Thread regarding Kroger Co. layoffs

Yes, this is REAL. It's happening to me now! I have to re-interview for my own position. If I am NOT accepted/rehired, then we get a package and we have to jump through specific hoops on specific dates to obtain said package. So, Kroger is having it's best year ever and thinks it's a good idea to layoff IT folks during the pandemic and Christmas. Not to mention that flood if H1B visa workers displacing the American worker. Not the Great company I was hired into 10+ years ago

Yes, they are coming. Kroger is using the approach of a “PIP”, or “Personal Improvement Plan”, as a way of avoiding unemployment benefits and /or severance. Criteria to be on a PIP? Over 40, 20-40 years at Kroger, and if you still are in the Pension Plan. K-Mart used this approach; to a degree of high success until a Class Action Lawsuit by a half dozen Mid-Level Managers. These “PIP’s” are so outlandish and unachievable, it would be like asking Rodney to stop putting the company in debt every year by two billion dollars- ain’t gonna work! Our Core values look great on the poster, asking the “Leadership” as they like to call themselves now, to live them is a whole different matter. The target again is those over the age of 40, if you still get a pension you are most certainly on one, and the token 20 year olds to look unbiased. It has become the most unethical, dishonest, and it is most certainly the end of a once great company. We are the WalMart of the 90’s,- low morale, high turnover, low pay, disorganized, and voted the worst company to work for in both 2018/2019 as we should -he’s hiring everybody FROM Walmart so why shouldn’t we reflect that culture from the ‘90 of Walmart. Give you a hint Rodney- your tracker scores are the lowest in ten years-their voting on YOUR direction and culture you brought to the helm that’s now in stores- what makes me laugh now is the kids running around being Store Leader / Coordinators at 21/24 years old and high school grads who got it all figured out- what they don’t get- one day Kroger will be going after them if we’re around that long...NAH! We won’t be.
If you are on a PIP, get ahold of the local EEOC Office and file a complaint. If they do let you go, file another one for retaliation. Then get an Attorney (preferably one who does class action and can practice in California) and file the lawsuit if EEOC finds probable cause. Don’t doddle- do it now as EEOC has time limits and are not taking walk-in appointments due to COVID. Make an appointment on their website.

Anyone know or heard if cuts are still happening in October 2020 with management?

Starting to layoff employees at the GO(Cincinnati). Wife works there. Has been there 7 years. Does anyone have any information on the current severance policy?

4 days ago our Smith's store in Idaho Falls Idaho (which is always in the top 3 for sales) we were given notice of a mandatory employee meeting. On that day we were all gathered in the back room (with no seating) for a 45 minute meeting with the big guys. We were told how appreciated we were and that "in no way was it our fault that the company has decided to close our store effective April 6th. " the decision (they said) was made because the company had just plunked several million dollars into a remodel of our sister store Fred Meyers which is 3 miles from us. "So we've decided that we don't need 2 stores in this vicinity and we have a place for ALL of you should you wish to transition. Your payscale and hours will not change". Quite a promise eh? So I thought about the numbers...we have 99 employees.
20% will retire. Another 30% will seek other employment. 50% will transition. And of us 50% we will be walking into a possibly hostile environment where we will be subject to the decisions of managers who don't know our capabilities and very possibly don't care. No severance was offered because they are "offering us positions " although this may require driving 50 miles or more if that position isn't available in our current area which may cause another 20% to leave. So roughly 30% of us 99 will try to find our place. I had to stifle a laugh when one of the companies HR people said..." Just think about the possibilities...you could even work at the Starbucks kiosk, wouldn't that be fun? ". God have mercy on our souls.

Next round October 2020. There are no rules but 90% SM were with company for over 20 years. It is not based on performance. Some get 1 year package (salary) some 9 months some 2 months payed, but most dont get any package. Good luck to all.

I can tell you this for sure.. (at least in my district) they are looking for reasons to terminate or step down some ASMs, regardless of their performance. What does that mean? I don't know - maybe the ppl at GO will be offered those jobs or some SMs will be demoted to ASM and the GO ppl will take the stores. Kroger is a very devious company - and eventually that will be it's downfall. The turn-over rate and reviews are just terrible for this company. Eventually truth gets to enough ppl about how things are run and the best ppl apply elsewhere, now matter how good the HR headhunters try to life to lure you in - Eventually you end up with the worse employees who couldn't get work elsewhere and in the end start closing stores.

Heard GO was going to make some sort of announcement today, anyone else heard that?

"I was in the know at GO until I retired. Cuts are coming at GO in 2020. 15% of the workforce. As I remember folks that got less than an average on their reviews will be looked at being eliminated"

For person who posted above, I have a question. In the last round of firings, several SM's lost their jobs and were replaced by business unit coordinators whose positions were being eliminated. I know people in GO who were promoted from store SM positions. Can we expect more in store management people to lose their jobs and be replaced by GO people who are part of the reduction?

Of course they're taking swipes at mid-management instead of addressing waste at the corporate level. I read somewhere that Kroger's had over 120 BILLION in revenue in 2019.
Store managers directly effect the customer's experience. How much are the CEO's making?

Instead of investing all this money in uniforms changes, brand logos, little characters why don’t they invest money into their people and pricing. Give them enough hours to FILL the SHELVES. They care so much about in stock that they should give the hours to the departments. I understand that there has to be some limit with hours to be profitable. But running like this is crazy. The one thing customers are upset about is when they come to the store and the product is not on the shelf. Employee turnover is out of control, employees don’t care, management does what they can but once they try to work they get slapped with grievances. So much money wasted with this company it makes me sick.

I was in the know at GO until I retired. Cuts are coming at GO in 2020. 15% of the workforce. As I remember folks that got less than an average on their reviews will be looked at being eliminated.

Tons of rumors going around: Corporate headquarter cuts, more in store management cuts around bonus time, in store management cuts down to store SM and one ASM, store closings, etc. Guess we'll have to wait until 2020.

This thread will be an interesting one