Great benefits, bad pay and iffy management. - Produce Lead Trader Joe's Employee Review

2.0
May 23, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Health insurance and 401k match are great. Many of my co-pays were $10 and insurance was accepted widely. Definitely the best benefits package in the grocery game. I believe the minimum hours worked to qualify for bennies are 30-ish hours a week.

Cons

No sick days and very little holidays provided. You accrue time off and will have to use that if you are sick and it accrues quite slowly. Pay per hour is pretty bad even though it's above industry average -- still puts you right at poverty line. You get a "raise" once or twice a year and it is normally just 50-75c and the company acts like they are saints for it. However, the management at my store looked for any excuse to not give it to you. They also looked for any excuse to fire employees that were connected to forming a union. Bad look. Also, I led the produce team and wrote the orders for inventory and got zero pay bump for it. You do not get financially rewarded if you lead teams but they will make you feel bad if you don't agree to...almost like they want you to do more work than you're paid for...hmmm.

Explore other reviews about Trader Joe's

5.0
Jul 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible schedule Salary raises Discount

Cons

Work weekends Crowded Heavy lifting

4.0
May 27, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

-Great way to meet people, socialize, and learn customer service -Always tasked with different things every hour -Friendly crew who will always help you to learn and get better at your job -Get a slight pay raise every 6 months -No outside commitments and amazing benefits if you work full time (about 28 hours a week for every 6 months) -Will take time, but find your friend group, stay with them and have fun, you can't please everybody -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

Cons

-Not many, unless you are stuck in a bad store with bad management -I had some good luck of working in 3 great stores, so YMMV -Sometimes can get cliquey like you are back in high school -Getting promoted up to store management may involve buttering up and being a "yes-person" -Care for your body, do not overdo it with physical labor, its a retail job and you only have one fragile body for yourself, get help or insist about your pains

See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All