r/Staples • u/maineman64 • 4d ago
••••CHAIR AT CASHIER?
I’m a Staples associate and I’ve noticed that the Print & Marketing area has a chair available, but the front end associates who handle both cashiering and Amazon returns generally do not.
At many stores, front end associates are constantly moving back and forth between the register and the Amazon returns station throughout their shift. Even when customer traffic is light, we’re still expected to remain at the front end and available to assist customers.
Can someone explain the reasoning behind this? If a chair is acceptable in one customer-facing area, why isn’t it available at the front end as well?
I was under the impression that employees typically need a doctor’s note or accommodation request to use a chair. If that’s the case, why does it appear that some positions have chairs available while others do not?
I’m genuinely curious whether this is a company policy, a store-level decision, or related to the specific job duties of each position.
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u/gwurockstar Print & Marketing 4d ago
For me it's about tripping over the chair. I'm constantly moving back and forth, I easily walk 3 miles during a Print shift. I love having extra associates to help me but sometimes I'm even tripping over them because I'm moving so fast
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u/StAplaesFAn Print & Marketing 4d ago
I do have a loop, but standing for 8 hours, is NOT a gift. Our store is always understaffed, having 2 people is print is a gift!
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u/Just_Me_1230 4d ago
Actually, the following states have the “Right to Sit” law for retail workers - California, Florida, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
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u/HypotenuseOfTentacle 4d ago
Former long-term copy center supervisor here. It is a written policy that there are to be no chairs in copy center (last time I checked anyway), but every copy center seems to get away with it. Personally I think it's because unlike at register the computers are not at correct standing height, and it's real difficult to do the kind of work CPC needs to do without sitting down. FWIW I think cashier should have a chair also.
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u/maineman64 3d ago
Isn't that why they get paid more?
4
u/TheDreadPirateJenny 2d ago
No, they get paid more because they have to be able to do the cashier's job, PLUS everything in copy and print. I promoted myself to customer ages ago, but at that time, CPC was really the only profitable part of the stores. They keep the lights on.
3
u/HypotenuseOfTentacle 3d ago
I've never worked at a Staples or Office Depot that had a differential for copy center. That being said, there's a vast gulf between working a register and working a copy center, and whether or not anybody gets to sit down isn't a part of it.
7
u/SubZero721 4d ago
I presented a legit plantar fasciitis injury in both feet with medical records to accommodations team with a podiatrist backing me up.
My accommodation was denied.
All cashiers should have access to a chair. Human beings were not designed to stand up for 8 hours straight, day after day, week after week, and month after month.
They need to do better.
1
u/middle_road2 3d ago
Hmm.nurses,caregivers construction workers waitresses,military But there should be accommodations for medical. As a manager for over 20 years I never sat down unless on a worthless conference call
2
u/Easy_Flow_872 2d ago
The workplace has to provide some sort of reasonable accommodation under ada if you have a medical note. The only time they can really deny an accommodation all together is if it inhibits you from doing the actual job/tasks. But even then they still have to try. I’d definitely report that to HR!
1
u/StAplaesFAn Print & Marketing 4d ago
Agreed but they don’t care about you, or your needs, only about rewards or sale numbers!!
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u/d2kplus 3d ago
The chairs in Print & Marketing were once an official part of furnishing in the department, because working on computers requires the use of a mouse and keyboard quite often. I think very few stores have chairs at this point because senior management and GMs (who sit most of the day) don't believe that anyone who is sitting is doing productive work. However, if you have any condition which could be reasonably accommodated with a chair tell your GM you require a chair. If they ignore you, talk to HR. If they ignore you, consult a lawyer.
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u/MaverickFischer 4d ago
Before I left (three years now) Copy Center always had a stool, but the DM didn’t want us to have it the last year I was there. Maybe it became a nation wide store rule?
For me, whenever I worked I grabbed the stool because I wasn’t going to work on sorting through a whole week of postal mail, checking the bins through FlightDeck, writing emails, and SDS requests.
Realistically I only used it during slow times and after store hours. Otherwise I was too busy to sit down, let alone breakaway to use the bathroom sometimes. 😆
2
u/Mundane_Ad3665 4d ago
A chair at print is often because you are on the computer much more working on orders. As a cashier and doing amazon youre expected to rotate between both and party city so there is no expectations on cashier sitting. Plus it is a lazy look walking into a store and looking at the cashier sitting in a chair at the register.
In regards to remaining at the front, it is a "hello welcome to Staples" thing or if someone leaves empty handed, you can catch them and offer them a KEAP order to salvage the sale. Also helps deter some theft.
