest percentage of theft in the US. Small discounts and avoiding ringing up certain items add up to a massive amount of money over time. You should completely avoid sweethearting, as it’s punishable by law and will certainly at least get you fired.

But there’s a lot more to know about sweethearting and where it falls legally.

Sweethearting is actually fairly common in the workplace. Kind customers, paired with a generous employee, can create a situation that might seem harmless. Other times, it’s one employee sweethearting another. Or sometimes friends of the employee come in to shop.

But sweethearting can be terrible for the business. Over time it can cost employers thousands of dollars. Those are dollars that can be passed along as raises, or in lowering prices to drive business.

In the rest of this article, I’ll answer some essential questions related to sweethearting:

  • What does sweethearting mean?
  • Why is sweethearting considered bad by employers?
  • Do employers have you arrested for sweethearting?
  • Is sweethearting as bad as stealing?

Let’s check out the severity of this often-overlooked crime below.

What Does Sweethearting Mean?

Sweethearting is a term that describes the act of an employee assisting a customer by reducing the cost of their total purchase in one way or another.

There are many ways to enable sweethearting, but all are a crime, nonetheless. Employers and even customers can see it as a bad sign for the business.

Here are a few examples of sweethearting:

  • Product scanning avoidance – when an employee skips the scanning process for an item intentionally. Whether the item is low-priced or very expensive, it’s a crime, and it’s certainly frowned upon in any circumstance. Even if the item is as low as 50 cents, enough uncharged products can send ripples through the company.
  • Manually reducing the cost of an item – This strategy is performed by inputting incorrect item numbers (SKUs) or overriding the system’s default price for an item. Employees might see it as a nice way to help out a customer or someone who needs a break. However, it’s also a crime, and you should avoid doing it.
  • Scanning coupons when the customer doesn’t present them is also fairly frequent in the workplace. When a customer doesn’t have an active coupon with them, they might ask for assistance from the employee. While some employers might provide coupons to scan upfront in this situation, an employee should never try to input or reduce the price without the coupon in hand. After all, if it’s a manufacturer’s coupon, usually the store has to mail it in to get credit. No coupon, no credit.
  • A few less common examples include returning gift cards for cash, voiding totals, tax, and other necessities, and using invoices to lower the total price.

Again, there are no situations in which any of the listed methods of sweethearting are acceptable.

Why Is Sweethearting Considered Bad by Employers?

Sweethearting is considered a bad practice by employers for many reasons.

The most common situation in which this arises is when a friend or family member shops at the store. Certain stores offer a family discount, but the discounts should not extend beyond that.

Sweethearting for anyone, including friends and family, is frowned upon by employers.

Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1. It wrecks profit margins

One of the main reasons that employers don’t like sweethearting is because it is causing the store to lose money. When loss prevention wonders where the excess items went, there’s nothing to show.

Giving away a pack of gum might seem insignificant to an employee. But imagine if every employee gave away a couple of bucks a shift every day they worked. Over time, that could easily add up to hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Plus, in my experience running stores for Whole Foods for many years, it was rarely something that small.

Often it would be $40 of seafood with a sticker for chowder fish (a low priced item). Or maybe 4 filet mignon steaks rung up as 1.

Now some employees might think their company makes bank, and that losing small amounts of money won’t hurt anyone.

In truth, grocery store profit margins are extremely low. In a recent article, I cover grocery store profits in great detail and break down exactly why every penny counts.

Just click that link to read it on my site.

2. It introduces favoritism

Another reason that employers dislike sweethearting is that it shows the customer that their employees are irresponsible.

If a store has employees who give away free items to some people but not everyone, it’s now a matter of favoritism. Customers need to know that the prices are fair and consistent at the store.

And even a customer who appreciates the deal knows that it’s wrong. In fact, some may report the employee despite the employee seemingly doing them a favor.

Employers can view sweethearting as direct theft, especially when done via scan avoidance.

Taking an item without paying for it, or paying less than they are supposed to, is theft. Everything must be paid for unless the label says it’s free.

Employees who process items without scanning them are now an accessory to theft.

3. It affects the manager

Finally, manually inputting deals and price reductions that don’t exist can trigger warnings to higher management

Even if the store’s manager isn’t aware of the issue, it can trickle up to district managers, regional VPs, and higher up the chain. Ultimately department and store managers are responsible for profitability.

If sweethearting is rampant enough, that can tank a store or department’s profitability. This outcome can not only be bad for the employee but the manager’s career as well.

Do Employers Have You Arrested for Sweethearting?

Sweethearting is undoubtedly a crime, but most employers won’t have you arrested for it.

This lack of arrest happens because most employers don’t see the act as worthy of being arrested. However, they will fire almost any employee who performs sweethearting, even if they only do it once.

There haven’t been many cases in which an employee has been arrested, but it’s not impossible to do.

While even a single act of sweethearting can get you fired, employers usually only call the police when it becomes a serial problem.

Giving away massive amounts of items or a couple of expensive products is likely to get the police involved.

