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AutoZone review: abusive company policies 22

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12:39 pm EST
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I had the unfortunate experience of being an Autozone employee for 18 months. Everything I was told when hired was basically a lie, for example I was told that I would get a review after 90 days and one at one year. This was confirmed by the district manager who was sitting in on my interview. After 90 days I wondered where my review was, and finally asked my asst. manager to call the district mgr. as to when I would have this 90 day review. The dm's exact words to my asst. mgr. was "What! Is he (expletive) dreaming?" After 1 year with the company, I still had not received a review. When I inquired about this one, I was told that Autozone only does one review a year company wide, and this occurs at the end of the fiscal year. Since I was hired in June, this meant that since the fiscal year ended at the end of September, my one year review was actually a 15 month review. Or so I thought. When October started, a asked again about my review. I was now told that they were in the process of being done at that time. Midway thru October I was told they were done, but we couldn't see them yet. After pestering management daily, on Oct. 31 I said can we finally see our reviews. I'm afraid not, said my manager, we have already sent them to corporate. Now, I am no neophyte to business practices, and I could almost swear that reviews normally are used as a tool to inform an employee of his strong and weak points, and are used to determine the amount of raise given. And the employee must sign them, with a copy going into his record. Not at Autozone. We were just told that we got the maximum raise allowed, and that was that. The raise was to be 3% (after almost 16 months). When I saw my check, however, the raise computed to 2 1/2%, which was a phenomenal 27 cents an hour more. Since I seemed to be a permanent parttime employee (with 25 years selling auto parts experience) this amounted to about $2.50 a week. The scariest part about Autozone is they do not care about experience, just if you will do what they tell you, with no regard for any input from you as to how the customers feel. My sentence at Autozone ended shortly after this took place, since there is no sick day policy at the company. Absences and tardiness is not tolerated. So when that one employee comes in with a disease that is highly contagious, everyone gets to share the experience. Even with a doctors note (which they ask for) you still get your penalty points, and like me, when you accumulate enough you are terminated immediately. Well, they let me come into work, a 24 mile round trip to fire me. I felt so special.

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22 comments
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david triplett165
, US
Jul 25, 2018 5:56 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

terrible service in Hillview Louisville ky 40229 mayflower rd. [protected] . very disrespectful.

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david triplett165
, US
Jul 25, 2018 5:53 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

all my years of loyalty with business at this store was totally disrespected and management could care less what I said.

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Unheard hired help
, US
Apr 11, 2018 11:34 pm EDT

Good luck with that lawsuit ...lol...there's not a lawyer or team of lawyers that would take this on. Simply because there is no case, AutoZone has issued their policies, rules and procedures in such a way that all of these issues that you and I see as unjust or unfair treatment are justified common practices set forth to, for lack of a better term"cover their [censor]." Not to mention the judicial power House of lawyers and lobbyist sitting on or in line for their board of directors. I get as frustrated if not more than the next full time PSM with feeling underpaid, unappreciated and most of all unheard. I have so many great ideas and suggestions that would make more money for the brand as well as make employees feel the only thing that brings them to work each day, APPRECIATED! My ideas have literally been laughable to higher ups and that's discouraging to me, still I'm not done fighting that fight.

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disabled&mistreated
, US
Jan 22, 2020 6:10 pm EST

EEOC will help with a lawsuit. google-eeoc vs autozone, read thru all ur results. one of those cases could help

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zilkster101
, US
Feb 01, 2017 12:50 pm EST

Autozone seems to have an extensive history of abusing their employees. I say we get together gather our statements and file for a class action lawsuit against these crooks. when I called to ask for human resource number in order to begin my personal suit I was told by corporate they cannot give that information and was hung up on.

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B1tch1976!!
, US
May 07, 2017 7:35 am EDT

Where did you work

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Asleep@thewheel
, US
Oct 15, 2017 4:51 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I have been thinking the same thing for months now...class action. All of the stories are so simuilar, and some even more despicable than the last.

