Claires accesories- JUST DONT WORK THERE

hi all
today i handed in my notice at Claires accesories having worked there for a month and a half. i would have to give warning to anybody who was interested in working there and give them some facts that may make them think twice.

first be very aware this is a shop that does and will cater for ear piercing which generally results in lots of children and tragically babies as young as 4 months getting their ears pierced, i hated seeing parents push their children into getting them done when they clearly didn't want to. also as a by product of ear piercing you will need to be aware of the number of delightful children that will vomit over the floor which have no doubt about it - you will have to clear up.
you are also forced to wear degrading sashes saying 'good girl' 'bad girl' on them to promote the fact claires has a hen party range. so if you like being leared at...
the pay is also very poor but aside from that the thing that really pushed me over was they will not pay you for the hours that you work.
for example
if i worked a 12-6 shift. i get payed till 6, 6 however is the time that the actualy shop closes, so having finally shooed everyone out its about quarter past you then have to finish tidying store hovver and the mop the floor.
I have never been out earlier than 6.30 and in the past have been there until 7.15.
i brought up this factor with my manager and she said no this has always bene the way , i dont get payed for extra hours neither will you - you in retail you have to expect to stay behind.
ive worked in retail for 2 years previous to claires and i was payed half an hour after the shop closed to that we were being payed for work done. i got in contact with area manager with my contract in front of me stating that tidying was part of my job title and that it stated in my contract i will be payed for work done and therefore i should get payed for the time i worked.
anyway we had a massive argument with her refusing to promise anything and saying i was lying about my contract.

im really sorry about having to write such a long post - and i promise you this is a shortened version of story.

read your contract carefully and enquire about overtime before you sign.
if your not payed for your work your not covered on insurance if you had an accident your not covered, you would be the one that lost

DONT WORK AT CLAIRESDONT WORK AT CLAIRES

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Reply 1

veryrandom

Thanks for the heads up- I'm currently looking for work and this will be useful as there is a claires near to me, so obviously now I won't be applying there!

Reply 2

natcho

hahaha "you work in retail..." is just the same as saying "you work in prostitution, you shouldn't demand to wear a condom".

Anyway.... that sounds majorly ****. What would have happened if you just walked out from halfway through your shift and never went back?

Reply 3

**R**

good to know. i had an interview for Claires a few years ago. i had been looking for summer job for quuite while when i got the interview so i really wanted to get the job. but in interview i was asked how i wouldd feel about the ear piecing part of job.now i hate needles/piercings etc, and know i could never watch one being done let alone do one myslef. i hadnt even thought about this part of the job before so the question through me off guard a bit, so i was umming and ahhing for ages cos i didnt want to say i wouldnt and couldnt do it, so i spoofed that i could im sure if i had training in it , i mite b ok then . but i knew she didnt believe that from me, and i knew i wouldnt get the job then after that, i was mad with myself for being so wimpy about it inn the interview , but after hearing all that from u , mayb i had a lucky escape !!

and about not being paid when u stay after closing, in any retail job iv had, if shop closes at 6 , i was always roostered on til 7 , or something, part of clean up etc was included as work shift and were paid for it, i was always paid til i clocked out, even if i didnt finished til 7.15, or even 7.30, if i clocked out at that time , i was still paid for t even if i stayed there longer than my prescibed time

Reply 4

xlouisedoll

Thanks for this, I too will be looking for a part-time job surely. Although I have to admit that I've always been put off because of the ear piercing..I've heard too many stories of people's ears going septic, having to pierce them again 'cause the earring didn't go in etc. etc.

Reply 5

Ichamackalooloo

I hate Claires, probz because i'm not a girly girl...I only went in there once to get some hair things for when I get my hair braided...and even then its a rip-off!

Reply 6

MissSurfer

I hate it too - always looks cheap and tacky (but is expensive for what it is) and like they've crammed too much stuff in.

