Trader Joe's reviews

FAVORITISM!!! If you haven’t been working here that long and someone else pretty much dedicated their career to be a long lasting Trader Joe’s employee then you’re SOL. Managers will speak down to you as if you are a nobody. They expect you to bow down whenever they “have a talk” with you. I hated the captain here. He was such a hypocrite and sexist. That’s probably why he got transferred within a 6 months period of being here. It’s so hard to get into this company. You need to know so many connections just to get a call for an interview. A 15 minute break doesn’t exist at the Encino Trader Joe’s. If you clock in too early for your break; you get a write up but it’s ok if you arrive late to work several times if you’re favorited by a certain manager. Trust, this place is a circus. On top of that, the customers are completely rude. This is ENCINO, all of the rich and famous come to this store. So not only are you being treated like you’re worthless but the CUSTOMERS demand you to wait on them hand and foot and if you don’t, guess who they go run and tell? The managers. So you don’t benefit in any situation here. This place will break you mentally. No matter how strong you may think you are. Not only that but they hire kids legit teenagers that are still in high school who can’t work that many hours, that can’t be cashiers, that’s can’t stock, etc because they are limited from school and/or their parents to do minimal work so that puts more hours with others who already work full time and have a family or go to school. Nobody has time to do anything because they play with your hours.

This company continually cuts benefits to crew and especially managers. I was hired in as a manager 5 years ago. They advertised a very clear management structure and a path to advancement. Then shortly after I was hired, wiped it away. The managers are now eligible for smaller raises than the crew are. They restructure every year or to and it keeps getting worse. This last restructure involved the mid level managers losing their overtime. We all have families and mortgages and this was a huge pay cut. Losing our OT also affects out year end 401k contribution as it is based on hours worked. and speaking of, the company slashed the 401k contribution a few years ago. They also used Obamacare as an excuse to cut insurance for many crew. I have seen crew members have to go without health care because the store didn't schedule them enough hours to qualify.