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Jessica Stewart71
, US
Mar 29, 2018 2:16 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Please let me know of a class action lawsuit

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Carlaann1316
, US
Sep 27, 2018 4:15 pm EDT

Absolutely. They have been sued before in a few states and it was because of their tactics!

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Patricia Gonzales
, US
Nov 29, 2019 3:08 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I'd be willing to do that, I've been with autozone almost a year and have been going through similar BS

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Derek Tarkan
, US
Aug 31, 2016 2:05 pm EDT

I received four points for a Saturday that I was scheduled for work, came into work, went to lunch, and did not come back from lunch (but notified my manager that I wouldn't be coming back in to work that day because my tooth was broken in half, which was true).

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PeenWeinerstein
Atlanta, US
Jan 11, 2018 10:57 am EST

4 points is correct. You did not give proper notification that you wouldn’t be coming back from lunch. It doesn’t matter the reason. Friday through Sunday are “double point” days because of how hard it is to call someone in on the weekend.

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Dennis Rini
, US
May 27, 2018 3:00 am EDT

i have the aytendance sheets of psm and zoner psm shows 81 points zoner 29 be glad to share for your suit contact me at azfisherman1020@gmail.com

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Carlaann1316
, US
Sep 27, 2018 4:13 pm EDT

If they paid better it wouldn't be so hard--period!

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Enigma70
, US
Apr 20, 2011 7:15 pm EDT

As a store manager for Autozone, the requirement for management is that you have open availability. It is extremely difficult to work around the schedules of full timers in retail, especially if they fluctuate. I totally understand the policy. I personally try to work with my people on their preferences, because it produces happier employees, but I reiterate that none of it is guaranteed. As upset as you may be for not getting the promotion and no matter how undeserving the other person is, you don't have the availability for the job anyway, so its a moot point. I don't agree with all Autozone policy, but that's what it is going in and they aren't going to make an exception for you or its just favoritism towards you. That may be ok with you as long as its you, but it causes other issues, which is why the rule exists. FYI, they could've taken you completely out of management, because I know that they don't like part time PSMs either, so they actually cut you a break on that end. I would not expect you to see a pay cut tho...That would be totally unacceptable. What I suggest is that you consider it from the other way. Every manager in that store wants their days off and if that's disrupted, changed or otherwise screwed with then its not only you that's pissed. I'd say hang in there and when your availability reopens then, if you are as great as you say you are, you will be in line to be put back to full time.
BTW...every company with stockholders pretty much screws the employees for the sake of those few people. That's the society that we've created. Its not right, but it is a fact.
Oh and in regards to the hours question, management reserves the right to schedule you as they see fit. there is no guarantee of hours. And any manager would rather have 1 or 2 too many employees than 1 or 2 too few.

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Carlaann1316
, US
Sep 27, 2018 4:12 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Enigma70

If only AZ didn't play favorites because they absolutely do! I am currently working with 2 managers that DO NOT have an any and all availability and they have no problem screwing others to get it done. If that's what they feel like doing. Actual policy only matters when they want to fire or demote someone. My advice, GO TO NAPA OR PEP BOYS--if possible. They pay 2+$ an hr more over an AZ PSM pay and that's just for just a counter clerk. No batteries or Headlights either! The AZ atmosphere is very sexist. They proved that by demoting a woman and then promoting a man immediately after! It was obviously in the works when they asked her to step down and his promotion was clearly contingent upon her being demoted!

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nunna!!!
, US
Apr 12, 2011 11:16 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

this is my 2nd time around with autozone trust me i would not have gone back to them if i had another choice but my dealership shut down, i had used all my unemployment..the first time i was with them it was a good company they paid there people good and give them hours. But ever since they went public on the stock market it been less about the employees and the customer and more about the mighty dollar and stock holders. F#*k the people that make it all work ..." AutoZone Inc. had revenues for the full year 2010 of $7.4B. This was 8.0% above the prior year's results." But they want to cut full timers hours and give crap raises. They love to take about keeping the unions out but this is the kind of stuff the gets them started. They sit in there ivory tower and for get were all the money is made and who make it for them. Any body who invests in them should be ashamed of there self, and William C. Rhodes, III - Chairman, President and CEO should be tar and fathered for letting it happen!