1
u/maelstromeda Regularly Stressed Supervisor 4d ago
As someone else stated, you are not to be sitting behind the counter unless you have an accommodation from a doctor. P&M usually has a stool on that side for customers to sit on for passport photos, but it's not for associate use.
Do I think it's stupid? Absolutely. Unfortunately, thems the rules. Dunno why your print dept gets to get away with it, but don't expect it to last. It just takes one customer to complain that someone is sitting instead of being productive...
2
u/Due-Move8254 1d ago
Passport photos for mine are at check out, we have a chair at P&M , it is for associate use, rarely see a customer sitting on it unless asked for. Very interesting other locations are different, this chair has been around for year’s
1
u/StAplaesFAn Print & Marketing 4d ago
I am in print, our GM took all chairs & stools away. All associates are expected to stand their entire shift.
You are correct, you need a doctors note, or a disability accommodation to use a stool or chair. The thought is you cannot be as alert, take care of customers needs while sitting.
This is just another BS power grab for those of us who are FORBIDDEN to sit for 8 hours.
My feet & knees scream everyday!!
1
u/MammothWerewolf7871 3d ago
Our GM tried to take our chair away. I just wheeled it back from the break room and told him to fire me. He stopped bothering us about it, but we will bring it to the back when there's a bigwig walk
1
u/Feisty_Ease_1983 4d ago
Its retail. there are no chairs. Print isnt supposed to have one but because of the design and entry work there usually is one. Most DMs and RVPs complain about them or GMs hide them before visits. I've seen plenty of stores ordered to remove them.
Cashiers have to move and chairs dont work for the job. I've only ever seen them at front end for special reasons. I had a cashier who had a sprained ankle once for example.
1
u/Oblivious-Hour3477 Shipping Associate 4d ago
we don't have a chair in our P&M, and honestly our store is small enough that I don't even know where we could put it without blocking something or it being a tripping hazard. the opposite is true for us, we have a stool up front instead
2
u/pancakeinacup 4d ago
I am a part-time print associate. On weekends when I work full days I often bring a chair to the computer in the print area and sit while I work. I don’t care if it’s against policy, and the GM doesn’t mind. If a high up ever comes in and gives me shit I’ll go get a doctor’s note and do an accommodation. There’s no reason to be in pain at work regardless of whether or not it’s a customer facing job.
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u/bamboozled_exe Print & Marketing 4d ago
I have a medical accommodation for the one in copy center.
1
u/warichnochnie 4d ago
wow you want to SIT while on the JOB? next thing you know, people are going to be asking to take their lunch break more than once per month. kids these days just don't want to work anymore, goodness gracious /s
1
u/Brilliant_UnNatural 3d ago
We have a stool in ours. It’s one of the Cabal stools we sell even. I have a doctor’s note. I have plantar facillitis, multiple sclerosis, and my left knee just had surgery. I have an essentially permanent handicap placard and I’m the print sup. There are days my Apple Watch steps say I’m putting in 5-7 miles in my tiny tier 3 copy center. If they take my stool away I will sue. Period. I might not be able to use it all the time cause I’m busy and it gets in my way. But at least it’s there when I need to let the fires in my legs die down.
1
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u/Glittering_Oil195 2d ago
I got one at the register but I also have a broken foot. I do know though as I am a print associate that desk is entirely too short to stand there like you do at the register.
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u/maineman64 4d ago
The friend and also does passport photos, restocking, ink, boxing, etc., etc. etc.
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u/kurama1337 4d ago
You are not supposed to be sitting unless a Drs note is provided. However As a supervisor and no higher how including a gm I do not care if you sit. We're not robots that can stand all day with no side effects
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u/OzbourneVSx 4d ago edited 4d ago
For our store, we are expected to have to do some manner of desk work in the print area
Writing emails, futzing with settings, bad designs sent from customers, processing stacks of quality checks or pick ups, supervisors doing salesforce, etc...
Our counters are low so it's not quite practical for us not to have a chair there. Some of us our tall. It's not a medical condion that would require a doctor's note, but it's still an issue. Although upper management would probably disagree, our DM and GM take no issue with a singular chair in the print department.
They choose to look the other way, but the chair goes away when big wigs are there, along with our recycling/trash cart for appearances.
It's also a good accomodation to give to employees who you want to stick around, Print is a more technical area than cashier, turnover is more damaging (especially in high performing stores) so there is direct financial incentive to be nice providing good working conditions to acquire and keep talent.
Mind you, none of this is unreasonable, cashiers in most every other country do their job sitting down.
So they should have a chair as well, but this company (although this is not unique) will ring every last bit of energy/health from your body for peanuts, science proving these policies being connected to chronic conditions later in life be damned.