If the employer has evidence, they can press charges against the employee.

Whether the evidence is a video from the store’s cameras, data from the employee’s user access information or another source, sweethearting can make your life much worse.

There are some methods with grey areas, such as the coupon scanning error (or lack thereof), in which case you should always contact your employer.

It only takes a few seconds or minutes, but it can potentially save your job and more. Employers will also see this as a sign of honesty, which will improve your standing in their eyes.

In short, it’s unlikely that you’ll be arrested for sweethearting.

However, you’ll likely be fired, and a phone call to the police isn’t out of line for the employer. Protect yourself by avoiding sweethearting at all costs.

Other reasons for being fired range from being sick too much to even something like gossiping too much.

It can honestly be surprising what actions or choices can lead to someone being fired. Just click those links to read more detail on my site about either issue.

Is Sweethearting as Bad as Stealing?

Yes, is the short answer.

While most employers use a lot of leeway, judgment, and flexibility in working with and disciplining employees, theft is theft. Employers have to look at theft in very black and white terms.

The employee either stole or they didn’t steal.

The reason is that if they fire one employee for sweethearting and not another, they are opening up a huge liability for themselves. After all, discrimination is a huge charge against an employer. And when they don’t discipline the same way across the board, that’s essentially what they are doing.

Some employees might feel as if they’re helping a customer in need without understanding the severity of the situation. These cases usually end in termination of employment, but it doesn’t have the same level of intent as someone giving their buddy $40 of seafood for $5.00.

It’s also possible that some newer and more naive employees might not even realize that what they are doing is theft or is wrong.

On the other hand, employees who use their friends and family to steal through sweethearting are entirely responsible for their actions in every way.

In these cases, sweethearting is considered just as bad as theft. That’s even truer since the employee likely planned the action before it happened.

This scenario is one of the few that warrants handcuffs.

Loss prevention is allowed to handcuff their employees while waiting for the police to arrive in most states and some countries. When an employee is caught in the act, and they’re completely aware of their actions, they have committed a crime.

By definition, this makes them a criminal, which is just as bad as stealing.

The only situations in which sweethearting might be taken less seriously is through manually inputting errors and other accidents that the employee didn’t intentionally perform.

Final thoughts

In this article, I took a look at sweethearting.

We examined what it is and how it differs from actual theft. But we also explored why sweethearting is as bad as stealing. Lastly, we looked at how most employers handle it and what to expect if you are caught doing it.

You should avoid sweethearting at all costs, as it may get you fired or arrested.

Ultimately, we all need a job, and doing something dumb like sweethearting is a great way to lose a great job and jeopardize your future jobs. After all, most new would-be employers will want to talk to your last one.

For me, there was no better job than at a grocery store. If that’s where you are or want to be, check out all my tips on working in a grocery store in a recent article.

What you might find really surprising is just how good the pay and benefits can be. Just click that link to read it on my site.

Tips for Working in a Grocery Store (from an expert)

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Having worked for Whole Foods for over 2 decades, I’ve been asked many times for my best tips for working in a grocery store.

Expect to work a lot of evenings, weekends & holidays. Also, be prepared to be on your feet the majority of the shift. Learn to give more respect to customers than they will sometimes give to you. Also, the employees who get promoted faster are the ones who show initiative, stay positive & are the most cooperative.

But there’s a lot more to working in a grocery store than just that!

I can tell you that the grocery life isn’t always easy. You need to have some ways to deal with the pressure and the “stress” that comes with the territory.

So in this article, we’re diving deep into the world of grocery stores and what it’s like to work in them.

We’ll explore the conditions, issues, and plusses. But we’ll also talk about some of the best tips for dealing with some of the challenges that can come up.

Let’s dive in!

What’s the #1 tip for working in a grocery store?

I started with Whole Foods doing an entry-level job and worked my way up over several years. One of the tips I can give you is to learn to stay calm in every situation.

You may encounter demanding customers, a grumpy co-worker, a stressed-out boss, and a huge olive oil spill. Sometimes you’ll experience things like that all at the same time!

Without a practice to stay calm and centered, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

Regardless of what happens, you should always stay calm. It’s also essential to find a coping mechanism. It’s not uncommon to see grocery employees out in the smoking area. BUT, I can tell you that’s not the best way to deal with the stress.

Some better strategies for coping with grocery store stress include:

  • Go to a walk-in cooler and yell or let off some steam as needed
  • Make sure to take your allotted breaks throughout the shift – we all need time to recharge
  • Build camaraderie with your co-workers – like soldiers on the field, it helps to have people who have your back when the going gets tough

I’ve made lifelong friends in my 2-decade career, and some were co-workers with me a long time ago!

Trust me, when the stuff hits the fan, those diehard friends will be there for you. There’s nothing quite like a group of grocery store employees socializing together. The only thing comparable would be the foodservice industry which, of course, is related.

If you haven’t been hired yet, then that’s the first step.

I have a recent article that covers all the ins and outs of how to get a job at a grocery store, including one of the key things that can ensure you never get hired.