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Codex 1977
Southbridge, US
Apr 04, 2011 10:10 pm EDT

I have a friend of mine that he is permanent all ready at auto-zone and instead of giving him the full 40 hrs a week they are giving him less than 16 and the boss says that is because there is not enough hours... but the big... beep... keep employing people?! I don't get it... he employed 6 people more... as far as we know... and there is not enough hours...

Can someone explain me that one?

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indymom101
Indianapolis, US
Mar 28, 2011 2:24 pm EDT

This type of treatment is more common in Autozone than you would believe. Having been an Autozone wife for the past 10 years, I am constantly horrified at the crap they pull. I've never seen employees abused like they are at Autozone. I've never seen such evil people. Craig Blackwell is the worst, and should absolutely be in jail. Bernie Madoff has nothing on Craig.

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was a loyal employee
, US
Feb 06, 2020 12:24 pm EST
Replying to comment of indymom101

its all in who you know, and doing! they are very evil, don't know how they sleep at night treating their employees like that! Nashville region (UPPER MANAGEMENT TRULY ARE BAD PEOPLE)

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angry single mother23
Christiansburg, US
Dec 04, 2010 8:12 pm EST

So I have been working at autozone for about a year now with awesome complements from customers... as a full time manager. I am 23 and a single mother. anyone with kids knows how hard it is to find a babysitter for nights and weekends. impossible! I have no family in the area to help me with child care. well the dm and store manager walk in and tell me because of my availability they want me to step down from a full time manager to a part time manager. with no guarantee of hours and a possible pay cut. apparently company policy states that I have to be available for all shifts. what part of single mother do they not get! they also asked me to write down my availability. so I did. the store manager told me that I needed to add more in my statement. he told me that I needed to add that "I am stepping down down from a ftpsm to a ptpsm". was I born yesterday... no! I do not in any way agree with this so im not about to make it sound like this is my decision like he wanted. I said "I (not putting name out there) was asked to step down from a ftpsm to a ptpsm. I asked my store manager to give me a copy of why they are demoting me and where in the policy it justifies their cause. he snuck off and called my dm and came back to me and said" I do not have to give you anything in writing". anyways it gets more interesting... there was talk about a certain some one getting promoted to assistant manager... well that ticked alot of people off cause that certain someone does not pull his wait what so ever. he does not care about the customers or their needs. and he is a pain to work with. funny thing is the same day they demoted me and cut my pay, they promoted him and gave him a raise! everyone in my store is heated over the way they are treating me and especially the promotion of someone only because he kisses butt and the store manager and him have history working together at another company in the past. if they looked at his job performance compared to mine there is no way any store manager would promote him verses me. most of this action towards me stems from me not finding a babysitter for christmas eve. and that certain some ones promotion stems from favoritism. I just wounder if my demotion and pay cut was to cover that certain someones promotion and raise! I loved my job and now I dred going into work. I dred the hours cause I know I really have to be on top of my game because I feel like I am being critisized on everything I do. I feel like they are just looking for a reason to fire me.

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unamed
123456, US
Sep 19, 2010 6:19 am EDT

I know how you feel a had been employed by auto zone for over twenty years. then last year was terminated
Because of there new attendence policy. I suffer from a epilepsey for many years but I continued to work for many years without any major problems. then I started to get real sick due to complations of staring new medications and had to call out from work on several occasions and being onder doctors care. they counted those missed days against me. there attendence policy basicly goes like this for every day you are out of work due to excused illness they put a point against you and when you exceed 12 pionts your terminated. I feel that I was singled out because of my ilness and was I in the process on getting my longterm disability through the company that I had paid for many years. so for those unfortunate people that work for this company. if you get sick and miss work due to a major illness you may be out of a job.