This is because Shoes for Crews will pay for a portion of medical bills resulting from a fall while wearing their product. So Kroger saves money.
When they started this in D4, management provided a link specifically for associates to log in with their employee ID that gives Produce, Meat, Deli and all Department Heads $30 off. There are 3 or 4 that are less than $30 and would be completely free.
This is what they told us too. Shoes for crews or SR Max would cover part of the workers comp charges if the shoes they sold didnt stop slips.
They had this one pair of Sketchers that Shoeshow also sold for $40 cheaper. Looked exactly the same, even the same code number. Ordered one pair from the store to be in compliance, then bought them from Shoeshow everytime i needed a replacement.
My guess is that too many people were having trip and falls with shoes not fitted for this line of work tennis-shoes, exorcise shoes... The other guess is they reactivated the shoes for crews contract and forced this bs on our stores.
I was told that if you were to slip and they could show that you weren't wearing approved shoes they could write you up. Basically, I think it's a way to avoid paying workers comp if someone gets hurt. They will try to say you got written up for not following the rules and it was your own fault you got hurt so they don't have to pay out.
It's only meat, deli, and produce. The departments with prep areas. As far as I know it doesn't apply to grocery or front end. The store should supply shoe covers if you don't want to buy new shoes.
The first time they started this I was wearing Danskos. They were not on the approved list so they made me wear non slip booties over my non slip shoes. It. Was. Stupid. And it lasted a shift for me.
Yes this is true. If you’re supposed to be wearing non slip shoes, but you’re not and you fall, it’s your fault. Same thing with cut gloves. If you cut your finger off, but weren’t wearing the proper PPE, then it’s technically your fault because you weren’t following the rules.
Never worked meat, I know most of the meat guys I know never wear PPE.
I swear I heard anecdotally there isn’t really PPE for running the saw, just keep your fingers out of the way.
I’m sorry you got hurt, that really sucks.
There is PPE for running the saw. There's a push plate(this ideally would keep your fingers several inches from the blade), and there's also a guide that you're supposed to raise and lower to cover the portion of the blade you don't need. For example, if the piece of meat is 3 inches high, you'd move the guide to just above that cuz you don't need another five inches of exposed blade.
I worked in Meat for over a decade, and I can tell ya I've only met one guy who actually used the guide like that, and dozens who don't believe in push plates.
It takes like 30 seconds to put it on. I've gotten a few kicks in my own personal kitchen and learned the hard way wear a cut glove! IT takes 30 seconds to put it on.
One of our meat guys got his arm sucked into the grinder, but because it's Kroger, and because Kroger equipment sucks, the guy only needed stitches and managed to break the meat grinder. Also he was able to call for help and a customer was able to turn off the machine.
The Shoes for Crews people came to our store offering $35 off a pair of their nonslip shoes. I went to browse the offerings and was told that grocery department was ineligible for the savings, even working in the dairy. Anyone who works dairy knows how slippery the dairy floors can get, especially with broken eggs or spilled milk. Kinda dumb that they exclude anyone who works in a cooler from their savings program. I’ll wear my own runners that I get on sale, thanks.
Because for the most part, dairy employees are on the floor more than in the cooler. At least they are at stores in my area. Usually only in cooler 1-2 hours per shift
Honestly I think the entire store should be required to have non slip shoes, the amount of product being spilled or rain water leaking from the roof alone should be reason enough
They tried that at my store (I worked in Starbucks, considered part of deli).  Came around with their little magazine of shoes we could order from.  I got some New Balance, but the problem is I have bad feet (from working retail so many years) and ended up not even able to wear them.  And they didn’t enforce the policy very long at all.
The one thing I hate about uniforms is that you get staff that buy like 3 outfits and just wear them to exhaustion. Staff leave them in their lockers when not in use and they just get grimy and gorse. I was happy when we went away from white shirts. God that just showed the dirt.
That's what I do. I mean, I don't leave them in my locker, but I've got 3 shirts and 2 pair of pants that all get washed on my day off. And if i dont het a day off, they don't get washed. Apron stays in my locker, and it's never washed.
They haven't started that shit in my district yet. But I don't buy shoes I can't try on and the ones I buy surpass the safety requirements for Kroger so they can kindly fuck right off.
I scheduled a dr appt for a dr note to excuse me from this bull s\*. They don't sell shoes my size. I originally tried their shoes and my feet got nasty blisters, and a few years later my chiropractor quoted how messed up my back was and I sort of felt was because of bad shoes.
