Q&A With Jo-Ann Stores Employees

They've cornered the market on brick and mortar fabric stores by putting others out of business, but Internet fabric stores have a larger presence.

You work there in excess of five years, recieving a quarter raise per year and new hires for the same position are paid several dollars more per hour.

None. Employees are given a 20% discount. Once per quarter a 2 day 30% discount. Which is a mute point - as customers get coupons FOR THE SAME DISCOUNTS more often.

Very crammed, there is one long counter with 3 desks and two computers, so it is hard to get any computer-based work done.

A lot.

Weekends off are non-existent. Daily hours fluctuate from 6am start one day to 4pm start the next day, then back to 8am start the next. Your internal clock gets completely out of whack - although manager works consistent daily schedule and NEVER WORKS ON WKENDS.

Dread going in, working hours are constantly cut back, therefore amount of work to complete in a day increases

With the amount of employee turn over, my job is secure.

Even though you request vacation six months ahead of time, management usually trumphs it with theirs.

Minimum wage. Even after years of service and the twenty five cents annual raise, minimum wage rate hikes make long term employees paid the same as new hires.

Be cheerful and outgoing.

Easy, they'll hire anyone, even if you're not crafty.

As a full time employee, are you available 24/7?

Store manager. Usually makes offer of employment on the spot.

Not at all. Cannot rotate shifts with others. Time off must be requested three weeks or more in advance. Never a consistent schedule, work all kinds of crazy hours, 6am shift start one day, work 3pm until midnight the next. Then in at 8am the next.

Someone who doesn't need a job for income, like bored housewives.

Availability and special need accommodations.

The what? No internships.

The store manager will try new motivational tricks on a weekly basis. But their bad mood and attitude usually drags everyone down, so the little tricks don't take hold on employees.

The only skill needed is to be able to show up to work on time.

I don't know why anyone would consider a career at Joann. They do not give merit pay raises and their maximum yearly raise is twenty five cents. The employee discount is 20%, but customers receive the same discount in the form of a coupon every week.

We do not have layoffs, as most new hires quit after about 3 weeks.

They don't. They promote from outside

The team members are awesome

Very low. High turnover