u/lilmac2434

My store is currently making Payroll to Sales (PTS) by $45,000. Sounds great, right? Here’s the problem.
My department is missing PTS by $7,000, while the front end (support department btw) is making it by $66,000. Meanwhile, my GM is happy because the store is making PTS, but I’m getting screwed out of every PTS bonus this year.
How does it make sense that the store can be $45K under payroll overall, but individual department managers get penalized because their departments aren’t meeting their own numbers?
I’m not saying managers shouldn’t be held accountable for their departments, but the current system seems completely backwards. One department can carry the entire store’s PTS numbers while the rest of us get absolutely nothing.
If the store is making PTS, shouldn’t all department managers benefit from that success? Why should one department’s numbers determine whether another manager gets a bonus when the store as a whole is meeting its goal?
PTS should be universal across all departments. If the store is making its PTS goal, all department managers should qualify for their bonus. Otherwise, what’s the incentive to work together as a team when the reward system only benefits certain departments?
Am I the only one who thinks this system is completely broken?

Side note: the Front End is not struggling, they do not put away the returns and they have 2-3 closing cashiers every night. I’m in Building Materials with 3-4 team members on the clock everyday. I cannot operate on anything less, I honestly feel like I need 4-5 people a day. My department does $45-$65k a day. The GM says he cannot move the payroll numbers even though he admits he messed up the numbers this year… Don’t worry I’ll take the infraction on my bonus for your mess up while you get rewarded for my hard work.

Was just transferred a TM because the GMs are scared of confrontation at our store and there’s no accountability. I was pulled into the conference room and told i need to write up and document this TM so they can get rid of them. I asked why not do it themselves, they said this person has accused them of retaliation. This TM just came back from a LOA but the GMs let him come back with a lifting restriction of 5lbs.. WTF..? The GM documented the TM but needs me to present the write up to them so they can “build a case” and get rid of them. Why am i expected to hold this “problematic TM” accountable? Does this justify me calling the 1-800? I don’t feel like my GM is doing their job but i don’t want the target moved to my head.

I was ticketed for failing to yield backing out of my driveway. I live in a residential area where the speed limit is 25 but you can clearly tell the other driver was speeding based off the footage. We did calculations on how fast they were going based off the footage and its anywhere from 30-35mph. The driver didn’t touch their brakes, and was driving down the center of the road when they hit me. I also believe the other driver was distracted due to there being no reaction when they hit me. They climbed out of their vehicle already on the phone talking to a family member. Their whole family was at the crash scene within 3-5 mins, some of them beat the police to the scene. They were all really aggressive toward me and i didn’t feel comfortable arguing or approaching the other driver for information. I feel i got the short end of the stick trying to talk to the police about the situation because they were all being so dramatic.

I live in Michigan, it’s no fault here but i don’t want the points on my record. Most people are telling me I should fight the ticket in court but another told me it doesn’t matter, my insurance will raise my rate anyway.

Is it pointless to see a judge in this case? Any advice on how I should approach the judge about the collision? Should my main focus be on the speed since this is the only thing i can prove? Under Michigan law: there is an explicit rule that a driver traveling at an unlawful speed forfeits the right-of-way they would otherwise have. How fast is “unlawful” in the courts eyes?

If Menards had a union in place today, what do you think would be fair, realistic demands to improve working conditions? Like stuff that would actually make day to day work better and feel worth it.

Pay, scheduling, benefits, management structure, safety, staffing levels… whatever comes to mind.

Interested in honest perspectives from people who’ve been in it. What would you fight for?