So just click that link to read it on my site.

Is the customer always right?

You should also learn how to treat every customer with respect.

Customers will ask you questions, some of which you don’t have the answers. You should learn how to answer each of them without being offensive, even if they are annoying.

They may also be angry with “the store” or something that happened and take it out on you since you are the face of the store in that instance. So take deep breaths and learn to not take anything personally. But also remember that without customers, you wouldn’t have a job.

So while it’s not OK to allow a customer to abuse you verbally or otherwise, you do sometimes have to show more respect than you’re given.

It’s also a great strategy to not pretend you know the answer if you really don’t.

If a customer asks something you don’t know the answer to, be honest. Say “You know, I don’t know the answer to that, but let’s go find out”. Then walk with the customer to the customer service desk at the front or a nearby long-term employee.

Never just say “I don’t know” and then not take it any further.

Learning to take constructive criticism is also part of being a good grocery store employee. Expect to get regular performance reviews and constructive feedback. Don’t alienate yourself from your colleagues. Instead, try to be part of the team and work closely with them.

What is it like to work in a grocery store?

Working in a grocery store can be fulfilling, but it can also be scary.

It all depends on how well you’ve prepared and how much resilience you have. On the one hand, you will encounter stubborn customers that make you want to scream or quit. You may also hate the long hours you have to put in.

Having the department or store manager setting new goals could also put more pressure on you.

If you’re working there as an adult, you should expect people to judge you. Some customers usually assume that people at grocery stores don’t have college degrees. This can make you feel degraded, especially if you have put your all into your work.

Expect to hate holidays and weekends.

Those at the times when you’ll have too many customers and therefore will be busiest. Don’t just have one area that you want to work in. You can also expect to be trained in different departments.

Working at a grocery store isn’t all bad.

There are also some positive aspects. One of them is that you will get the experience that you’ll use in your next job. Some of the skills you’ll acquire are:

  • Responsibility
  • Perseverance
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Customer service skills
  • Teamwork

These are essential skills in any job, even if it’s not at a grocery store.

As a teenager or in your early 20’s, working at a grocery store means you’ll have more money than your peers.

You’ll also be able to test whether you see grocery as a good long-term career option. The responsibilities you’ll be given will teach you to be more responsible, and that will benefit your future.

I can tell you when I started with Whole Foods the day before my 24th birthday, I had no idea it would turn into much. But, over time, I went from making $4.25/hour to an annual salary of over 6 figures.

So a career in grocery can be a great and lucrative thing.

But some positions pay better than others, and some have certain plusses and minuses. So in a recent article, I break down all the primary positions in a grocery store.

While it’s good to remain flexible, it doesn’t hurt to have an understanding of which jobs you may naturally excel at more than others. Just click that link to see the article on my site.

How do I become a good grocery clerk?

Some of the responsibilities of a grocery clerk include assisting customers, replacing stock on the shelves, or labeling food products in the deli, meat, or seafood departments.

Here are some of the best skills to serve you in those roles:

1. Pay attention to detail

Being detail-oriented is crucial if you want to be a good grocery clerk.

After all, product resets happen (where an item gets moved to a new permanent location elsewhere in the store), and you will also occasionally find damaged goods on the shelves too.

A good eye for detail helps keep you informed. Then you, in turn, can help those confused customers.

2. Have excellent customer service skill

Since you are dealing with customers, you need excellent customer service skills.

You’ll be expected to ask customers if they need help. You’ll also be directing them to the right places for their products. Answering their questions will also be part of your responsibility.

To do these well, you must master your customer service skills. Serve with a smile even if you don’t want to.

Be calm and respectful even when you think they don’t deserve it.

3. Have good communication skills

Excellent communication skills may be part of the skills that lead to your promotion.

Remember that when the customers are satisfied with your services, you’ll get good reviews. This may help you get a promotion sooner than later.

Be clear and concise.

Provide the right directions and listen before answering. Make sure you understand the customer correctly before helping them find what they need. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarity in case you don’t know what they want.

It’s also vital that you communicate well with your fellow co-workers too.

After all, you are one big team and no matter how good of a worker you are, if you can’t get along well with others, you’ll have trouble keeping the job.

4. Be open-minded & flexible

This is the best way for you to enjoy working at the store and also to grow.

By keeping an open mind, you’ll be able to welcome new ideas that will help you in your career. Having an open mind will also help you adapt to the changing situations.

Remember that you are may be asked to help in different departments.

Without being open to such changes, you’ll not be able to perform efficiently or diligently. This skill will also help you maintain a friendly attitude that will help with your communication skills and customer service skills.

5. Be a self-starter and show initiative

Trust me.

As someone who has hired thousands of grocery store employees over the years, the ones I promoted the fastest or gave the biggest raises to weren’t the ones who could just work the fastest.

The ones I gave those things to had the best attitudes and a willingness to do whatever was needed at the moment even if it wasn’t in their job description.

And they could do those things without constant supervision.

What’s the difference between a clerk and a cashier?

