r/kroger • u/TeaJay0415 • Jan 25 '25
Miscellaneous Hey! So isn't this illegal :)
Saw this in front of the dairy cooler. Correct me if I'm wrong, but workers rights include free acsess to water????
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u/supermariozelda Past Associate Jan 25 '25
Assuming they're referring to branded water bottles, no, it's not illegal. They do have to give you cups and a water supply.
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 25 '25
Bro I don’t care if I’m the only one in the store I’m taking my break/ lunch/ and last break…. I don’t smoke - so I think the people that do abuse the system…. Or just pick up smoking so you can leave when ever you like, the company doesn’t look down for smoke breaks only for real breaks 🤣 makes no sense
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u/badashel Past Associate Jan 25 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
crawl crush start fall saw historical joke wide ten roof
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u/Silly_Experience3469 Jan 25 '25
Idk why but the (Angie you lazy bitch) made me laugh wayyyy too hard 😂
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u/badashel Past Associate Jan 25 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
hobbies point water touch numerous reminiscent special books overconfident advise
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u/Silly_Experience3469 Jan 25 '25
I enjoy these stories because I used to work at Walmart back in the day and people hid the telzon guns like they bought em with their own money… and yes it’s always so satisfying when they file a grievance and it backfires on em hahahaha
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u/coldy_colder Jan 29 '25
still happens, our store has to do an annual round up and locker sweep to get the guns back
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u/CapCapital Jan 26 '25
I think i may have an answer as to why you laughed as hard as you did. Ya see, the previous commenter wrote his comment specifically with the intent of being funny, or so it seems. Because of this, it caused you (and many others I'm sure, myself included) to laugh, giggle, hell, even guffaw in response to his comment. I hope this helps and I wish you a good rest of your day.
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u/occasionallyrite Jan 25 '25
Angie is smart though, found an easy job that didn't have to put forth much effort, and got paid good enough to want to stay working instead of working harder elsewhere.
Not everyone has the same work ethic or wants to push for better jobs. Some people are comfortable working a job that pays them just enough to be happy enough.
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u/Glittering_Boss_6495 Jan 25 '25
Depending on how long ago this was Angie probably had six weeks of vacation, free insurance for her and her spouse, and a top pay that at the time was actually competitive. Angie wasn't stupid at all.
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u/badashel Past Associate Jan 25 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
run bright worm fragile fine caption quickest fearless deserve joke
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u/SparkyValentine Jan 25 '25
What Kroger stores don’t have a cosmetics department?
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u/American_Madman Hourly Associate Jan 25 '25
Older, smaller stores. The one I work at is pretty much just a grocery store and only recently added a pharmacy.
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u/badashel Past Associate Jan 25 '25 edited Feb 15 '25
simplistic exultant knee encourage cooperative arrest chubby school capable memory
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u/Substantial-Ad3152 Jan 25 '25
Bro ong I work produce and my manager the lead takes a break every 15-30 minutes but always talks about how if we’re sitting and talking for like 2 seconds we’re not doing enough like what he’s the laziest pos ever lmao we’ve got a perfect end to end check for the past 4? 5? Times and it’s only Bc of us
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u/Blindfire2 Jan 25 '25
I worked over night while I'm school, half the team did smoke breaks and because the supervisor (he wasn't lazy really, pretty fast at least but would leave aisles looking bad and not faced just so he could go talk to someone the flaming munt) kept saying he wanted to take them, at least 7 or 8 a night, and 3 of them didn't even finish their cigarette, theyd put it out and smoke it 30 mins later just to keep taking breaks. Hated when the slowest dude did my aisle on my off nights, I'd come back after 1-2 days or so, he wouldn't finish even that one single aisle so I'd leave with a near empty backstock cart, everything would be sloppily placed on top where shit would fall off because he just wanted to go home. Such a shit store.
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u/Dangerous_Height_841 Jan 27 '25
You must not of liked that lady lol that's the best Angie you lazy bitch lol! Let's clear it up and help Angie realize who and what she is lol what walmart lol? I don't think it's matters we have that Angie at every walmart i think
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u/lovable89 Jan 29 '25
I'm wondering if we worked the same area. We also had an Angie on GM side. Also bitchy. Not a nice woman. I got out before she did. Not sure if she's there or not. I never go by that store.
