Walmart here I come!

I'm sure I'll bump into you congrats I'm out of woodland pa

 

Just wondering if one or more of you guys or girls could talk me off the ledge. I am set to start orientation on Monday and I am having days where I really struggle with second thoughts about making this change. I am leaving a job where I make around 80k a year and will be giving up 3 weeks of vacation. My job is very flexible and even though it is an otr job, I am allowed to go home any time I have a need or a desire to go home. On average I stay out 3-4 nights a week, but work 5.5-6 days a week to earn the living that I earn. I like the job even though it is packed full of stress and hustle the majority of the time. This wal mart job beats my job in every category from pay to insurance to retirement etc...but I am still struggling. I have read every post on almost every forum and you guys/girls have been a blessing to me through this whole process. I struggle most with giving up my home time through the week and the whole flexibility thing...very seldom am I away 4 nights in a row. Driver morale is in the tank big time here and the company is putting in a lot of effort to restore that. Insurance here is upward of $900/mo and that's just for an HSA, all depending on your contribution amount, $1100/mo if you go PPO and none of this includes dental, vision, etc. I know I'm making the right choice, but I have a lot of days where I really second guess myself. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.

 

The only thing I would say is if your doing primarily for the insurance then don't. The insurance here is far from great. If one thing here could be improved that would be it.

 

It may not be that great, but it also isn't anywhere close to $900 a month for the family.

For us, we are currently paying $101.40 for medical, $30.60 for dental, and $8.26 for vision. That is a family plan and is paid every two weeks. Plus, we get full 401K match up to 6%.

Your first year you won't have as many days off as you have now, however, you will still have time off. With the new PTO plan starting this summer, you will be able to access your time off as you accrue it. Plus, there are the 4 paid safety days a year. You will have your full two days off a week, unless you extend your week. This means you are out 4 nights.

If you need time off for anything, Walmart will go out of their way to accomodate you. It is a very family oriented company, and they realize how much truck drivers give up, in relation to their families. However, the biggest thing will be the respect you are treated with. Until you are actually working there, it really is hard to wrap your head around this.

The reality is, as long as you didn't burn any bridges, if you don't like it, you could go back to your current job. I will say with absolute certainty that his does not happen very often.

Feel free to ask any thing you wish. Change sucks, lets be honest. However, to never know if this is truly the best course of action for you and your family, would "suck" worse.

 

Thanks a lot to both of you for taking the time to respond to my post. All of my bridges are in really good shape and I think that's been the hardest part- knowing that they really don't want me to leave. Insurance price at my current job has been the biggest part of me wanting to seek out and find another job. Even though it is the one thing that everyone agrees Walmart could do better, it still sounds a far cry better than what I have. I'm sure after all the training and after a few weeks of being on my own, I will settle in just fine. I wish I could just get the feeling out of my gut that continues to make me second guess my decision. Thanks again!

 

I'd be surprised if you weren't happy here even though your gig don't sound too bad

 

You can take your layover at the house if you happen to be close enough as well and that could create some additional opportunities to get home during the week.

 

Make sure if you take layover at home that you don't use the start layover macro since you don't get layover pay, does anyone know if our safety bonus pays out this coming Thursday?

 

Yes bonus will be on this check, you can still start and end layover just note no pay etc.. We had a guy fired at our DC for stealing layover pay...

 

You guys have a lot of dedicated walmarts drivers of other companies come in? Was wondering if it's a big plus or am I just wasting my here,
I just want a uniform with my name on it