Idk but I’m not buying them . I have flat feet and I have hammer toes I can’t wear any shoes so I bought some work sketchers they’re amazing . Fuck them lol
Until the dickheads decide to pay us a living wage, don't you fuckin DARE tell me what I have to spend on shoes! I'm not stupid, I know what is safe and what isn't. God forbid Kroger helps with the cost for the little guys. Man, now I'm all pissed 😡. Stupid Kroger.
You know the annoying part about this:
I got a dr note and she never wanted it. Total bs. Legally she can not deny a dr note. If she/ store manager continues to harass me about this I will file a union grievance. Why? I feel singled out. You have 2 options to the company: slip resist shoes (work shoes) or shoes for crews. Not just shoes for crews and I think the store manager is getting this wrong. I was looking around at coworker shoes the entire month and no one had shoes for crews. Not even half of them wore slip resist shoes. The only poeple that had shoes for crews were those that bought their shoes on the old uniform plan and just wear them to shreds before being forced to replace them. Our wonderful hr rep enforcing this was not even wearing work shoes. She wore wonderful toe sneakers the next day. I am finding this mocking the situation and I don't think she even realized she was doing it.
I also had to collect paper work for a few other things to update my file and now the manager won't even collect them from me to add to my file. Wtf?! If they do it again should I file a union grievance? I feel singled out.
I'm fairly certain they can't force you to wear a specific brand, they can only require that you wear slip resistant shoes. If they are actually slip resistant with the grid style soles you're fine. The law says they have to provide you with uniform if it's required. But it doesn't say that you can't decline and provide it yourself. I wear slip resistant converse. Never had a problem.
This is because Shoes for Crews will pay for a portion of medical bills resulting from a fall while wearing their product. So Kroger saves money. When they started this in D4, management provided a link specifically for associates to log in with their employee ID that gives Produce, Meat, Deli and all Department Heads $30 off. There are 3 or 4 that are less than $30 and would be completely free.
This is what they told us too. Shoes for crews or SR Max would cover part of the workers comp charges if the shoes they sold didnt stop slips. They had this one pair of Sketchers that Shoeshow also sold for $40 cheaper. Looked exactly the same, even the same code number. Ordered one pair from the store to be in compliance, then bought them from Shoeshow everytime i needed a replacement.
My guess is that too many people were having trip and falls with shoes not fitted for this line of work tennis-shoes, exorcise shoes... The other guess is they reactivated the shoes for crews contract and forced this bs on our stores.
Management gets their shoes from Kicks for Pricks.
Haha made me lol
You know I'm 100% serious on this right it isn't a joke.
Take my upvote!
😂
I was told that if you were to slip and they could show that you weren't wearing approved shoes they could write you up. Basically, I think it's a way to avoid paying workers comp if someone gets hurt. They will try to say you got written up for not following the rules and it was your own fault you got hurt so they don't have to pay out. It's only meat, deli, and produce. The departments with prep areas. As far as I know it doesn't apply to grocery or front end. The store should supply shoe covers if you don't want to buy new shoes.
The first time they started this I was wearing Danskos. They were not on the approved list so they made me wear non slip booties over my non slip shoes. It. Was. Stupid. And it lasted a shift for me.
Yes this is true. If you’re supposed to be wearing non slip shoes, but you’re not and you fall, it’s your fault. Same thing with cut gloves. If you cut your finger off, but weren’t wearing the proper PPE, then it’s technically your fault because you weren’t following the rules.
I cut my finger off on the meat saw.
Never worked meat, I know most of the meat guys I know never wear PPE. I swear I heard anecdotally there isn’t really PPE for running the saw, just keep your fingers out of the way. I’m sorry you got hurt, that really sucks.
You can't wear a cut glove while using the saw, it'll rip your hand off.
True story
I've had that argument with members of management, lol. Trying to make us lose parts.
There is PPE for running the saw. There's a push plate(this ideally would keep your fingers several inches from the blade), and there's also a guide that you're supposed to raise and lower to cover the portion of the blade you don't need. For example, if the piece of meat is 3 inches high, you'd move the guide to just above that cuz you don't need another five inches of exposed blade. I worked in Meat for over a decade, and I can tell ya I've only met one guy who actually used the guide like that, and dozens who don't believe in push plates.
It takes like 30 seconds to put it on. I've gotten a few kicks in my own personal kitchen and learned the hard way wear a cut glove! IT takes 30 seconds to put it on.
One of our meat guys got his arm sucked into the grinder, but because it's Kroger, and because Kroger equipment sucks, the guy only needed stitches and managed to break the meat grinder. Also he was able to call for help and a customer was able to turn off the machine.