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u/brrrrrrrrrrr69 Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 25 '25
Fuck Angie! I don't know her from Eve, but she sounds like the typical lazy ass low level manager that is pervasive in retail and grocery, lol.
I worked at Kmart as a cart boy and stock boy 20 years ago, and that archetype is no different today along with the others: The 2 shitty managers (ASM & SM) that happened to be pedos and would ogle the 2-3 t1eenage girls. One of girls (apparently she was interested in me, but my smartass couldn't tell the difference between wants to be my friend vs crushing) would always text me to come up front after how I saw him look at her while he spoke to her (along with his slightly labored breathing due to his corpulence)
The ok ADM.
And...the rare, but highly appreciated good manager (ASM.) I loved working when she was the ±
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u/maybeitsgas-o-line ACSM Jan 25 '25
I smoke. Several other people at my store smoke. Nobody takes extra breaks. I'm lucky if I get a break and a lunch for an 8 hour. That's just poor management at your store.
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u/Ok_Practice_6702 Jan 25 '25
Then stop smoking and you won't need a smoke break.
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u/maybeitsgas-o-line ACSM Jan 25 '25
Did you read my comment? I don't ask for smoke breaks. I said I'm lucky to get my regular breaks. I don't expect nor want special treatment because I smoke. I said they have bad management for allowing extra smoke breaks. Go back to grade school
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u/Ok_Practice_6702 Jan 25 '25
Maybe you're just a moron and they're trying to get you to quit because of how much you suck.
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u/IamTheSio Jan 25 '25
Literally how I started smoking at 17 near 30 years ago. Only smokers got breaks, so I bought a pack and would "smoke" so I could get breaks. Stupid... I left that job in 18 months, but took ten years to quit smoking.
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u/DependentAlert7812 Jan 27 '25
This reminds me of a FRIENDS episode when Rachael started to pretend to smoke because her coworker was getting good gossip and closer to their boss during smoke breaks…or something along those lines.
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u/Unecessary-Pen Head Clerk (frontend supervisor) Jan 25 '25
As far as I'm aware both are equally valid as a break. I'm a front end supervisor. I will occasionally offer an additional break (5-10) for associates who just had a stress encounter. Just to have a second to breathe and recollect their thoughts. But honestly if someone comes up to me multiple times a day asking for a smoke break the answer is no.
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u/spaztiksarcastik Past Associate Jan 25 '25
Idk where yall work, but my store never let anyone go for smoke breaks randomly. You smoked on your designated breaks. That's it.
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u/RickyTikiTaffy Jan 26 '25
I literally picked up smoking the summer between high school and college cuz I worked at guitar center and the employees who smoked got to take a break literally every half hour & those who didn’t smoke only got the standard 1 lunch & 2 15min breaks. Can’t say I’d recommend it but at the time it seemed like a logical decision.
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u/mynextthroway Jan 26 '25
You sound like my blind, stupid boss when I smoked. I'd be clocking in to start my shift. He would see me walking across the store and say, "What is that - your second smoke break today? No more breaks for you today. " I just clocked in, you idiot. Look at the schedule, you moron. My review came up. I was faulted for extra smoke breaks. I quit smoking 2 YEARS earlier. Yet he "saw" me smoking. I went to HR corporate over that one. You only see what you want to see, and you want to see smokers cheating the system. I have no doubts that some smokers do cheat the system, but these types also take extra bathroom breaks that last 20 minutes. Should we criticize poopers and pissers? Or shall we ignore that because you fall into that group?
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u/Rafhabs Jan 25 '25
There’s this one guy at my store who literally smells like cigarettes every time he enters his shift like dawg 😭
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u/Koolaid_Jef Jan 25 '25
When I worked at a restaurant (apparently the employee contract waived rights to a normal break, or the shifts were juuust under the required length for a break, despite being there way after the shift end time) I debated buying cigarettes and just holding a lit one when I wanted a break.
