Terminated

[sbell111]

I don't think it's Disneylands place to find people a home. Not sure what being homeless has to do with Disneyland.

Agreed.

I think it's great that they let her shower at work. We wouldn't. We expect our employees to show up for work ready to go. If this job doesn't pay enough, the employee should find one that does.

 

[2BOYMOM]

Just wanted to let you know (and I'm sure you already do) that Disneyland isn't the only one who treats employees like this. My hubby was laid off in January and you would not believe the hearings and appeals we had to go through for him to get unemployment. His former employee falsified records and lied - it was a huge mess. Sorry this happend to you, I know how you feel!

 

[happygirl]

I don't think it's Disneylands place to find people a home. Not sure what being homeless has to do with Disneyland.

I agree, It's not Disneyland job to manage these people money for them. Do you really expect any employer to supply a home for there employees?

Why would you wanna appeal to work there again if it's so horrible?

 

[TomLovesBecky]

The same thing happened to my friend Stephanie at our former job...she was told not to show up for the rest of the week's shifts (being laid off, etc.) but didn't actually get a pink slip mailed to or otherwise given to her...then the administration tried to say she had quit. I was really shocked; it was a good place to work and I think they just automatically denied everyone so they didn't have to pay the unemployment, because most people give up. Steph fought it and won. Appeal and see what happens...you have nothing to lose...

 

[WDSearcher]

Here's the thing about Disneyland in regards to how they treat their employees. It's an awful company to work for;
There are a lot of disneyland employees who are homeless. I know this for a fact. I know of a woman who has worked for Disney who had been living in her car for about a year. She was completely loyal to her Disney job and still is. She showered at Disneyland and slept in her car. She's been an employee there for at least 10 years. She only recently found a roommate situation and is now living somewhere.

I know of people who are also homeless working at Disneyland. Just know that Disney does not care about its employees in the least. It's all about the "guests". It's an awful place to work. And I thank God that I am no longer there.

I am probably going to write them a letter.

What should Disneyland do for the woman living in her car? Or for the other homeless CMs?

I don't know that it's Disney's responsibility to find it's employees places to live. There are plenty of other organizations in the Anaheim area whose job it is to help the homeless. Disneyland is a theme park, not a charitable organization.

 

[x-disneystoreemploye]

In response to the replies:

No am am not appealing anything. I now have my unemployment, after "The most happy place on earth", lied and said that I "walked off the job". I would not ever appeal to go back to work for any place, including Disneyland, who would treat their employees this shabbily. I didn't state in my post that I am appealing to go back and work for "the happiest place on earth."

To the remaining other replies, regarding what disney has to do with their employees homelessness......um, the fact that they (1) don't pay enough to live on. (2) lay off their employees (3) And the fact that lots of other employers treat their employees so badly doesn't just automatically make it okay for Disneyland to do this too. This is rationalization.

I also find it very weird, (since it IS Disneyland), that we are supposed to be soooo friendly to the "guests", when we/they are possible living in very unstable places or have no money to eat, have no place to sleep. Oh, um so we're are supposed to be oh so glad to be so helpful and gushingly friendly to their "guests", who visit the park.
One wonders why there are so many "guest" who complain about the rudeness of the employees. This is why. But disneyland has a blind spot about this.

I don't think it's Disneylands place to find people a home. Not sure what being homeless has to do with Disneyland.

I don't know where you live, but I live in the next city over from disneyland, and it's a tourist trap.
What Disney "has to do with" their employees being homeless, is their not paying them enough money to live.

Disneyland is a theme park, not a charitable organization.

Well it should be a charitable organization, with all of the money it rakes in.

I agree, It's not Disneyland job to manage these people money for them. Do you really expect any employer to supply a home for there employees?

Why would you wanna appeal to work there again if it's so horrible?

As I stated above....I am not appealing to go back to work there! I just had to interview with EDD to respond to "the friendliest place on earth" trying to deny my unemployment, after they laid me off.

Agreed.

I think it's great that they let her shower at work....

Yaaa, okay. they "let her" shower at work. People are not animals, this is what pisses me off, the way that the employees are treated, when they are so loyal to a place that treats them so badly. As if she is supposed to be so thankful, for the small scraps that this huge company throws it's employees. I think the term for this is "Stockholm Syndrome".

I have heard the most horrid stories of what's happened to Disney employees. One guy, who was Goofy in the parade, somehow got caught, run over by the float, and the parade had to go on. He died, he was killed. But the only thing that they were worried about was "oh my, the guests, don't let the guests see that!"

AND, 3 weeks after I was let go, laid off or whatever they want to call it, I began receiving calls from the scheduling dept. saying that they would not give me the days off that I need to work at my other job. After they let me go! They were still calling me, as if I was an employee, to tell me what they are not going to do. As if I was still at their beck-and-call. they are all idiots completely. It made me sick, to remember how totally inflexible and unhelpful they were to me while I worked there.

