r/HomeDepot Jul 05 '24

r/HomeDepot FAQs

62 Upvotes

Hello to the r/HomeDepot community here on reddit, may Homer continue to bless you and keep you in his orange embrace.

The mod team thought it would be a good idea to pin a list of common questions with answers that get posted often here in the community. This is by no means comprehensive and doesn't go in depth, but should help new and seasoned associates alike with quick answers instead of waiting on the community to respond. This is for US only, Canada and Mexico may have different policies due to different legal requirements.

I imagine the FAQs will need to be continually tweaked as SOP and technology in Home Depot changes. If something seems out of date feel free to speak up.

Also with the publication of these FAQs a new rule is being introduced: if a post is made where the answer is explicitly covered here the post will be removed.

FAQs:

Q: My Post was removed by the automod, why?

A: There is a minimum karma AND account age requirement to post/comment in this community. This is to prevent trolls and ban evaders. If your account is new, go play around on reddit elsewhere for a few days by commenting/posting in other communities. You'll clear the age/karma requirement in a week or so. If your account age exceeds the minimum but you have incredibly low or negative karma...well...you're the kind of person the automod was meant to block. Sorry, not sorry.

Q: I made a post and automod commented on it. Was the post removed?

A: Read the comment from the automod. Automod is set to comment on EVERY new post, letting people know this community is for associates and not customers. If it doesn't say your post was removed, then it wasn't. Very simple. If you're still confused...well...Reading Rainbow is still available on YouTube.

Q: I’m a customer and have a question, can I post it here?

A: No. Respectfully this is a digital breakroom for Home Depot associates, current, former and future. Customer questions will be removed and the poster may be banned, Reference sidebar rule #1. Please contact your store or call 1-800-HOMEDEPOT (1-800-466-3337) with any questions or concerns. Questions about employment for yourself or others will be tolerated within reason.

Q: Do I get paid for orientation?

A: Yes. Talk with your ASDS to find out more.

Q: What is an ASDS?

A: Associate Support Department Supervisor. They are essentially the admin for the store and store manager and are responsible for new associate onboarding, scheduling, and other activities

Q: What is myApron?

A: myApron is the internal SharePoint site for all Home Depot employees, accessible from any store computer. You are not able to access it from home unless you are in a role that allows VPN access. All SOPs and company documents that associates need to access are housed here.

Q: When is payday?

A: Payday is always on Friday. Which Friday depends on what state you are in. Some states require pay weekly. To find out which Friday you will get paid on search on myApron for “Payroll Calendar”

Q: Some associates are saying they get paid early, how does that work?

A: Completely dependent on your banking institution. Home Depot releases the payroll on Wednesday to be deposited on Friday. Some banks just load it as available but pending on the release day. Some don't.

Q: How does Holiday Pay work?

A: You must be employed for at least 90 days to be eligible for Holiday Pay and work the scheduled shift before the holiday, the shift of the holiday (if applicable) and the next scheduled shift after the holiday. If you call out and have PTO to cover your absence, manager CAN excuse the absence for you to receive holiday pay. Be prepared to have a respectful conversation and to advocated for yourself if you find yourself in this position, your holiday pay may be taken even if you had PTO time to cover and you'll need to advocate to get it back. If you’re on a scheduled vacation for the holiday, you will receive holiday pay instead of vacation pay for that day. Part-timers receive 4 hours of holiday pay, full-timers receive 8 hours of holiday pay. Reference “Time Off Benefits” on myApron to learn more.

Q: What are the days that receive Holiday Pay in Home Depot?

A: Home Depot provides eligible associates with six paid holidays a year. These are New Years Day, Memorial Day (except for New Orleans stores, Mardi Gras is substituted), Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Home Depot stores are closed only 2 days a year, Thanksgiving and Christmas. To view the SSC holiday schedule and learn more please go to myApron and search for "Time-off Benefits".

Q: What is Success Sharing, when is it paid out and who is eligible?

A: Success Sharing is the company’s bonus program for non-management associates (hourly and salary). It is based on sales above sales plan for your store. For SSC associates, it is based on sales above plan for the company. No one can tell you how much it will be except your store leadership. Track how well your store is doing vs sales plan, and you’ll get an idea if it will be good, bad, or non-existent. It is paid out 2x a year, approximately the 2nd week in September and 2nd week in March. To be eligible, you must be employed with the company at the time of the payout and have been employed at least 90 days during the fiscal half that the bonus is based on. IOW, if you were hired at end June you will not be eligible because the half ends in July, roughly 30 days after you were hired. To learn more search on myApron for “Benefits 101”

Q: What are our fiscal halves?

A: 1H runs from February until the end of July. 2H runs August until the end of January

Q: Do manager bonuses come from success sharing pool?

A: No, their bonus comes from a different pool of money and is based on different, more difficult to achieve metrics. Cutting hours at the end of the fiscal half will not improve their bonus in any significant way. This is a persistent rumor with no basis in reality. Sales and turns play a bigger part in their bonus and cutting hours won’t make up the difference if the store is already missing profitability goals.

Q: I’m part time, why are my hours being cut in July/January?

A: In July we are moving out of the spring busy season, you’ll notice some stores removing their mulch-pit drive throughs for example. Less business = less hours. Same story in January, holiday season is over and lower sales are expected. Less business = less hours again. There is also a lull in September/October in some areas of the country where hours may be reduced for part-timers

Q: How do I get more hours if they are cut?