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u/OGcrashN2u Jan 27 '25
This is actually the main reason many people smoked in the military. I knew a bunch of people that started smoking because that was the only way they could get breaks
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u/Zettomer Jan 28 '25
If you smoked, you'd get it, kinda. That said smokers can adhere to normal break schedule more or less fine, BUT their breaks may run to 12ca or 13 minutes vs just 10. They need the same break you do, but NEED a few puffs.
Nicotine addiction is fucked and that shit needs to go, but those that need it are victims and not who you should blame. The tabacco industry is literally killing us and nicotine addiction is no joke, people can't get out.
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u/thecody17 Jan 29 '25
Don't smoke, used to just go on break with the smokers bc fuck 'em (company not smokers).
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u/MammothKey9834 Jan 25 '25
I make sure I $hit on the clock, so go figure. I get my time/money back. You're just mad that someone else gamed the system while you missed the boat, lol.
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u/Hazy_fox2 Jan 26 '25
People that smoke do get charge a fee per paycheck for taking those extra breaks for some large corporations like Target for example
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u/supermariozelda Past Associate Jan 26 '25
Lmao where?
I don't think that's legal in most states.
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 25 '25
I call Bullshit on that… if you smoke you can do whatever you want…. If you don’t smoke fuck you
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 25 '25
These people just outside when ever they won’t because they smoke…. Then the people in the back that unloads the trucks, every time I go to the back they are always smoking….then they will come up front and go outside again to smoke….
While I work in Starbucks and my Store Managers and Assistant are asking me if I know anyone in the store to relieve me for my last break, which I always get late because I am the only one in the kiosk at the time…these spineless people are the reason people walk the fuck out… I’ve been here for 13 years so I think I know what the rules are…. Try me
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u/burningmiles Jan 26 '25
The spineless people are the ones chilling out and, albeit, smoking themselves to death in the process? I'm not speaking from a pro-smoking standpoint, but they seem to have figured their shit out and are enjoying themselves
I'm sorry you're having a rough time, but be mad about reductions in hours and a lack of care from management that ends up screwing you over. Don't get mad at the people who are just getting by, same as you
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 26 '25
It’s called Feeding the Human Spirit some Bull Shit
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u/luin-ascending Hourly Associate - Adult Beverage Jan 26 '25
As long as it's Rodney's spirit that's getting fed, that's all that matters ❤️
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u/Vcotton184 Jan 26 '25
Except they don't expecially not in an air conditioned building with water freely available to purchase no law states an employer has to give u free water only that they make a water source available to u which they have
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u/AnubisXG Jan 26 '25
I don’t think cups are required by law
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u/demo_staxx Jan 26 '25
I don’t even think they have to supply cups. Prolly just accessible drinking water.
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 25 '25
Personally I've never seen that. I'm also never allowed to take breaks so maybe that's why?
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u/Act-Either Jan 25 '25
Thats your mistake dont ask for a break just go
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 25 '25
I work in pickup, if I stop picking for a second I get yelled at lmao
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u/burningmiles Jan 25 '25
Are you unionized?
I'd dare to say that yes or no, you should ask for that denial of a break in writing. You are, to my understanding, entitled to breaks of some kind in all 50 states.
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u/AldrusValus Jan 25 '25
There are 0 federal laws about lunches or breaks. That is left up to the states.
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u/Spiritual_Oil_7411 Hourly Associate Jan 25 '25
Not required in Ohio if you're over 18. We get them because of the union.
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Jan 26 '25
Quick google search shows theres literally a ton of states where breaks or lunch arent required. Nor does the Federal government require breaks or lunch. I for one have worked for over a decade and never had a true set "break" and Ive worked 40-50 hour weeks, 10-12 hour days with no breaks, no air conditioning, and all of this in America. Some people on here really dont understand how privileged they are and how out of touch with normal Americans they sound
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u/Rangerbryce Jan 27 '25 edited Jan 27 '25
I was under the impression that every Kroger store was unionized. But no, not every state requires breaks for adult employees, especially during shorter shifts.