Clerks and cashiers are 2 different jobs in a grocery store. Now having said that some stores may have 1 employee doing both roles at different times.

Cashiers are given the task of handling money, ringing up groceries, and bagging. Clerks, on the other hand, don’t handle money and do a little less customer service.

Clerks are focused more on stocking shelves and maintain displays. They may also answer their questions as they guide them to various products.

Because of the different responsibilities, each position has a different kind of interaction with the customers. After all, clerks will be answering a wider variety of questions and walking customers to different products throughout the store.

Cashiers, on the other hand, are expected to be respectful, but they aren’t generally under pressure the way clerks are.

That’s because cashiers are primarily focused on accurately and quickly ringing up groceries. By the time the customers get to the registers, they have likely found everything the needed and asked all their questions.

That being said, since the cashier is often the last person a customer interacts with, they must ensure the customer leaves the store happy and satisfied.

Since cashiers handle payments, they need strong organizational skills for their job. They should ideally be able to do the math correctly without the help of machines. This is because sometimes payment systems may fail, but the service delivery to customers has to continue.

The skills will help you balance the cash register properly and account for every purchase made. Clerks don’t need strong math skills.

You’ll have to be a fast learner to familiarize yourself with every aspect of the store. This, together with the qualifications above, will help you become excellent at fulfilling your responsibilities.

Is working at a grocery store hard or stressful?

Yes. Working at a grocery store can take its toll on you even if you become a manager.

In fact, the more responsibilities you have, the more stressful they can become. Learning how to manage your roles and your time effectively is the best way to overcome stress. Learn to rely on your co-workers so that you work as a team.

You should also try to do more than what your job description requires.

Take the job seriously, even if it’s not a permanent venture. Try to find meaning in your work to have a purpose. For instance, you can find satisfaction in seeing how the elderly smile whenever you assist them.

Participating in company competitions is also a good idea.

Try to win the awards that maybe there because they are meant to motivate you. For example, winning an “employee of the week” award can help boost your morale.

Such awards can also be used in your next employment search and they look good on a resume. Remember, you need to have the dedication and willingness to do the hard work, which means you should learn to love what you do.

If you love what you do, you’ll have a reason to wake up early every morning.

Is working at a grocery store retail?

Working at a grocery store is definitely retail. By definition, retail businesses are ones that exchange goods for money.

However, if the store has a deli department and you work there, it is not considered retail. Instead, it is categorized under food service.

There is no limit to the size of the store. This means that whether you work in a small grocery store or a large one, you’re still in retail.

Even if your store sells food products such as meat, eggs, and milk, you’re still considered to be working in retail.

Only those that deal with dining services or fast food delivery are not seen as retailers.

Grocery stores are one of the most significant contributors to the economy in the retail industry. You should, therefore, take pride in working in such stores and being part of that contribution.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we took an in-depth look into a world I love; the world of grocery stores.

We examined what working in a grocery store is like; from conditions to coping with stress, and even some of the key differences in positions around the store.

Ultimately, we covered all my best tips for working in a grocery store culled from my 20+ year career with Whole Foods Market.

So whether you’re doing this as your first job, have been doing it a while, or intend to make a career out of it, you’ve come to the right spot.

Thanks for being here!

 

How to Get a Job at a Grocery Store

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As a long-time grocery store manager, one question I’ve been asked, again and again, is how to get a job at a grocery store.

Most stores have an online application process, a background check, and then an interview process. It also helps to meet the hiring manager & let them know you applied and are interested. But avoid pestering them. Be prepared to be flexible, open-minded, and have a willingness to work wherever and whenever is needed.

But there’s a lot more that goes into getting hired at your local grocery store.

So in this article, we’re looking at the specific job requirements most stores will have. But we’ll also get into what to expect at an interview, what positions are most often needed, and even some mock interview questions.

So let’s dive in!

What skills do you need to work in a grocery store?

Grocery store positions don’t usually have any specific skills required to qualify.

You can apply even if you haven’t worked in a grocery store before. This is one of the reasons why the job is suitable for teenagers.

Here are the basic job requirements Whole Foods Market looked for when I was a store manager for them:

  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds
  • Will stand/walk 6-8 hours in an 8-hour shift
  • Using your hands: grasping, pushing and pulling
  • Flexible: able to bend, twist, squat and reach
  • Possible exposure to FDA approved cleaning chemicals.
  • Possible working in cold temperatures such as a freezer or refrigerated walk-in
  • Able to work in wet or dry conditions
  • Having a flexible schedule including being able to work nights, weekends, and holidays 
  • Able to use tools & equipment, such as knives, box cutters, pallet jacks or other machines
  • Possible use of ladders or step stools

Grocery store jobs may not need any set of skills, but it doesn’t mean they are simple.

You’ll be under pressure to work faster, especially during the holidays. You’ll also have to meet the expectations set by your manager.

It’s also important to be ready to work hard and put a lot of time at work once you’re hired.

