Archived Do Cashiers Clean Bathrooms?

[wewere]

Hey guys!

I was hired a couple of days ago as a cashier. They expressed interest in cross training me as a cart attendant during the phone interview ,but knowing the responsibilities and the fact that I have trouble dealing with cold weather and germs (I know I'm not the only one) I declined.

When I came in to the store on the day of my interview, the training video said something about keeping bathrooms clean. I again expressed my disinterest to the manager.

From what I understand, target has a shortage of cart attendants (and I can understand why). Would such cross training be mandatory?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Yes, it is.

 

[commiecorvus]

Welcome to The Break Room.

Sorry to say they can do a 'needs of the store' thing and train you where they want to unless you have physical limitations.
If you have germ issues even cashiering would be a problem.
I've seen where people pulled money when they went to pay me, it wasn't pretty.

 

[MrGSTLman]

Welcome!! Short answer -- yes, it is required. To be honest the more areas you are cross-trained in the better off you are once hours get low -- you can pick up shifts in other workcenters to maintain hours. Been there, done that. Now, when I was up front as a GSTL, I did expect my cart attendants to help maintain cleanliness in the restrooms (as I also set the expectation to the cashiers). That being said, when I say maintain cleanliness I am simply saying sweep up the floor, flush toilets, general cleanliness stuff like that. I would NEVER ask a cashier or CA to clean up bodily fluid (the GSTL would always take one for the team there). I'm not saying that is how it is in your store, but I imagine that would be the expectation. If you are concerned about germs, they will always supply you with gloves if you would need them.

Good luck!!

 

[rogue]

Welcome to The Break Room.

Sorry to say they can do a 'needs of the store' thing and train you where they want to unless you have physical limitations.
If you have germ issues even cashiering would be a problem.
I've seen where people pull money when they go to pay me, it aint pretty.

Haha. Srsly. Cashiering is probably the most germ-ridden job in the store.

 

[mrknownothing]

Depending on your store volume, only cart attendants and brand attendants are required to do it. In lower volume stores where there are too few hours for all-day CA/BA coverage, the GSTL/GSA or a cashier may have to do the restroom checks (flush toilets, sweep floors, check TP, etc.). However, TMs who are not haz-mat certified are not supposed to do "those" clean-ups - either a CA/BA or leader should do it.

 

[mrknownothing]

Haha. Srsly. Cashiering is probably the most germ-ridden job in the store.

That's why we have hand sanitizer at every register.

 

[rogue]

Haha. Srsly. Cashiering is probably the most germ-ridden job in the store.

That's why we have hand sanitizer at every register.

Yup. I use it obsessively when I'm cashiering.

 

[buliSBI]

It depends on the store. Lower volume stores will have the Front End team (Cashiers, GSTMs, GSAs, and GSTLs) all pitch in and clean the restrooms. At higher volume stores, the cart or brand attendants will clean either their gender bathroom (while a cashier cleans the other) or both.

 

[eleuthreophile]

At my store, it's always the girl at the service desk who checks the bathroom. I've never crosstraining be mandatory in my store.

 

[buliSBI]

If you are hired for the Front End, a lot of stores like to train their TMs in an Front End area on top of doing cashier. Service Desk, Photo, Food Ave, Cart Attendant, Brand Attendant.

Many of my stores tried their best to this. You usually had the pick of Guest Service or Food Ave. I did them both.

 

[pharmtechno]

Cashiering really is more germy than being a cart attendant! The thing that sucks about carts is the really hot and/or really cold weather... or whatever undesirable weather you may be faced with, within the climate you reside. You really don't do THAT much bathroom cleaning. It's not like you go in and clean toilets. Every now and then there's a poop disaster on the floor and you DO have to take care of that... same thing if someone barfs on the salesfloor. Those are things you wouldn't necessarily have to deal with as a cashier.... but cashiers do handle tons of nasty germy money without gloves/masks/etc.

 

[pharmtechno]

Also... get your flu shot! It's free for team members, and you'll need it! ;-)

 

[impiousimp]

At my store the breakers tend to clean bathrooms and do a bathroom check. If there's a huge mess they usually have a cart attendant do it.

 

[go ahead]

As a cashier only you are definitely not required to clean a public bathroom. That's janitorial work and beneath many people, you won't clean a bathroom don't worry.

 

[mxrbook]

As a cashier only you are definitely not required to clean a public bathroom. That's janitorial work and beneath many people, you won't clean a bathroom don't worry.

Not at my store. It's not beneath the cashiers, the GSAs, the GSTLs, the ETLs, the STL to clean the restroom if it needs it. We schedule the cashiers and the cart attendants to clean the restrooms every hour.

 

[buliSBI]

As a cashier only you are definitely not required to clean a public bathroom. That's janitorial work and beneath many people, you won't clean a bathroom don't worry.

I would never say that...In the stores I worked, if you (any TM or ETL) use the restroom and it looks messy, you better clean it or notify someone to clean it.

The only time we leave it alone is after the final bathroom check of the day, and leave it to the cleaning crew.

 

[redeye58]

As a cashier only you are definitely not required to clean a public bathroom. That's janitorial work and beneath many people, you won't clean a bathroom don't worry.

You'd be laughed out of my store for saying that.
Even if you're "only a cashier" you'll be expected to zone, do restroom checks, clean up spills (non-hazard) if the CA is on a carry out, etc.
@OP: And if you "express disinterest" in such menial chores, don't expect to go very far. Most other depts won't want anybody who feels they're 'above' such work. It's about the store's needs; it ain't about you.

 

[notmyjob]

I would have trouble cleaning the public bathrooms; I'd vomit all over the place. I have a sensitivity to dirty things like that. Nope, can't do that.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

As a cashier only you are definitely not required to clean a public bathroom. That's janitorial work and beneath many people, you won't clean a bathroom don't worry.

That "beneath many people" part is why I'm always friendly toward my store's custodial workers and frequently say "thanks" to them. They're a severely under appreciated group of workers, along with dishwashers and trash collectors and many others whose work typically goes unnoticed. I wonder how much more we'd appreciate the work they do if it didn't get done for a week.
As to the OP's original question, I expect everyone who's worked at Target for longer than a few months would have multiple stories to tell about gross things they've found all around the store, not just in the restrooms. If germs are a problem, retail is not the right place to be. On the other hand, I attribute my lack of colds and flu to being around germs all the time in a low-level kind of way. It (and getting a flu shot every year) gives my immune system a little workout, keeps it strong and working to keep me healthy even when everyone else has some bug or other. (Now watch, I'll get a humdinger of a cold this year and the joke will be on me.)

 

[allnew2]

That's janitorial work and beneath many people,

Those people should go in a 3rd world country, they would probably clean the shit bare hands to realize what it means to actually have a job.

 

[redeye58]

Almost six years.....is that a record or what?

 

[Kartman]

A cashier hasn't been trained in hazardous procedures, but they sure as hell can sweep up or resupply hand towels or TP.

 

[happygoth]

Is this still a thing in some stores? Because I dont think it's a thing in mine. I dont recall ever seeing anyone but the cleaning crew clean our bathrooms.

 

[Dog]

Is this still a thing in some stores? Because I dont think it's a thing in mine. I dont recall ever seeing anyone but the cleaning crew clean our bathrooms.

I am a guest advocate who used to be a GSA and I still have to clean the bathrooms