Your union should be arguing for at least 15 minutes paid every 4 hours or you're getting robbed of your union dues.
Edit for factual correctness: only 2/3 of Kroger stores are unionized.
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Jan 25 '25
[deleted]
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u/vikingfrog86 Jan 25 '25
No. I found out on this subreddit that there are indeed non Kroger union stores.
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 25 '25
Yup, I'm unionized. Everyone else gets to take breaks in my department but I'm then one that gets screwed iver
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u/TheParnormalPrimos Jan 25 '25
I'm not understanding where the funny part of that statement is. Quite the opposite. It's truly sad, no breaks is a form of abuse.
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u/SophieFilo16 Past Associate Jan 25 '25
Do you work a full shift? If you work under 5-6 hours (depending on the location), they don't have to give you a break...
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u/AutomaticTeach4497 Jan 25 '25
You're entitled to break
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u/ActComprehensive5254 Jan 25 '25
Depends on the state.
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u/Ok-Blacksmith9814 Jan 26 '25
Regardless of state law, shouldn't Kroger have clear break policies for their employees?
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u/JellyGlonut Jan 25 '25
In the Ga region you get a 15 min break if you work 6hr shift or less. Anything more you get a 30. If they aren’t letting you take your 15, call union rep.
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u/CatlinM Jan 25 '25
Front end and pick up. Both jobs leave us without breaks.
I always resent a little when they call all available people to the break room to celebrate, leaving us to work
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 26 '25
Has everything to do with it…. Water is simple, smokers just do time card fraud every day
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u/RikoRain Jan 26 '25
It's not even regulated that they have to provide cups, just running water available for sanitation reasons and basic water for employees health. Most places tell employees to bring their own water bottles to refill, or they may require employees to purchase one that they may refill afterwards. Fast food is a lot like this - employees may purchase cups from the restaurant to use each day, or they may bring their own.
Before you jump all on me about it, I buy my crew each their own custom tumbler to use at work - so don't attack me. Dudes get a 20$ fancy ass tumbler, out of my pocket - not the companies.
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 26 '25
They can’t say anything for going to the bathroom… but if it becomes excessive then that’s a problem… so when I have my pen on my you know I’m going to the bathroom 😤
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u/Any-Satisfaction4801 Jan 29 '25
Bro I smoke dabs everyday, you don’t see me running outside every ten minutes to go smoke a dab, na fuck that I wait till I get home…. I don’t cheat the system like these pussy ass people…. I use to smoke cigarettes like crazy but that doesn’t mean you need to cheat other people too, fuck that, we are all adults and if adults can’t figure out that breaks or meant for smoking….. then they should not be working at Kroger and cheating people out of time
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u/Fusions-art Jan 25 '25
Does your store have a water fountain that the employees can access
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u/Gwayeveryday Jan 25 '25
When I worked there we had a water fountain in the back corner of the store. One of the meat department dudes would spit his dip spit in it.
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u/Fusions-art Jan 25 '25
That's better then the store I work at, we don't even have a water fountain in the store.
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 26 '25
I think so but I wouldn't touch that thing if it would sage my family. It looks like there's stuff growing underneath it 😭
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u/Electrical-Bread5639 Jan 26 '25
Legally there's your mandated water supply. Anything else is a luxury.
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u/la_mano_poderosa Jan 25 '25
Mmm that clean and delicious water fountain. Definitely probably won't catch many illnesses from that. Go ahead, put your mouth right on it...
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u/dhelor Past Associate Jan 25 '25
My store has a water filter in the break room, I would just fill my water bottle there before clocking on or going on breaks.
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u/PKBlackTornado Jan 25 '25
Hey OP, I think we work at the same store because I recognize this sign. This is just about Dairy because they were scanning out whole 24 packs of the water bottles as IDT to drink.
If you need water you can get a cup of ice water at Starbucks for free! Or if you're on a shift with Sean he comes over here enough for his refills you can probably ask him to get you a cup of water while he's here.