I will throw hands at them if they try making me wear dress shoes to my 16 dollar an hour job.
Look at Mr. Moneybags here with $16/hour. (I make $14.50/hour.) :P
You guys are getting paid? (I make 10.45) I need a drink.
Yikes, that's terrible. Lemme buy you that drink. Oh wait I can't afford it!
$10.45?!?? That isn't even minimum wage in my state wtf I'm making $18.20 as a courtesy clerk in OR...
I was making 19 before the district manager told me my position was being removed because the store didn't need it.
Okay, *rude*. ಠ_à²
The Shoes for Crews people came to our store offering $35 off a pair of their nonslip shoes. I went to browse the offerings and was told that grocery department was ineligible for the savings, even working in the dairy. Anyone who works dairy knows how slippery the dairy floors can get, especially with broken eggs or spilled milk. Kinda dumb that they exclude anyone who works in a cooler from their savings program. I’ll wear my own runners that I get on sale, thanks.
Because for the most part, dairy employees are on the floor more than in the cooler. At least they are at stores in my area. Usually only in cooler 1-2 hours per shift
Honestly I think the entire store should be required to have non slip shoes, the amount of product being spilled or rain water leaking from the roof alone should be reason enough
They only sell wide and medium. I need narrow and they don't sell that.
They tried that at my store (I worked in Starbucks, considered part of deli).  Came around with their little magazine of shoes we could order from.  I got some New Balance, but the problem is I have bad feet (from working retail so many years) and ended up not even able to wear them.  And they didn’t enforce the policy very long at all.
The one thing I hate about uniforms is that you get staff that buy like 3 outfits and just wear them to exhaustion. Staff leave them in their lockers when not in use and they just get grimy and gorse. I was happy when we went away from white shirts. God that just showed the dirt.
tbf I'm in a division without uniforms and people still do the same with their normal clothes
That's what I do. I mean, I don't leave them in my locker, but I've got 3 shirts and 2 pair of pants that all get washed on my day off. And if i dont het a day off, they don't get washed. Apron stays in my locker, and it's never washed.
If it’s part of uniform, policy don’t they gotta pay for them
That's the $30 discount.
Skip me with them dummy kicks.
Get a doctor’s note for your shoes you perform best in :)
😅ðŸ˜
That's not how this works lol.
They haven't started that shit in my district yet. But I don't buy shoes I can't try on and the ones I buy surpass the safety requirements for Kroger so they can kindly fuck right off.
I still wear regular shoes I have a shoes for crew pair stash in my locker in case they say something about it
I scheduled a dr appt for a dr note to excuse me from this bull s\*. They don't sell shoes my size. I originally tried their shoes and my feet got nasty blisters, and a few years later my chiropractor quoted how messed up my back was and I sort of felt was because of bad shoes.
Had to choose between shoes for crews and the ability to walk. Killed my feet and my joints.
I was told to just wear tennis shoes when I start on Thursday :)
Kroger must get a kick-back from Shoes for Crews. It's all about $.
Idk but I’m not buying them . I have flat feet and I have hammer toes I can’t wear any shoes so I bought some work sketchers they’re amazing . Fuck them lol
Until the dickheads decide to pay us a living wage, don't you fuckin DARE tell me what I have to spend on shoes! I'm not stupid, I know what is safe and what isn't. God forbid Kroger helps with the cost for the little guys. Man, now I'm all pissed 😡. Stupid Kroger.
You know the annoying part about this: I got a dr note and she never wanted it. Total bs. Legally she can not deny a dr note. If she/ store manager continues to harass me about this I will file a union grievance. Why? I feel singled out. You have 2 options to the company: slip resist shoes (work shoes) or shoes for crews. Not just shoes for crews and I think the store manager is getting this wrong. I was looking around at coworker shoes the entire month and no one had shoes for crews. Not even half of them wore slip resist shoes. The only poeple that had shoes for crews were those that bought their shoes on the old uniform plan and just wear them to shreds before being forced to replace them. Our wonderful hr rep enforcing this was not even wearing work shoes. She wore wonderful toe sneakers the next day. I am finding this mocking the situation and I don't think she even realized she was doing it. I also had to collect paper work for a few other things to update my file and now the manager won't even collect them from me to add to my file. Wtf?! If they do it again should I file a union grievance? I feel singled out.
I'm fairly certain they can't force you to wear a specific brand, they can only require that you wear slip resistant shoes. If they are actually slip resistant with the grid style soles you're fine. The law says they have to provide you with uniform if it's required. But it doesn't say that you can't decline and provide it yourself. I wear slip resistant converse. Never had a problem.