Dealing with customers is also never easy. Having worked for Whole Foods Market for more than 20 years, I can tell you that while I’ve seen thousands of amazing customers, I’ve also been yelled at and even seen things thrown at employees on rare occasions.

So be prepared to stay calm, cool, and collected, even if the customers don’t.

Lastly, it’s crucial that you are a team player who can get along with all of your co-workers. That sometimes means putting aside your ego for the sake of the store (and your job).

How quickly do grocery store employees get hired?

The short answer is it depends.

But in most cases, expect it to take a couple of weeks. That being said, there have been plenty of times where I was shorthanded in my store, and the perfect person walked in and applied and was hired quickly out of necessity.

These days, most stores will likely have an online application process.

Then they will narrow down the list and perform background checks on a smaller list of candidates. Then those that pass the background check will be scheduled for interviews.

Once all interviews have been done, then the store or department manager would make their hiring decision and call you to make the job offer. Less reputable managers won’t call those candidates who didn’t get the job. So you won’t always hear back.

You should be ready to apply for many jobs at a few stores and follow up with those stores a couple of weeks later.

Depending on your city and the economy, there could be way more applicants than there are positions. This causes the stores to get numerous applications and makes it harder to get a job quickly.

You should keep in mind that just like you, many others are looking for the same opportunity.

This is why it’s a good idea to go to smaller stores and not the biggest name in town. You may have an advantage at your local small store.

And then, months or a year later with some experience under your belt, you can go apply at the big stores and stand a better chance of getting hired.

What jobs can you do at a grocery store?

Grocery store positions include stockers, cashiers, baggers, meat cutters, fish mongers, bakers, cooks and chefs, cash-handling personnel, HR, and department and store management.

Ultimately, grocery stores depend on many employees to run smoothly and efficiently.

The number of employees and the duties assigned to each usually depends on every specific store. Some may afford to hire multiple employees and give each one a particular task.

Others may not be able to have as many employees and will have one employee doing many jobs. So, it’s crucial that you don’t apply with a specific job in mind.

Be open-minded, flexible, and willing to do whatever is necessary whether or not it fits a specific job description.

As a store manager for many years at Whole Foods, I can tell you that the employees who got promoted the fastest and who got the largest pay raises were the ones I knew I could count on to get any and every job done without complaining and without requiring constant supervision.


Here are the most common grocery store positions:

1. Cashier

As a cashier, you’ll scan products that have bar codes.

You’ll also weigh things that don’t have a code, such as produce items. These items typically have a PLU number. While many produce items will have a PLU sticker showing that number, plan to memorize the most common numbers.

You’ll also have to return the exact change to the customers and answer all their questions.

You’ll be trained on how to use the register software, but you should have excellent customer service. Customers will ask you some questions so you should have a friendly and relaxed attitude as well as patience to handle them.

It can also be distracting scanning items, passing them down to the bagging area while chatting with the customer, so it pays to stay focused.

2. Bagging

This is another role that most new applicants are given.

You’ll work closely with the cashier by putting the products that have been purchased into shopping bags. You have to be good at arranging the items, so they fit correctly.

You also have to know when to double the bags if the items are heavy. Bagging the fragile items (like eggs) carefully to prevent breakage is also essential. Keeping other products apart from frozen items is also vital.

While simple, bagging is really a fine art as it needs to be done well, but also quickly. Ideally try and match the pace if the cashier so that by the time everything has been rung up and paid for, the customer’s bags are ready to go.

3. Stock clerks

This is a role in loading things from the pallets and stocking the shelves.

Busy stores may also require you to go through the store mid-day and do what’s called fronting or facing. That simply involves pulling the product forward where people have taken items from the shelf.

Always make sure to pull at least 2 forward when you do that. This helps maintain a full and clean look on the grocery shelves. Customers don’t buy as much when a store looks like it was just hit by a zombie apocalypse.

Stock clerks also help customers find products too. So do be prepared to interact and assist the shoppers. Some stores also routinely call for the stock clerks to come to the check stands to help bag groceries during busy hours also.

4. Janitorial roles

This job will require you to keep the store clean and organized. Some stores may not hire a janitor or may contract this out to another company. Small stores may just have the expectation that everyone helps with cleaning up spills and emptying trash cans when needed.

Other grocery store jobs include department manager jobs, assistant managers and receiving clerks who unload the deliveries.

I have a recent article that breaks down ALL the positions in a grocery store in a quick, but comprehensive way. So if you want to know a little bit more about each role, just click that link to read it on my site.

What do you wear to an interview at a grocery store?

It’s always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. A tie is not necessary, but don’t wear shorts or jeans or sneakers. A button-up shirt or polo shirt is better than a T-shirt, and avoid excess jewelry which can distract them from focusing on your answers.

Although you may not get the job you’re applying for, you should still create a good impression.

This means you should put more effort into your appearance and how you dress. Avoid wearing too many revealing clothes. You should also wear clothes that hide any tattoos if you have any.

Exposing such will create an unnecessary distraction, and you don’t want that.