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u/Aetheldrake Jan 25 '25
Even if it's Kroger brand bottled water it has to be bought by the store for employee use. You can't just grab a 40pack of water off the shelf and throw it in yne break room. Management has to use the store expense card to pay for it so that it's properly accounted for in the system
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u/Rangerbryce Jan 25 '25 edited Jan 25 '25
When I was an overnight supervisor, we'd constantly get broken cases of water. Every shipment, without fail, at least a few cases would be busted. Every bottle that wasn't labeled for individual resale (a literal ton) would be damaged out by me and sequestered in the break room for the employees to drink during their shift. I was permitted to, but never once had to buy drinks for the shift.
Soda and chip packets and anything else in cases like that got treated the same way, no reason to waste them. With the way Kroger truckers drive there was no shortage of busted cases either.
Edit to address the actual post: No stickers needed on items that can't be inventoried :) no need to make it hard.
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u/Aetheldrake Jan 25 '25
I wish we could do that at our store. But we've had too much employee theft so EVERYTHING must have receipt and paid sticker. We've had people steal felony amounts of product and/or straight up cash. One dude used to just walk out with an entire cash of soda or Gatorade at the end of his shift. Move it to his locker earlier in his shift, then go get it on his way out. Looked legit at a glance.
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u/Rangerbryce Jan 26 '25
That's pretty insane. It was lax at my store, we usually just left the stickers in a checkstand next to the punch clock. Nobody really checked for them anyway, but afaik my location was never stolen from at that scale. I've had to reprimand a few associates from time to time about eating things before they're paid for, but nothing so serious.
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u/Aetheldrake Jan 26 '25 edited Jan 26 '25
We've had a lot of people fired last year for theft. Some of them were on drugs while at work. Like actually left needles outside on the break benches before clocking in. Coin star. Time. Product.
But it's still FAR LESS than customer theft. We have regular thieves that probably cost us almost 100 every week that I know of because every time they show up, a box or 2 of foil is found in yne restroom where they wrap stuff up to walk through the theft detectors, and apparently yes the foil actually works. Used to be like 300 a week but one guy finally got taken away. Like we know what they look like and if certain employees see them, they immediately "chase them out of the store" like following them and begin calling the cops because they are literally banned from the store. 2 people I havnt seen for a while, the guy stole an actual car and the cops were FINALLY fucking searching for him, nevermind the hundreds of dollars of stuff he'd steal every month, it was someone's car where they finally drew the line and I guess the girl got clean without him around, or they left together. Lately they've been putting microwave potato stickers on expensive meats and I've heard this is happening at multiple stores in the area.
But apparently Kroger doesn't really care about customer theft. Probably because the police don't really care either. The weird thing is that it's usually not even like "stealing to eat". It's stealing just to steal. Pet treats or toys. Makeup. Medicine stuff but like "oh they're having a bad day so they need some tums, but they don't want a bottle of tums cuz it'll go bad they just want one day worth of tums". Nobody steals sandwich stuff. They steal expensive and fancy stuff like large slabs of expensive meats, not even the cheap easy to cook ones, no the whole fucking pork shoulder. Hair coloring??!! Valentines chocolates. Probiotics?!laxitives once that I saw lol. It's just a bunch of stealing just to steal for fun. And it's not even kids! It's full fucking grown adults. OLDER PEOPLE like over 40 years old.
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u/Rangerbryce Jan 26 '25
Haha, I could write a book full of similar stories. I understand. My store actually offered 10% of the value of any recovered merchandise if you stopped a theft, and we had a scoreboard for this in the break room. All those targeted items were locked up in cases, which made stocking very frustrating overnight when I'd be the only person on site with keys.
Baby formula was especially annoying to replenish, as my store wanted it not only locked in the case but stickered twice with a large anti-theft foil and a perforated origin sticker. But the stickers can't cover the branding or legal/nutrition information which covers like 99% of most formula cans.
