Archived Invasion of privacy?

[Serri330]

Look, basically there is nothing you can do about this. Even if you report it through integrity, it will only cause this ETL and her buddy ETLs to start gunning for you.

What can you take out of this experience? You now know that this ETL is a snake and is not to be trusted for any reason at any time. Let me say that again - THIS ETL IS A SNAKE AND IS NOT TO BE TRUSTED EVER FOR ANY REASON.

This ETL-AP at your store is the most dangerous kind of ETL there is.... It is an ETL who made it her mission day one to go out of her way to write up/term people just for the power trip.... and to make her even more dangerous, she is clearly willing to do highly unethical and immoral things in order to accomplish her sick little power trip.

Never tell her anything no matter how nice she may be in the future. If she starts acting nice for a period of time, remember that SHE HAS NOT CHANGED. This is the kind of person she is. She will knife you and any other TM in the back the first chance she gets.

There is an old Native American story that applies here.

One day there was a scorpion walking along a river who wanted to go across. Obviously, scorpions can not cross a river. However, a fox happened to be walking along the river at the same time. The scorpion said to the fox "Would you let me ride on your back across the river?". The fox replied "No, if I do that you'll sting me and I'll drown." To that the scorpion said, "Why would I do that? If I did that you would sink and we would both die."

So the fox thought about it and decided to let the scorpion ride on his back. As the fox was half way done swimming across the river, the scorpion stung him. As the fox was sinking he asked the scorpion "Why did you do that? No we will both die". The scorpion replied "I know. I couldn't help it. It's in my nature".

The moral of the story? Some people are so sinister in their nature that they simply can not be trusted for any reason.

Remember this story whenever you see this ETL.

I learned long ago to never trust an ETL, for any reason, no matter how nice or cool or understanding they seem to be. Because they all have a hidden agenda and only care about putting themselves on top and making themselves look good. I think it's really sad that this company has deteriorated to the point that the useless college graduates they hire are so completely untrustworthy. But that's a topic for another day.

As you've said, we've come to the conclusion that there really is nothing we could do, even if we try and go to the district level. The last time we had anyone from the district come to our store, it was supposed to be to address the amount of employee complaints against management that we had. But the district representative did not speak with a single person below the TL level. So it was an epic waste of time, and showed everyone that the company didn't give two $#!-$ about anyone. And calling the Integrity hotline also results in no changes and fear of retaliation.

Thank you, everyone, for all of your advice and outlooks on the situation. I really do appreciate it.

Unfortunately, this further proves to me that my store is morally corrupt, and that isn't much that a TM can do to defend themselves. I think it's time to dust off the resume :/

 

[CIHYVS]

The ETL-AP was most likely just trying to figure out whose phone it was. Because the phone was not unlocked, she was unable to find out whose phone it was. Because she is the ETL-AP, she most likely checked the cameras to see who put the phone in the drawer. This is why she knew exactly whose phone it was.
Your friend can complain about the locker situation to your ETL-HR to resolve that issue, but in this situation the ETL-AP did nothing that could get her in trouble. Her job is to promote a safe and secure environment, and keeping a phone and wallet in a drawer sometimes left unattended opens doors for the kinds of theft she is trying to deter.

I know that store cameras CAN NOT be used for performance related observation. I had an ETL-HR go to war with a former STL in the middle of a TL meeting that resulted in some type of internal situation. The result was a STL that was "no longer with the company" and a short block of instruction to the team leadership and AP guys that using cameras for any reason other than AP.

When our store had an internal loss/shrink problem a few years ago, the STL and ETL-AP started exercising their Target-given right to do receipt checks and back checks to all TMs on the way out the door. Unless policy has changed in the last 2 years, anything you bring onto Target property is open to search. If this includes personal electronics I'm not sure but a term'd TM took the store to court and won big time. But he won because he was being stopped and searched after clocking out and because he was not allowed punch corrections for the time after he clocked out to walking out the door with the closing LOD. So I think the policy still legally stands that once on Target property and clocked in, you can be searched.

Luckily now we have a whole new chain of command so it isn't as crazy. Lockers are still subject to search at any time, even when locked. We have had locks cut to look for stollen items. Our STL is also very vocal on excercising his right to search our desk in the TL office for hidden equipment and "items that may have been not paid for by mistake".

Maybe an hourly buddy in AP or HR could point you in the right direction or print the policy off for you.

 

[backroomdude]

Funny thing Spot's rule of "off the floor" means off stage areas. However....I believe all stores have now been fitted with Wifi, and I know that at our store they tell us to have our phones on us with the Target App. With equipment issues as crappy as they are were told we can use the phone to help guest find something using the app. I find it funny they have a rule says you cant have it on your person while working, but now its ok.

 

[pzychopopgroove]

I agree. Cell phone and wallet should have been left in her car. Water at breaks. Of course most etls don't have the time to concern themselves with such trivial things, but you have a new etl trying to prove herself. IMHO, I wouldn't call integrity hotline. Doesn't ever seem to turn out well.

Funny thing about leaving it in her car... 😉

We've had a rash of car break ins and car thefts in our parking lot for about a year now. Add in the fact that my friend happens to own a 90's model Honda, and you can see why should wouldn't be wanting to leave personal effects in her vehicle.

If your friend is worried about people stealing the car itself you can install a kill switch that'll cut off the fuel line. That or take out a few fuses from under the hood (the only way it can be stolen then is if it is towed).

 

[JustJoe]

During my entire first month with Spot I carried my 7" tablet in my back pocket. Not a word from anyone except the ETL-GE, who asked me how I liked it. Now, I'm using a smartphone again, so the tablet doesn't come with me to work anymore.

 

[RhettB]

No need to look at the phone or wallet to see whose it was. As the AP she could have simply looked at the video to see who's it was. She was just being nosy.

I'd go to the STL about the locker situation as well as what the AP did.

 

[AsAdvertised]

I'd go to Integrity regardless. That way, at least a report will already have been on her in case someone else complains.