Reply 7

seriouslycasual

Aw, I work there too and I don't think it is that bad. I admit the pay could be better but I work with a really friendly bunch of people. The having to stay after sometimes does get a bit annoying, but the managers appreciate it and make note of it. I ear pierce there as well and haven't had a serious problem myself and know of many happy customers who are very pleased with the service we offer. So people thinking of applying at a Claires shouldn't be put off just yet :tongue:

Reply 8

emom100

i couldnt work there purely cos of the ear piercing. i remeber seeing a mother force her baby into having them done and this poor kid was screaming and screaming and as so tiny she couldnt actually sit up unsupported.All its mum kept saying was "am i being a cruel mummy" in a really gooey voice adn i just wanted to go over and say well actually yes you are being a total cow. why the hell does a baby need pierced ears, it just seemed abusive when i saw it and i've neverbeen back since.

Reply 9

dogtanian

I work for Claire's.

It's alright.

Not entirely sure how relevant this is to the forum, but you know.

Anywhere that pierces a child who clearly does not want it done is not a good store, mind...

ETA: I get paid to tidy up, except on a Sunday, but we're out so fast that I don't mind, really. That sort of thing is a regional policy, not a blanket company wide one.
I've never had to wear the hen night range, unless I've chosen to. I rarely have to wear stock, and if I do, I can wear an unobtrusive tiara. That, and a lot of what you're complaining about would either be a regional thing or a management thing. I work there and I don't have those problems.

And I've worked there for a year and not even seen anyone vomit, let alone clean it up. I've had someone faint on me, but that wasn't piercing-related.

Seriously, your post is a bit of an embittered rant. It's not that bad, and if it is, it's probably just your manager...

Reply 10

Emma

Yeah I had a friend ho worked there, and she warned me off strongly too. They were taxing her too much and not paying her enough.

xx

Reply 11

JonnyB

I don't they would take me there anyway.

Reply 12

dogtanian

Emma

Yeah I had a friend ho worked there, and she warned me off strongly too. They were taxing her too much and not paying her enough.

xx

Claire's Accessories runs the Treasury now and sets the nation's income tax? :eek:

Reply 13

homoterror

dogtanian

Claire's Accessories runs the Treasury now and sets the nation's income tax? :eek:

Duh. It's a relic from the time that Gordon Brown worked there.

So do Claire's accessories ever employ blokes? *wants to wear a tiara on the shop floor*

Reply 14

dogtanian

homoterror

Duh. It's a relic from the time that Gordon Brown worked there.

So do Claire's accessories ever employ blokes? *wants to wear a tiara on the shop floor*

Hehe..

And yes, of course they do! There would be serious equality issues otherwise...

I've only ever met one straight male employee though. I suppose most straight blokes think it's not for them. a lot of the male customers assume that we're all questioning their sexuality as they make their purchases. In my last shift alone I had three 'I'm not gay!' customers. How amusing.

Reply 15

blissy

I've always found that you're pretty much expected to work for an extra half hour or so without getting paid after the shop closes in all retail work. That's been my experience.

If you don't like the morals of the place (ear piercing and sashes) then you can just quit.

I don't think any of this is isolated to Claire's accessories. :smile:

Reply 16

bluenoxid

Its ****ing illegal is this stuff about not being paid, take the bastards to court.

I am only 17 so do not accept my legal advice

Flipping heck, Morrisons pay you for working more hours.

Although morrisons dont let you dress up in their hen party range :biggrin:

Reply 17

twiga

I get paid until 6:30 on a weekday (we close at 5:30) and 5:30 on a Sunday (we close at 4:30 and are usually out by 5).

Reply 18

shopaholic_soph

yes i work at Topshop and when we closewe stay for an extra 15 minutes and get paid for it!! we also dont have to clean as we have cleaners!

Reply 19

sortofdifferent

I work in a supermarket and have only had to stay late once, when some woman went off on one about me not topping up her phone, when the phone company's topup system was down and all payments were delayed. I only had to stay 20 minutes though, and my work paid me for it at the night rate. I don't get danger money though- once a scary man was walking around 'stabbing' people with a pen and asking them if he could buy the Sugar Plum Fairy.
Another time there was a HUGE storm and the roof started leaking, two shops in the same street had the roof cave in, and the power went out for 10 seconds.
I still couldn't go home. ;_;