Having said that and some of what’s below, do pay attention to how the existing employees dress. For an interview, I always think it’s better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. But there’s no need to go WAY overboard if everyone who works there is in T-shirts and jeans.

Wearing large pieces of jewelry is also not advisable because it also draws you unwanted attention.

You should keep your appearance smart but not too casual. Grocery store managers usually want to know that you’re the type of person they would be happy to have to represent them.

If you’re a guy, avoid wearing polo shirts and instead opt for button-down shirts. You don’t have to pair it with a tie. If you’re a girl, you can wear a skirt or pants and a blouse together with a sweater.

Avoid wearing open-toe shoes. In most cases, you won’t be able to wear open-toed shoes at a grocery store for safety reasons.

Remember to bring a notepad and some breath mints. Apply minimum makeup and wear a conservative hairstyle.

Make sure you have your resume together with a list of references, even if you’ve not been asked to. While your dress code is essential, you also have to impress with your behavior.

Even if this is a first job, a resume can still focus on skills rather than previous employment.

Keep a straight posture and pay attention to the interviewer. Lastly, make sure to look them in the eye and avoid fidgeting.

What kinds of questions do grocery store managers ask in an interview?

Here are the top questions you can expect to be asked by a grocery store manager in an interview:

  • What can you tell me about yourself?
  • Why do you want to work in a grocery store?
  • What weaknesses do you have?
  • Do you have any professional experience that makes you suitable for the job?
  • Tell me about a time when you intentionally didn’t follow the rules

But below, I’ll go into greater detail on each of those.

Although prior experience isn’t always necessary, you still have to prepare for some interview questions to impress.

A good grocery store manager or owner will ask questions designed to show them how your brain works and thinks. The questions are also designed to see how you respond under pressure and if you’re easily stumped.

Here are just a few example questions:

1. What can you tell me about yourself?

This question is common in other fields as well as is usually asked at the beginning.

You should open up and feel at ease when answering it. You may be tempted to talk out your life history but don’t. Tell the interviewer about your education and interests that are related to the job you want.

You should also talk about specific characteristics that give you the job-related skills.

It’s OK to talk a little bit about yourself personally just so they get a sense of who you are but avoid going in-depth about your gaming obsession or how many TikTok followers you have.

2. Why do you want to work in a grocery store?

Try to tell the store manager the skills you have that make you the perfect fit for the job.

They are just trying to find out if you deserve the job and why. You should, therefore, try to market yourself using the experiences you have even if it wasn’t in the same field but is applicable.

Ultimately you probably just want to earn a few bucks, and that’s OK.

But the answer to this question should be deeper. Maybe you love interacting and helping people. Perhaps you live food and want to work around food and people who are passionate about food.

Show the manager why you are excited about the job!

3. What weaknesses do you have?

The store manager may be looking for a reason why they shouldn’t hire you.

You can’t say you don’t have any weaknesses because everybody does. If you say that you’ll come out as dishonest and may lose the opportunity.

Talk about one or two of your weaknesses or a mistake you made in the past. Then talk about how you’re overcoming them or the steps you took to fix the situation.

4. Do you have any professional experience that makes you suitable for the job?

You may not have any professional experience as a teenager.

But you have other achievements you can talk about even if it’s in extracurricular activities. Grocery store jobs usually require a lot of energy. They also require you to be on your feet the whole shift. Working well with a large team of people is also critical for a successful grocery career.

So, being involved in physical extracurricular activities like team sports is a great thing to mention.

5. Tell me about a time when you intentionally didn’t follow the rules

Not everyone will ask a question like this. But some savvy managers with a lot of HR experience may.

Situational questions like this are designed to let them see how your mind works. Also, because this type of question isn’t your standard “why do you want to work here”-type question, most people won’t have a prepared answer.

Again, that will show the manager how your brain works and how you react under pressure.

In this specific instance, this question is telling us about your initiative and whether you’re a self-starter. Almost everyone has broken the rules sometimes. But only some of us did it for the right reasons.

Ultimately, the manager who asks this question wants to know if you have the strength to make a judgment call that you think is best for the store even if it’s something you’re not supposed to do.

Giving a refund without a receipt when you know it will build customer loyalty could be an example. But it doesn’t have to be a work-related example.

How old do you have to be to work at a grocery store?

Generally speaking, you need to be at least 16 to work in a grocery store.

While some stores may choose to only hire 18+, the following grocery chains do hire 16-year-olds as of this writing:

  • Albertson’s
  • BI-LO
  • Brookshire’s
  • Food Lion
  • Kroger
  • Lucky Supermarket
  • Pathmark
  • PriceRite
  • Publix
  • Raley’s
  • Ralph’s
  • Safeway
  • Trader Joe’s
  • Whole Foods Market

That being said, child labor laws do vary from state to state, so check out this comprehensive state-by-stage guide for more info on your state.

Those state laws will limit how many hours you can work if you are still in high school. The restrictions have different limits for weekdays compared to weekends. If the store you are applying at serves alcohol, there may be restrictions there too.

