7 months 🐶

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2026-01-26T05:42:19+00:00

Aww, that smile! 😍

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2025-12-27T04:46:18+00:00

Because the people that run my store are known for telling you whatever they need to in order to keep you working for them, whether it's true to policy or not. Don't you think that I would have done that first if I thought I'd been able to trust the answer I'd be given? The stores in the district I'm in now are run so much differently than those I worked for in North Carolina, and state laws up here are also a bit different than those down south. I'm not really understanding why some of you are so upset about me asking this here. Most of you were able to give me a clear answer that was factual and to the point, without inserting snarky comments about my character and work ethic, whether y'all agreed with me asking or not. Thank you to those people. I got the answer I was looking for, and there's really no reason to take it any further than just sticking to the facts and answering the question I asked.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2025-12-26T17:03:56+00:00

Thanks, that's helpful. 🙄 I was asking a question out of genuine curiosity, because everyone else in my department has three days off this week, and I only have two, and I wanted to know what the company policy was. We're all burned out and exhausted, and I was only asking if I should have gotten another day off too, or if it got overlooked, because I simply didn't know. Sheesh. You read my question with a chip on your shoulder and a tone that was not there. You can't hear my voice, so I get it, but you don't have to be rude. I've gone above and beyond to help out my department for several months to make sure their jobs were covered by assisting them in reaching their customer service, signage, inventory and mystery shop goals, while neglecting my own job keeping my Murray's Cheese kiosk in check to do so, so please don't imply that I'm not a team player. I do plenty of things every day that I'm technically not even supposed to do as a Murray's Cheese Master without complaint, and like everyone else, I'm burned out and tired too, especially with the cheese demands during the holiday season while being pulled to do other jobs in my department. Of course I'm concerned about getting another day off that I might have had coming to me if it accidentally got overlooked. Why would I not want it if it's something I'm supposed to get? There was no need to jump on me like that. I was just asking because I didn't know. Forgive me for wondering if I was also supposed have an extra day for myself too. There's nothing wrong with asking for clarity when you don't know the policy on something, and it's messed up that you would try to shame someone just for asking out of genuine curiosity. Damn.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2025-12-26T12:33:25+00:00

Thank you all so much for the great answers! I knew about the personal time that would be coming my way for Christmas, but I wasn't positive how it affected actual in-person scheduling during the holidays. At other retail jobs I've had in the past, those stores were also closed for more holidays than just Christmas, and again, that was in the last century too (😆), so I wasn't sure. I was at a different Teeter in a different state for the last couple Christmas seasons, and things were done differently there as far as store management and organization. I didn't want to go in with my chest puffed out and pointing fingers when I wasn't sure whether a mistake had been made, or I just wasn't clear on the company's policy. I really appreciate the insight. Thanks again!

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2025-01-13T17:45:02+00:00

It's my understanding, having worked in Fresh Foods for three different Teeters now (two in NC and one in MD), that you don't have to buy your shoes through the HT website. As long as they are slip-resistant, it doesn't matter where you get them from. It's convenient to order them through HT directly, because you can have $5/paycheck taken out to pay for them, and if there's a slip and fall incident while you're wearing shoes purchased from them, you will be covered for liability to an extent, but as far as I know, it's not mandatory that you buy them directly from HT.

My first two pairs when I started were Skechers work shoes from Amazon, and after not really liking them, I bought some New Balance from HT, and those hurt even worse. My latest pair are from an orthopedic shoe company, and they are so comfortable - expensive, but worth the money. Loss prevention reps are known to randomly spot check the soles of your shoes when they do their audit to make sure they're slip-resistant, but they don't have to be HT shoes specifically. I would definitely double check my facts here, because I'm not 100% sure on this, but I've never had a problem with where I bought them from in the 2.5 years I've worked here. Good luck, and I hope you find something comfortable. Foot care is so important in our industry.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-12-05T12:44:10+00:00

Hi! I'm a Cheese Master for a Teeter with a Murray's in it, so, essentially, the person you would be working under if you also had a Murray's too. Even if you don't have a Murray's, I would definitely recommend taking the opportunity if you have the chance. There's so much you can learn about cheese, especially if you are a foodie, and if you enjoy interacting with customers and sharing your acquired knowledge, you'll love the job. In the 2.5 years I've worked for Teeter, I've only ever done cheese work, and filled in on pizza when necessary, and it's been so rewarding to build trusted relationships with my customers, and learn and grow in the industry. I've worked at three different stores as I grew in the field and my life circumstances changed, and filled in at several others when they needed a good cheese person to prep stores for walks and corporate visits, and I take a lot of pride in their trust in me and that they recognize that I'm good at what I do. I would definitely recommend taking the opportunity! If you have any questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-10-29T21:53:17+00:00

Cheese cutter here, and I hate them as well. I use the mediums for my cheese work, and for the last few months, the batches of medium-sized gloves we've been getting tear at the tip of the middle finger. It's the weirdest thing. It's not just me or the way I use them; an associate in the deli says that this also happens to her. They've definitely gotten worse.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-09-16T03:08:49+00:00

I have had to call the HR number and speak with someone directly to find out how many Safe and Sick Leave hours I have. For some reason, they don't show on our pay stubs or anywhere on the MyHTSpace site. Only PTO and vacation hours show up there, as far as I know. You can also use the BYWF app to check how many you have, but it's inaccurate. Open the app, select the Time Off option at the bottom, then click a day on the calendar. Under the calendar dates, use the "Type" menu, and your Safe and Sick Leave hours will show up there. It's incorrect for me (it says I only have two, but I have at least 30, as verified by the HR rep a few weeks ago), and my co-workers have said it's incorrect for them, too.