 

[DisneyFairytale]

Sorry to hear you went thru so much trouble. Hopefully it won't take to long for you to figure this out but I would defintely appeal this. It sounds like that last manager you had really manipulated you into this. As others have posted, pull out all the forms and requs you have you have signed and been given since you started working there..

That last form should be enough tho, have they given you grief since you received that last letter?

 

[x-disneystoreemploye]

Sorry to hear you went thru so much trouble. Hopefully it won't take to long for you to figure this out but I would defintely appeal this. It sounds like that last manager you had really manipulated you into this. As others have posted, pull out all the forms and requs you have you have signed and been given since you started working there..

That last form should be enough tho, have they given you grief since you received that last letter?

They (disney) told EDD that I "walked off my job" a year ago, I did. So yesterday while I was interviewing with EDD, I told them YES, I did quit Disney for a better paying temp job. That is how I got my unemployment, I told them the truth. I told them that I quit disney for a better paying job, a year ago.

BUT, they hired me back again, and then let me go this recent April. But they tried to deny my unemployment, by saying that I walked off the job, an entire year ago.

Yesterday EDD issued me checks, for all of the weeks for this month, that I'd lost, over Disney trying to deny me my unemployment.

 

[ophelia]

Sorry you has to go through that. Almost all retail companies now consider their employees to be expendable, and it looks like Disney is no different. You would think that they would pay the employees a bit more considering the crazy things they have to deal with.

 

[SplashMtnCrew]

Sorry to hear about all the troubles you've had.

In regards to what you've posted about Disney not paying enough to live on and the homeless CMs you know of...a company is only required to pay minimum wage.

 

[Jestocost]

It doesn't necessarily have to be something that's been done to you intentionally; companies frequently just aren't very good with communicating with their employees or keeping good records. That can work in you favor in an appeal, however.

In my experience helping a friend with an appeal involving an employee of hers who quit, the process is pretty much stacked in favor of the employee not the employer (at least here in Missouri). This employee was initially denied benefits because she quit, then appealed. During the appeals hearing she admitted quitting and completely contradicted herself on another key point, but still was awarded benefits.

 

[SandrA9810]

Sounds like what happened to Kari at Home Depot. We moved to Orlando to work for Disney. And she got a full time position. Well since her days off are tuesday/wensday her manager at HD let her work 1 day a week. Part time is supposed to consist of 2 days per week, one on the weekend. But her department head knew she was the best he had. He knew he was going to transfer to another store soon enough. Offered her a 2$ raise and department head. But kari did not like the rest of the managers and did not want to take it. She had worked at another store for over 2 years and was only at this store for like 5 months.

Summer rolled around and she started getting scheduled 6 days at Disney, and needed that day off. So she talked to her Department head and he agreed to not schedule her till she called back. In the next couple of weeks, he left the store and the idiot who fired me from garden got over her position and wrote her in on the schedule. When she called back to check in she was notified that she was terminated for no show. And about a week later got a letter in the mail. No one even called to let her know she was being put on the schedule.

The over-time money she makes at disney is more than her hourly pay at HD, and well they don't allow for any overtime except when there's a hurricane, and apparently profit sharing checks were like worth 15$... her last store every one got like 200$.

Although I have to give them this... each month a store in the region gets put into a drawing based off of customer reviews, then each store gets to pick like 3 winners of a 1,000$. Not only that, they write the check for like 1,400 to cover the added taxes, so take home is still a 1,000. Every one was so jealous because she was only working one day a week when she won it, and didn't even find out till like 3 days after they announced the winners. Every one was like "CONGRAT", and she was confused as heck.

 

[sbell111]

... To the remaining other replies, regarding what disney has to do with their employees homelessness......um, the fact that they (1) don't pay enough to live on. (2) lay off their employees (3) And the fact that lots of other employers treat their employees so badly doesn't just automatically make it okay for Disneyland to do this too. This is rationalization.

I also find it very weird, (since it IS Disneyland), that we are supposed to be soooo friendly to the "guests", when we/they are possible living in very unstable places or have no money to eat, have no place to sleep. Oh, um so we're are supposed to be oh so glad to be so helpful and gushingly friendly to their "guests", who visit the park.
One wonders why there are so many "guest" who complain about the rudeness of the employees. This is why. But disneyland has a blind spot about this. ...

First, let me say that you picked a very strange place to decide to rant about Disney.

Second, if I offer you X dollars to do Y job and you accept, I could really give a rat's behind if you can live on X dollars, but I certainly expect you to perform Y duties to my satisfaction.

 

[M5ward]

As an employer, when I hire someone I tell them up front exactly what their rate of pay is going to be, what their hours of employment are, and what their job description is. When they agree to take a job, they are agreeing to all of the above. When someone fails to fulfill their duties, they are warned then fired. I am paying for a service (and as long as I am paying minimum wage or more, I am fulfilling my legal obligations) that I expect to be performed to my standards (Disney expects friendliness and courtesy as part of their standards as do all hospitality businesses.)
In my state, they also go back a year or more when determining unemployment benefits. Perhaps they are going back to that term of employment because you don't have more recent employment that is a long enough term to apply. Here you have to work 17 weeks to be eligible to apply for unemployment from that employer. If you didn't work the proper amount of time, they would go back to the last employer where you did fulfill the time requirement.
I do not, as an employer, feel it is my obligation to provide housing, transportation, etc. I provide a paycheck. And we must be doing something right because we have very little turnover.

