FULL MEDICAL & EMPLOYEE BENEFITS FOR PART-TIME WORK with FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES!
Pros
Flexibility! Ability to do many different jobs. Ability to work as little or as much as you want. FULL BENEFITS, (not pro-rated) for part-time work of 20 hours a week! Including dental, all kinds of Safeway Employee discounts from $5 Zoo tickets to Dell Computer discounts and all types of travel deals from near and far. New car buying discounts, Hotel & getaway discounts. Health & Wellness discounts at YMCA, various fitness memberships, Broadway tickets, you name it. 40% discount on carpets, 50% off furniture, deals on Mortgages!! Even deals on apartment rentals through Preferred Employee Program includes 1,100 apartment locations. Even RV rentals! BUT THE BEST BENEFIT TO ME IS AS A MOM TO A YOUNG KID IS I AM GIVEN ALL THE FLEXIBILITY I HAVE ASKED FOR, PERIOD. AND I ONLY WANT TO WORK 20ish HOURS A WEEK AND I GET THAT, WITH FULL MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR $5 A WEEK!! WOW. In almost 6 months I have asked for and been allowed to try out 4 different positions. They know that the money is not great in the beginning and they really try to be accomodating. They want to keep you. If you can hold on, it does get pretty decent for retail. The people I work with, especially the managers are really decent cool humans. I don't always get what I want but I feel happy with what I have asked for and when I haven't "got my way" I was totally able to understand and even agree with the decision. Can't blame a person for trying?! I really like that they hire and support handicapped individuals. Everyone on the floor will generally help direct anyone who needs a little guidance. Honestly, I have always found that people I work with are really nice and quite helpful and patient. I work with some pretty neat people.
Cons
THE MONEY. In the beginning you make $8.35 an hour. It doesn't matter if you worked as a Human Resources secretary for 20 years, if you start out in cashier, Starbucks, Video/Customer Service; that is the starting wage. BUT I did notice that a person hired with me started at $9.50 so maybe you can do better for yourself and I was a sap? I don't know. Where ever you start from $8.35/hr. to $9.50 an hour, you will still be following along on the contract hours for your future raises and on the road to "Journeyman" level. It takes 1040 hours for each step. As a part timer I am looking at 6 to 8 years to get to the top of the wage scale. If you work more hours, you will do it faster. It took my co-worker about 4.5 years to get to $13.70/hr. ALSO, some consistency with schedules. I go from early to the closing shift. I like the variation but it would be so nice to know somewhat how I will be scheduled. Like keep it the same (as much as possible) each week. It can be a challenge with childcare when it constantly changes. I have to be really creative with childcare already due to the low wages, so I really would benefit from having the knowledge of my shifts in the future.