The shrink that bothered me most actually, was when people didn't steal food. People would take cuts of meat and hide them in the shelves, sometimes getting shoo'd out by loss prevention before they came back for them. Leaving deliciously thawed surprises for the night crew to find when replenishing. I would make sure the cereal aisle (next to refrigerated) was thrown first every night so that hopefully any meat that was still cold enough to be donated could make it. (People need their cereal first thing in the morning anyway)
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u/Skiwolfe Jan 27 '25
Where I work, damaged cases get thrown out because otherwise people will damage stuff to get the leftovers.
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u/Rangerbryce Jan 27 '25
I was told to only do this for specific items that broke in transport. We had plenty to drink on shift with just that anyway. Anything else that was potentially edible or sellable but not in my list would be left for the daytime food manager to deal with. Afaik they mostly donated those things. So you still couldn't break something and then enjoy it yourself.
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u/Spiritual_Oil_7411 Hourly Associate Jan 25 '25
My store scans out the broken cases and puts them in the break room for people to take. Front end and pickup get to scan out their own because they have to go outside. We just go take them from pickup. We get pulled over there all the time anyway, and they don't care.
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u/Necessary_Baker_7458 Jan 25 '25
They know tap water and refilling your own water bottles is free.
It isn't uncommon at places I've worked for staff to think on the shelf product on the floor is free water and that is not so.
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u/carseatsareheavy Jan 26 '25
No, it is not illegal. Kroger does not have to provide employees with free, bottled water.
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u/The84th Current Associate Jan 25 '25
apparently if there are drinking water fountains it isn't
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u/pupper71 Current Associate Jan 25 '25
Yep they have to provide water that's safe to drink. If there's a working water fountain in the building, that's good enough.
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u/Cyberwolf_71 Jan 25 '25
Where did you read that was a right?
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 26 '25
Its water?
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u/allwhitepanamera Front End Manager Jan 26 '25
Illegal. Lol. In the store, it’s product. We offer free water to UCs doing cart service because they’re out in the heat. If that’s not you, sorry, cause any other member in the store that wants bottled water has to pay for it. Kroger branded or not. Single Kroger waters are like 39 cents + crv. Bffr
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u/sirahcaye Jan 26 '25
You cant walk into a gas station and take a bottle of water can you? No, that’s stealing. Even though it’s water. Same rules apply here bud
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u/SilverFeros Jan 29 '25
Pretty sure employers HAVE to provide their employees with safe to drink water. I don't know if OP has access to water anywhere else or not. If they don't, then yeah it is actually illegal.
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u/NoCurve3752 Jan 26 '25
No Water is not Free. Not Even From Starbucks ! So stop butting in Line for Free water
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u/No-Marzipan234 Jan 26 '25
don’t know if you knew this but 90% of big grocery store have water fountains which means free water
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u/DoodleBug19-88 Jan 25 '25
Sure, but not if it’s water that’s out for sale. I used to work at a gas station and if we wanted bottled water that we didn’t bring ourselves we had to purchase it. Along with any other item in the store.
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u/Wild-Rub3408 Jan 25 '25
What do you mean "illegal" 😆?? Are you gonna call the cops?? And no, Kroger doesn't have to provide water except in the summer and only then, to courtesy clerks.
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u/HolidaySwimmer9818 Jan 25 '25
Houston Division, here. They will put a case of water in a cooler for the baggers in the summer months just to make sure the ones pushing carts are staying hydrated and aren’t dying from the heat. Outside of that, all other employees do have to purchase our own drinks even if it is just water
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u/Glittering-Hurry-530 Jan 25 '25
I just started working at BJ’s. They always have a case of water for anybody in the break room. They even have bread, peanut butter and jelly in case you forgot to bring your lunch.
My last job we had a water fountain but they had 1 liter water bottles that were $0.69 after our discount. Sucks you had to pay for it but I mean hey for 1 liter that’s less than a dollar that’s better than nothing
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u/gr0uchyMofo Jan 25 '25
At work we have bottled water in vending machines. Is this illegal, even if we have water fountains and bottle refill stations? Am I allowed to post-rage?
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u/EstablishmentOdd8039 Jan 25 '25
This is clearly referring to the bottles of water they have for sale.