How much do you get paid to work at a grocery store?

When I was a store manager at Whole Foods in California around the year 2000, we started everyone at $10/hour. At the time, the minimum wage was only $5.75 but that just wasn’t realistic for California.

Honestly, $10 wasn’t realistic either, but it was almost twice what many employers were paying, so we got better employees.

Of course, what you or your child can expect to make will vary greatly by state as different state’s economies will create different average wages.

That being said, the nationwide average for an entry-level grocery store employee is currently $10.47/hour.

On the high end of the average scale, some employees start out at $15.66. Then on the low end, some only make $8.14. In most cases, expect to be somewhere right at the average unless you’re in California or New York City.

But no matter what the starting wage, work hard, show up on time, avoid excessive sick calls, and you’ll quickly rise to the top and be rewarded in raises for your hard work.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we took a look at the world of grocery stores and what it takes to get hired for your first job there.

We looked at job descriptions and positions. But we also explored how the interview process goes and even what to expect in pay.

Take any opportunity you’re given then grow from it.

You have to start at the bottom before climbing to a management position. But a career in the grocery industry can be a great thing and lead to cross country adventures. It can also lead to a 6 figure salary.

I know because I started for $4.25/hour at Whole Foods and ended up making over $100,000 across 4 different states in 10 stores.

Photo credits that require attribution:

Eggs. Plenty of them. by Alex Barth is licensed under CC2.0

How Much Does a Grocery Store Owner Make?

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I was a grocery store general manager for many years, but I always wondered if I went off on my own, how much does a grocery store owner make?

Grocery store owners make anywhere from $60,000 up to around $300,000 or more. Location, size of store & whether it’s a franchise affect the pay range the most. While grocery store owners on the top end, do earn more than a grocery store manager for a company, that is not the case on the low end of the range.

But there’s a lot more to get into about grocery store owners and their salaries.

So in this article, we’re diving deep into the world of grocery store owners. We’ll compare how much they make, on average, compared to grocery store managers working for a chain. We’ll even compare that against Walmart store managers.

Lastly, we’ll see how much you could earn as a grocery store owner compared to owning other types of retail stores. Let’s get going!

What is the typical grocery store owner’s salary?

A grocery store owner literally owns their business, or are at least franchising it from someone like Grocery Outlet.

So right out of the gate, we know there’s a lot more pressure on them than if they worked for someone like Safeway, Kroger, or Whole Foods Market, where I spent 2+ decades of my life.

So does all that extra responsibility add up to extra dollars? Let’s see!

On average, grocery store owners make around $62,419/year according to Indeed.com. But there’s a lot that factors into that, such as:

  • Location
  • Size of store
  • If it’s a franchise

Some grocery store owners, like a small specialty shop on the streets of NYC, for instance, might clear multiple 6 figures. By comparison, a Grocery Outlet store in a neighborhood that’s heavily reliant on food stamps might only earn $60,000/year.

Bear in mind too, it’s hard to get exact numbers from independent grocery stores that aren’t publically traded. There are no financial reporting requirements, nor are grocery store owner salaries listed on sites like GlassDoor.


A franchise like the one offered by Grocery Outlet Bargain Market or Save-a-Lot can be a great way to own your own business (sort of) and can pay really well too.

Pay is a range, of course, but some owners make around $70,000 on the low end up to the mid 6 figures.

It also gives owner-operators the freedom and flexibility to run their stores how they wish (sort of) and keeps a nice chunk of the profits while at the same time, also giving them a certain level of corporate security and systemization.

I have a recent article that breaks down the Grocery Outlet Franchise program and whether or not it’s worth it. I get into everything from earnings potential and how they split profits, including the 1 thing that would probably prevent me from doing it.

But they do have some owner-operators making $300k/year. So for many, it’s a great opportunity. Just click the link to read it on my site.

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How much do grocery store managers make a year?

I was a GM for Whole Foods Market for well over half of my 20+ year career. Whole Foods calls their GMs Store Team Leaders.

During that time, I ran 4 stores and was an Associate Store Team Leader (assistant GM) in 4 other stores.

On average, and bear in mind the last time I did this was in 2013, so it’s been a little while, I made in the low 6 figures. While I knew some store managers who made around $150,000 a year (salary plus bonuses), I never got that high.

Officially on their website today, Whole Foods lists the starting salary for their GMs as $99,000/year.

But while I’m sure things have changed since Amazon bought them, that’s most likely without bonuses. The bonus structure for Whole Foods Market store managers provided a quarterly bonus on top of their salary. The bonus was based on a somewhat complicated profitability calculation.

So while in a store that wasn’t doing well, that bonus could be nothing, I also knew store managers who bought brand new Jaguars with just 1 of them.

So for many, compared to the risk of being a grocery store owner, it makes sense to be a grocery store manager for a large company.

But outside of Whole Foods, here are how store manager salaries stack up in other grocery stores, according to GlassDoor.

