MrFedEx
Engorged Member
If you're new here, or just lurking, please pay attention. For long-timers, you probably don't need to read it. From a 30-year employee who has pretty much seen it all, and wished he had never heard of FedEx. Here goes...
1. At-Will Employment: When you apply, you will be forced to sign something that says you are an "at-will" employee. Simply put, you can be fired for anything at any time, and you probably won't have legal recourse because you signed on Day 1. There are exceptions, but not many. Plus, you will sign numerous other documents, including your Employee Handbook, which contain this clause. Again, you will be forced to sign it, or you will be most likely be fired.
2. GFT/Open Door: FedEx likes to pretend these are a substitute for Weingarten protection enjoyed by union members. Not quite. What these really are is generally an opportunity for you to self-incriminate and give FedEx Legal the ammunition to terminate you. If you're a minority or have something substantial on management, you could be cleared or "win". Not likely.
3. Management Lies: They lie about anything and everything and will happily toss you under the bus to protect themselves. While we do have some decent managers, most are either failed couriers or losers who couldn't get a management gig at a decent employer. Some will ask you to falsify and then deny it. You will be fired...not them.
4. Falsification: This will get you fired, but only if you are on the naughty list. Suck enough management butt and you can do almost anything and get away with it. Your best bet is to never do it, so it won't be a problem. This includes working through lunch, faking times in your PowerPad etc. Don't be stupid.
5. Retirement: You don't have any. The PPA/PPP is a crappy annuity that is in no way a substitute for a real retirement plan. Mr. Smith killed the real retirement in 2008, and it wasn't spectacular. This should tell you something.
6. The 10-Step Plan: It isn't 10 years. This means that you will never reach top scale at FedEx. I personally know several people with well over 20 years that still are not topped-out. Again, this should tell you something.
7. Injuries: It's best if you don't report them unless they are very serious. If you want to keep your job, suck it up and deal with the pain if you can. Reporting an injury is like signing your own death warrant.
8. Benefits: Over-priced, expensive, and poor quality. Most people don't even use them unless they get really sick. They toss you some freebies to make it sound like you're getting a good deal. You aren't.
9. Purple Promise/PSP/ Bravo Zulu etc: All garbage and meaningless. You can get a BZ on Friday and be fired Monday for something minor or imagined. These are all "rah-rah" and "go team" BS that are absolutely useless except for getting more performance out of the simple-minded employees who love this kind of crap.
10. WAD: "Work As Directed". If you like working for FedEx (some do), WAD is your friend. Never do more than you have to, because the reward for hard work at FedEx is more work and no extra pay. No matter how stupid it seems, if it is a policy or a management order, just do it, and then say you were working as directed when it turns to crap.
There is much more, but know that my goal is to prevent you from making the same mistakes I did and making Express a career. If you are young enough, get out, find a trade or go back to school. If you enjoy this kind of work, leave and pay your dues at UPS. I'd also advise getting a Class A CDL.
I'm not lying.
1. At-Will Employment: When you apply, you will be forced to sign something that says you are an "at-will" employee. Simply put, you can be fired for anything at any time, and you probably won't have legal recourse because you signed on Day 1. There are exceptions, but not many. Plus, you will sign numerous other documents, including your Employee Handbook, which contain this clause. Again, you will be forced to sign it, or you will be most likely be fired.
2. GFT/Open Door: FedEx likes to pretend these are a substitute for Weingarten protection enjoyed by union members. Not quite. What these really are is generally an opportunity for you to self-incriminate and give FedEx Legal the ammunition to terminate you. If you're a minority or have something substantial on management, you could be cleared or "win". Not likely.
3. Management Lies: They lie about anything and everything and will happily toss you under the bus to protect themselves. While we do have some decent managers, most are either failed couriers or losers who couldn't get a management gig at a decent employer. Some will ask you to falsify and then deny it. You will be fired...not them.
4. Falsification: This will get you fired, but only if you are on the naughty list. Suck enough management butt and you can do almost anything and get away with it. Your best bet is to never do it, so it won't be a problem. This includes working through lunch, faking times in your PowerPad etc. Don't be stupid.
5. Retirement: You don't have any. The PPA/PPP is a crappy annuity that is in no way a substitute for a real retirement plan. Mr. Smith killed the real retirement in 2008, and it wasn't spectacular. This should tell you something.
6. The 10-Step Plan: It isn't 10 years. This means that you will never reach top scale at FedEx. I personally know several people with well over 20 years that still are not topped-out. Again, this should tell you something.
7. Injuries: It's best if you don't report them unless they are very serious. If you want to keep your job, suck it up and deal with the pain if you can. Reporting an injury is like signing your own death warrant.
8. Benefits: Over-priced, expensive, and poor quality. Most people don't even use them unless they get really sick. They toss you some freebies to make it sound like you're getting a good deal. You aren't.
9. Purple Promise/PSP/ Bravo Zulu etc: All garbage and meaningless. You can get a BZ on Friday and be fired Monday for something minor or imagined. These are all "rah-rah" and "go team" BS that are absolutely useless except for getting more performance out of the simple-minded employees who love this kind of crap.
10. WAD: "Work As Directed". If you like working for FedEx (some do), WAD is your friend. Never do more than you have to, because the reward for hard work at FedEx is more work and no extra pay. No matter how stupid it seems, if it is a policy or a management order, just do it, and then say you were working as directed when it turns to crap.
There is much more, but know that my goal is to prevent you from making the same mistakes I did and making Express a career. If you are young enough, get out, find a trade or go back to school. If you enjoy this kind of work, leave and pay your dues at UPS. I'd also advise getting a Class A CDL.
I'm not lying.
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. And the majority of my co workers (mostly mid tier ppl) do not know anything about retirement, 401k, stock purchase plan, etc. Because they never asked, and because nobody so much as mentioned it.