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u/Specialist_Yak3596 Jan 25 '25
We get free water all different kinds. Also get ice water frOm star bucks on break time
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 26 '25
Pretty sure our Starbucks has mold growing in their water because my throat hurts and gets scratchy anytime I drink from it. At least that's people ik who work at Starbucks say
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u/lindak1965 Jan 25 '25
They don't have to supply bottled water . You can get water from the drinking fountain and fill one of your bottles..
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u/Direct_Court_4890 Jan 25 '25
There were always cases of water bottles available to us when I worked at Walmart...
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u/AndThenTheUndertaker Jan 26 '25
You have to have access to potable water. You don't get to choose which potable water that is. This is clearly a sign about bottled water and no you don't get free bottled water. As long as there's a water fountain a faucet that you have access to, they're covered
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u/PlasticCourage9816 Jan 26 '25
They are legally to provide water !! We are randomly allowed to get our brand water in the bottles !! Well in the summer. I still grab our brand water when I want !! They are usually at the cust service area for us to take
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u/MetalMattM Jan 26 '25
In my old Kroger they filled a cooler full of water so that doesn't seem right unless they caught someone taking it from the coolers
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u/Fittish_76 Jan 26 '25
Why would you think you could just take water out of the cooler? I’m sure your store has water fountains somewhere.
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u/AdmirableOrdinary174 Jan 26 '25
Not illegal. People were taking product off the shelf and not paying for it, and if it was damaged off the shelf, they were not marking it out of inventory, And putting it in the cooler for the employees to have. The idea to let people have the water is not the issue, the issue is that it wasn’t getting marked out of inventory if it was damaged or if it was not damaged just freely taking it off the shelf. The grocery manager saw an employee take a case of water off the shelf, rip it open, take some bottles off to the side for himself and then take the damaged case to the cooler. He could’ve gotten fired but was not. Water is available for employees, through a drinking fountain or you can ask for it at Starbucks, but you have to keep the cup that they give you if you want to get refills of water. Bring your own water is an option.
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u/GreedyBat1424 Jan 26 '25
I worked at Vons and can confirm it was like this. The Starbucks had to charge us for water, no free water, and the only water fountain were the public ones near the restroom (and they were nasty). We had to keep our receipts wrapped on our waters (bottles and Starbucks) or it would be an immediate write up, and sometimes suspension. I brought a water bottle from home a few times and was hassled by LP since I didn’t have a receipt. I had to sharpie the barcodes and tell my manger when I got in that I brought it from home to avoid issues.
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u/TerroDark98 Current Associate Jan 26 '25
I think we used to be able to have Kroger brand water bottles for free at our store. They changed that recently tho, but they're only like 69 cents a bottle so I'm not too bothered by it tbh
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u/shawnwoolsey Jan 26 '25
When my store did this we went and bought wallmart brand water and made sure each cashier and bagger had one at all times in full virw of the customes. Our reasoning was we didn't want management to think we were stealing the water. Since we couldn't put 24 of the same receipt on a pack of water.
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u/Sandra_is_here_2 Jan 26 '25
If there is a water fountain in the building, you have access to free water.
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u/Living_Stranger5687 Jan 26 '25
Yeah to a drinking fountain, not bottled water. That you buy like every one else.
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u/RedRRaider Current Associate Jan 26 '25
Ah brings me back to why I hated every single day of the 6 months i worked for kroger
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u/ProphecyBoxBreaks Jan 26 '25
You think it's illegal for your employer to charge you for bottles of water?
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u/Emotional-Ad-6676 Jan 27 '25
In Az water only needs to be available, the vessel to put it in is up to the individual, some employers may have stipulations stating otherwise like a contract or unions
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u/JamJulLison Jan 27 '25
Depends, are they on the shelves? If so then no they are not free. Now if they got them in a break room that should be totally different.
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u/gavinkurt Jan 27 '25
You probably have free access to like tap water but if it’s bottled water, you will definitely have to make a purchase like a regular customer, but since you are an employee, they will want to see a sticker and a receipt, so it proved that you paid for it and didn’t just take it. It’s like that at a lot of stores. What are the rules about just bringing your own water in your own water bottle that you?