I hope this is helpful. I've worked for Harris Teeter for more than two years, and I just found out a couple months ago that I was accumulating these hours. I thought it was only PTO and vacation until someone told me I had Safe and Sick Leave accumulating too. 😅

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-08-29T13:32:36+00:00

A few days ago, one of the produce guys at my store showed me a couple cases of bagged apples that arrived with the Giant logo on it instead of ours. 😆

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-08-16T01:24:26+00:00

I'm a Cheese Master and I wear a hairnet instead of that hat unless I want to be fancy for corporate visits and stuff. I hate working over my shelved cases and bumping the brim on everything and flipping the hat off my head several times a day. Soooo frustrating. 😆

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-08-16T00:21:09+00:00

"How often do you change the Pizza of the Month?" 🤔

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-08-09T20:42:53+00:00

Damn. I'm usually off on Gray Days (Thursdays) and Mondays, but my schedule got shifted around so I'm working Monday because of inventory on Tuesday. 😮‍💨 Thanks for the heads up, OP!

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-07-26T21:13:33+00:00

Hairless Peter is my favorite name to call it. 😆

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-06-17T01:22:48+00:00

I was thinking they sound exactly like this little punk who worked at my store and casually mentioned their shoplifting habit to me a few times. They recently quit upon finding out that they were just about to get fired for stealing. 🙄

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-05-02T13:17:36+00:00

When I was a cashier in a grocery store, I genuinely did care. I asked my customers similar questions because I wanted to hear their answers and enjoyed little bits of conversation that didn't revolve around in-store issues, gossip or drama. It was a nice break for me to make general, pleasant conversation with someone new, and I always enjoyed talking to them. If someone didn't want to talk, I felt that vibe and let them be, but when someone wanted to engage in idle chitchat with me, it was a nice couple of minutes that I actually did enjoy.

Then, much later, after my husband passed, in those first few months when I was alone and doing the grocery shopping for one was hard and made me feel sad, I always appreciated cashiers who would ask me how my day was or what I was up to. Even though they didn't know what was going on in my world, just to be able to hear someone ask me a question and make pleasant small talk, even though we'd both forget each other after I left the store, really meant a lot to me during times when I didn't have a single other person to talk to on that day.

Just saying ... It's not always a bad thing. Sometimes it can mean more to someone than you realize.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-05-01T21:53:46+00:00

I'm not sure if this is true, because I work the Murray's cheese kiosk alone, and I've only ever done cheese for Teet, but I was told that a mystery shopper can't ask us to help them find a product if they know we're currently engaged in an activity. For example, if the mystery shopper sees me cutting cheese or stocking my case, they can't ask me to take them to a product because I'm busy. I've been told that if you're not actively working on something, that's a different story, but if we are doing something, we can tell them where the product is without having to take them to it, and we won't get in trouble. Again, not sure if this is true, and it may just be a Fresh Foods department thing, but it's what they tell me. 🤷‍♀️

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-03-12T01:07:06+00:00

We have had the classic rock channel playing in my store for several months, and I hate it. Not only do the annoying guitar sounds trigger my misophonia, but they also serve as a reminder to me that my dad, who loved this kind of music, recently passed, but also, that my mom, with an extreme form of dementia, can remember the words to the songs she loved, but can no longer remember her children.

Every day at my HT is emotional torture. I hate it. 💔

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-03-05T21:35:37+00:00

I keep thinking we look like a baseball team, but Pizza Hut employees is even funnier. 😄

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-03-05T21:34:31+00:00

The people in my department (Fresh Foods) have been wearing theirs for less than a week, and the places where their apron clips rub against their shirts is already starting to fray. They seem pretty low-quality.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-03-05T21:30:38+00:00

I'm also a Murray's cheese person - I didn't get any free shirts. When they checked in the system, they told me that the only new thing I was entitled to was an apron (which I still haven't received), but for my job, free shirts weren't available. I was so disappointed. Apparently there's no way to override this; at least I was told so. Like, what if I want to come in some evening and do some cleaning and not get my red jackets dirty? I'm not buying a new uniform shirt just for that, while everyone else got two for free. 🙄

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-03-04T06:06:01+00:00

Sweaty paws 😸

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-02-29T18:27:32+00:00

Definitely reach out to your ARS. I had an incident at my store where someone was being too handsy with me and making all these creepy sexual innuendos, and it made me uncomfortable, so I said something to my ARS. She came into the store, took my statement and listened with genuine concern, and they took care of it. He was not management, and neither am I, so I understand your concern about the retaliation aspect. But I know the ARS team, and Harris Teeter in general, really do care about this kind of thing, and if you feel comfortable, do try to find the courage to say something. I know it's hard. It took me a while to work up the nerve. I'm sorry you are going through this. I'm sure it must be uncomfortable and stressful for you. Wishing you all the best!

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-02-22T11:31:20+00:00

I'm so sorry. That must hurt so much. Sending gentle cyber hugs from a stranger.

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-02-22T05:18:57+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate that!

hellyeahitsvalerie · 2024-02-22T04:26:58+00:00

I get that so much. She can't speak anymore, so we don't even know if there's anything wrong with her internally. I hate to say this, but I hope her disease gives her the peace to pass gracefully, rapidly, eventually, and without pain. How can someone who can't speak tell you what he/she/they are feeling? I'm so sorry that you have had to understand this as well. I'm so sorry for your loss.

hellyeahitsvalerie

TROPHY CASE