 

[happygirl]

First, let me say that you picked a very strange place to decide to rant about Disney.

It was kind of a weird post for a newbie

 

[kirbsam]

i worked at a fireworks company and got fired for stealing firecrackers and i still love to hear fireworks. crazy.

 

[Magix]

So... let's see... people work for Disney, but you feel Disney doesn't pay them enough and you think that's horrible. You know, they can always go work somewhere else. Disney isn't the only employer in the area.

And... Disney HR made a mistake when they processed the paperwork for unemployment and gave info from your old records, instead of your current one. And, you've gotten it all worked out okay. So... what?

Sorry, but this reeks of troll.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I've bitten my tongue for awhile on this thread, but not anymore.

You posted about a guy being run over in a parade. Guess what? I worked that parade after the incident and was actually on property when it happened. Get your facts straight before you post something inflammatory like that. Here is what really happened:

A young man portraying Pluto was standing in an area he was not supposed to stand in. The very first thing I was taught in my parade training was not to stand next to certain parts of the float. He ignored his training and when it was time to move the float, he was in a spot the driver couldn't see. His costume got caught and he was dragged uner the wheels.

Yes, half the parade did go out. Why? Because it was already out the door when the incident happened. In the Share a Dream Come True Parade (the parade this happened in) at that time the "flood" as it was known was in the very back part of the parade. The second half of the parade was held back and did not continue. There is no way to "recall" a parade once it is out the door. You do not back up floats on route. I've seen it done one time (float I was on) and only because a guest stepped in front of my float when we were coming around a curve and we came up to rest against the curb to avoid her and could not move forward. In fact, by the time the back half enters route, the first half is typically already about halfway done, so it made sense to have them complete the route. But as stated, after the incident no more floats entered the route. The entire back half stayed behind.

So what was Disney's response? The float was removed from the parade and replaced with a different float. At that time the ground characters would walk up the hill beside the float. Disney added a sidewalk with a barrier between ground characters and floats at step-off. They also added spotters to floats with multiple units. What happened was a tragic accident. The man ignored his training and unfortunately, suffered the consequences. We learned a lot of hard lessons that day. Should there have already been spotters in place? Yes. But hindsight is 20/20, we never dreamed it was necessary before that.

This as you can imagine is a very painful subject for those of us who worked entertainment. I did not know the man as I did not work entertainment until the following year, but many of my good friends knew him. He was a well loved cast member, a trainer, and a friend. From what I have heard, he was just a truly good person. To this day his friends mourn what happened.

To have somebody bring it up on a message board in an attempt to slander Disney's name is an insult to his memory. Especially since you had almost no facts right. Disney cared greatly about what happend and steps have been put in place to make sure it never happens again. So please ,get your facts straight next time before posting something like that.

 

[HunnyPots]

To the remaining other replies, regarding what disney has to do with their employees homelessness......um, the fact that they (1) don't pay enough to live on. (2) lay off their employees (3) And the fact that lots of other employers treat their employees so badly doesn't just automatically make it okay for Disneyland to do this too. This is rationalization.

Don't pay enough to live on? Neither does McDonald's. Neither does Wal Mart.
The pay is low because it is unskilled labor. Why should they pay more?

Companies, whether it be Disney, Wal Mart, Mcdonald's, or Apple, are in business to make money. If they don't turn a profit, they go out of business and all their employees lose their jobs.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

As for the rest of your story:

I don't know what Disneyland is like, I worked at Disney World and it was by far the best job in my life, but it was still a job. Yes, I had some absolutely horrific managers, it happens at the best place, but by far the CMs and managers were the nicest people I have ever worked with and Disney treated me far better than any other employer I've had.

When I was a Campus Rep, we were brutally honest with prospective CPs about the rate of pay, the hours, etc. When I looked into going full time, I knew how much I would be paid. I looked into housing and decided the cost of living vs. the rate of pay was simply more than I could afford. I loved my job and want to go back some day, but right now it just isn't feasible.

They do not hide this information from you. I knew plenty of full timers in Orlando who were able to live on the salary provided, and I'm talking the hourly front line CMs. Were they in mansions? No. But they were able to live within their means.

It is not the employer's job to babysit you. You know how much you are going to paid and you know the cost of living in the area. You have to decide if it is worth it. I decided as much as I loved my job that I was not willing to live paycheck to paycheck barely able to pay the rent because housing in Orlando sucks. Disneyland is a business, they are there to make a profit. It sucks that they have had to lay off (as has WDW) due to the economy, but that is the way the world works. I sincerely hope that your experience with them was an anomaly and I'm glad you at least got everything straightened out.