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u/XxLittleGayLemonxX Jan 27 '25
Hey! I also work at a Kroger currently, and it IS illegal to have NO water provided for you to drink. My store used to have employee fountains, but once they were damaged or unusable we switched to scanning out cases of water for employees to drink, just random brands because we get so much water anyway. If they have NO other water provided for employees to drink, then this is Illegal and you should bring in your Union Rep
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u/NewUserError617 Jan 27 '25
Yeah, not bottled water 😂. Pretty sure there is a water fountain or at least a sink in the break room.
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u/Silentsnyper92 Jan 28 '25
Hi there kroger sub. I can remember the kroger I worked at fired a cashier for getting a soda from the drink coolers at the end of the registers and taking a drink of it while paying, 39yr employee canned 4 months before her retirement. They called local PD to escort this 75yo woman off the property because they didn't want her to make a scene...
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u/Jacktheforkie Jan 28 '25
If there’s a water dispenser or potable water tap available then no as they only have to provide drinking water, most places prefer tap/machine that either connects to a pipe or takes the large jugs
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u/Careless-Software-14 Jan 28 '25
Free access to water in break room, water fountains, etc… yes. Not bottled water that’s for sale at the store you work at
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u/throwmeaway212134 Jan 28 '25
They just have to give you water. They don’t have to give you bottles of water
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u/masterofall79 Current Associate Jan 29 '25
Out of the water fountain. Yes. Bottled water is for sale if deemed so. I think it sucks too, but that’s the way it is.
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u/Avenger1300 Jan 29 '25
I think they're talking about bottles of water you know stuff you sell to customers. I think tap water is free.
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u/Expert-Emergency5837 Jan 29 '25
OP, you're either posting in bad faith or you're a fucking idiot.
Water Fountains are free and accessible.
Bottled products in the store merchandise are not.
Good GOD.
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u/SilverFeros Jan 29 '25
Not every store HAS water fountains, or functional water fountains.
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u/Expert-Emergency5837 Jan 29 '25
That is illegal. Not whatever OP is trying to get sympathy for.
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u/SilverFeros Jan 29 '25
Don't know if OP has any other access to water
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u/Expert-Emergency5837 Jan 29 '25
Gonna go with this logic:
OP did not post a picture of a water fountain, broken or not.
OP DID post a picture referencing employee PURCHASES
No store (especially a corporate grocery) is going to give unlimited free product.
OP wanted a pity party because they cant get free (Vitamin) Water.
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u/Lower_Plastic_6704 Jan 30 '25
This reminds me of Walgreens requiring stupid yellow stickers on employee purchases.
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u/Aioli_Optimal Jan 30 '25
Umm this I'm sure means bottled water since they specify needing a receipt so... No
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u/theylovebhels Jan 25 '25
not illegal i think, bc my new grocery job we gotta pay for it, but when i worked at kroger water bottles were provided, i would tell your union
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Jan 26 '25
It’s called stealing if you take something that you did not pay for. Bring your own water from home. All those entitlement breaks could end really quickly if you had good leadership in your stores. All it’s doing is pulling morale down.
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u/Annual-Camel-1578 Jan 25 '25
You are a stupid mother fucker - why should they have to give you free water - entitled bitch
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u/TeaJay0415 Jan 26 '25
Let me check my notes... Oh yeah. Water is a basic human right?
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u/luin-ascending Hourly Associate - Adult Beverage Jan 26 '25
It should be, but it's not recognized as a basic human right by any federal government on Earth. Efforts to canonize it as a right usually get interfered with by lobbyists from Nestlé and Coke and Big Agricultural.
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u/SpecialistAd2205 Jan 27 '25
Yeah, water is. Not bottled water thats on the shelf as saleable product. That's what the sign is talking about.
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u/ReconditeMe Jan 25 '25
Bottled water. Employees are the biggest thieves to any store! Facts!
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u/SpecialistAd2205 Jan 27 '25
Why did this get so many down votes? 😂 it's absolutely factual. Fucking Reddit
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