Grocery Store Annual Salary Range
Kroger $67k to $70k/year
Piggly Wiggly $50k to $54k/year
Safeway $88k/year
Whole Foods $99k/year
Albertsons $95k/year
Wegmans $78k to $83k/year
Sprouts $82k/year
Publix $116k/year
Ralphs $98k/year
The Fresh Market $58k to $63k/year

The interesting takeaway here is how wide the range is for essentially the same job.

On the low end, we have Piggly Wiggly and then The Fresh Market, and on the high end, we have Publix. Of course, I can see why a Publix GM would make more than Piggly Wiggly. Publix stores are much larger, with more moving parts (like a pharmacy), and do a lot more sales volume.

By definition, larger sales volume means more employees and more customers, all of which take up the time of a GM.

I was a little surprised Wegmans was so relatively low given they are somewhat similar to Whole Foods, just exclusively on the east coast.

It was also interesting to see a difference between Safeway and Albertsons given they are the same company and their stores are similar.

How much does a Walmart store manager make?

While people love to make fun of Walmart (or at least their customers), Walmart store managers do quite well, on average.

Going back to GlassDoor for my research, Walmart GMs make between $100k/year up to $141k/year.

But there’s also no doubt that a Walmart GM probably deals with a lot more crazy stuff than I did with Whole Foods, not even counting the multiple instances of shootings that have happened there.

Obviously, if you’re running a large, newer Walmart in a large urban city, you’re going to make more than someone running an old 1980’s looking Walmart in rural West Texas.

But since the Walmart store manager gets a base salary on top of various bonuses. Let’s take a look at those:

  • Actual range of base pay – $32,903 – $194,446 (average $100,076)
  • Cash bonus – a range of $42k to $141k (average $71,943)
  • Stock bonus – a range of $1k to $16k (average $1,321)
  • Profit-Sharing – a range of $1k to $26k (average $3,531)
  • Commission-Sharing – a range of $1 to $204 (average $102)
  • Tips – An average of $204/year

Do grocery store owners make more than other retail business owners?

Yes, is the short answer. At least compared against retail store owner salaries on average.

The average retail store owner makes an average of $49,924/year according to Payscale. That’s based on a range of annual salaries that falls to $24,000 on the low end and $149,000 on the high end.

As I mentioned above in the Walmart example, the location of your store will make a huge difference in pay. It’s also very true that running a Wine shop in Manhattan is very different than running a convenience store outside of Memphis, so it is a little hard to compare apples to apples.

As a sole owner of a large retail store in a decent-sized city, there’s no corporation to back you up.

If your store isn’t profitable for 1 or more months, there aren’t dozens or hundreds of other stores making a profit to balance that out like there would be if you were simply a GM for a large company.

Done right though, your earning potential could be multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars per year; maybe as high as $300,000/year.

But many of these retail store owners will be franchise owners.

That not only means they don’t quite have the same freedom as a true independent store owner, but it also likely means they paid a lot of money upfront to join that franchise. After all, most franchise companies require an initial cash investment of anywhere from $10,000 to over $100,000.

On average, though, franchise owners can expect to make a cash investment of $20k-$35k.

If they then turn around, work like a dog only to earn $49k/year, that doesn’t exactly sound like paradise to me. Now it is true that if you are part of a franchise there is less risk and less start-up cash needed than if you truly opened your own business.

After all, a Subway franchise owner has the entire Subway marketing, distribution, and operations team behind them to help them succeed. A true independent owner has themselves and their employees.

Grocery store profit margins have a lot to do with how much the owner’s earning potential is.

I have an article that breaks down everything you need to know about grocery store profit margins, including how small changes could mean the difference between a 5 figure salary and a mid 6 figure salary.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we took an in-depth look into the world of grocery store owners and how much they make in a year.

We examined not only their salaries but how they stack up against other retail industries. And we compared those salaries against what grocery store managers who work for a chain store might earn.

Ultimately, we answered the question of how much does a grocery store owner make?

If you’ve ever wondered whether owning your very own grocery store is worth it, it can be! I have a recent article that breaks down just how profitable it can be to own your own grocery store. I even cover start-up costs and everything you need to know to get going.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Photo credits which require attribution:

Google Cheque epayservice.jpg by J.Archer is licensed under CC3.0

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”N6uQeidx” upload-date=”Mon May 04 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”How Much Does a Grocery Store Owner Make?” description=”I was a grocery store general manager for many years, but I always wondered if I went off on my own, how much does a grocery store owner make? Here’s what I discovered: Grocery store owners make anywhere from $60,000 up to around $300,000 or more. Location, size of store & whether it’s a franchise affect the pay range the most. While grocery store owners on the top end, do earn more than a grocery store manager for a company, that is not the case on the low end of the range. But there’s a lot more to get into about grocery store owners and their salaries. So in this article, we’re diving deep into the world of grocery store owners. We’ll compare how much they make, on average, compared to grocery store managers working for a chain. We’ll even compare that against Walmart store managers. Lastly, we’ll see how much you could earn as a grocery store owner compared to owning other types of retail stores. Let’s get going!”]