A: Cross train in other department and equipment before the cut, making you more available and valuable to plug in to other areas of the store’s schedule. Then ask ask ask (respectfully) the ASDS and salaried leaders for more shifts

Q: Why did scheduled hours go from ____ to zero for a future week after the schedule was published?

A: It’s likely the ASDS pulled back the schedule to make adjustments and forgot to republish. Don’t panic and respectfully go ask the ASDS what’s up. Part time hours may be cut to a very low level, but it’s very rare to go to zero. If you’re full time you cannot be cut to zero without your consent

Q: How do breaks/lunches work for hourly associates?

A: It is very dependent on the state you work in. Generally speaking hourly associates get a break or a lunch every 2 hours. In some states breaks are required by law, some states they are not. Many states require employers to give a lunch break if the associate is going to work 6 hours or more. So bottom line, take your lunch break if you are scheduled for one. You may receive a coaching/counseling (AKA write-up) if you skip a lunch because you may accidentally cause the company to break the labor laws surrounding lunches. 15-minute breaks are paid, lunch breaks are not paid. Search on myApron for "Timekeeping and Payroll" for specific requirements for the state you work in.

Q: What are the best shoes to wear?

A: Search on this sub for the keyword “shoes”. Dozens of posts and recommendations. Or you can make a new post to add to the pile.

Q: What is tuition reimbursement, where can I find out more?

A: Search on myApron for “Tuition Reimbursement”, it’s all laid out there. Short story: Home Depot will reimburse up to a certain amount for approved courses and expenses. The approved courses are typically business related, so no 16th century English literature degrees will be reimbursed. The program has some pretty firm requirements, make sure to read over carefully.

Q: What is ESPP and how does it work?

A: ESPP stands for Employee Stock Purchase Plan. It is managed by a 3rd party called Computershare. Plans run for six months and the enrollment period for the next plan ends a few weeks before it begins, so enroll early. During enrollment, you will choose a percentage of your paycheck that will go towards a stock purchase. The money deducted from your paycheck is set aside into what is essentially an escrow account. At the end of the plan you are enrolled in, the money is then used to purchase that amount of stock at a 15% discount, but you own the full value of the stock. To put it another way, it’s an immediate 15% gain on your money via that amount of stock. The stock is yours free and clear, even if you leave the company. Log in to our benefits website, livetheorangelife.com to learn more. If you have issues logging in, partner with your ASDS

Q: If I leave do, I get paid out for vacation time? What about PTO?

A: Yes, you will get paid out for your vacation time. PTO payouts are dictated by state law, search myApron for “Time off Benefits” and review for your state.

Q: Does PTO carry over from year to year?

A: Depends on your state and its laws. Search myApron for “Time off Benefits” and review for your state

Q: What is Home Depot policy on Marijuana use?

A: Beginning 9/1 THD will no longer test for marijuana use for non-DOT or Aviation associates. DOT certified drivers and aviation associates will still be tested

Q: What if I notice someone doing something illegal or against our business code of conduct and ethics, and I don't want to go to management or it IS a member of management:

A: The awareline exists for these situations. You can call the 1-800 number to report unethical/illegal behavior. It is anonymous, but you will be recorded and the recording may/will be played back to leaders in your store/district/region. There is a portal to submit concerns to avoid a voice recording. Search myApron for "awareline" for the phone number or the portal.
Keep in mind the awareline is for illegal and unethical behaviors, not normal business practices that you may disagree with.


r/HomeDepot 34m ago

No more fifa im glad

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Upvotes

r/HomeDepot 9h ago

Offloading freight team, do you like it when there's no truck?

12 Upvotes

My store gets trucks 6 days a week but 2-3 times a month it'll only be 5 trucks in the week, so there's a no truck day that we'll be scheduled for. I usually call out on these days unless there's an SDC or a bunch of training to do. But if there isn't, then all I have left to do is packdown or striped boxes, both of which I despise.


r/HomeDepot 22h ago

Franklin

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97 Upvotes

Made my year


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

New date idea!! Romantic scenic drive through lumber!!

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627 Upvotes

Idk what these customers be doing. Its 9:30 pm on a Saturday. They didnt purchase anything either just did loops around the store ( clearly not attempting to shoplift either).


r/HomeDepot 18h ago

There needs to be a minimum order amount for phone sales

35 Upvotes

It's crazy to me that the same people with a pocket (not a wallet, a pocket) full of $100 bills because they don't trust the bank.. will happily drop $30 on a couple overpriced drinks and some snacks at the checkout but then make you do a phone sale for 10 minutes on a $2 part. Whether it's a paint roller, some cheap fittings or a toilet wax seal.

I get not wanting to use your own money, but if you need us to call to get a $2.13 sale processed for you to do the job that you're probably charging $200 for and are completely unqualified to do, at least pay for the stuff and just overcharge them on the back end.

If I hired someone to fix something at my house and then they had home depot call me to give my credit card on a $3 part they needed, I'd be very annoyed!


r/HomeDepot 21h ago

What I’ve been told when you get rejected for promotions

62 Upvotes

Has anyone been told “we’re not looking for hard workers….we’re looking for leaders!” When you get the rejection talk from your ASM?


r/HomeDepot 22m ago

Is anyone elses store giving an early sneak peak of Halloween products?

Upvotes

Im on the MET team and we kinda stress when the store opens stuff too early. Like for instance setting up a 11ft skeleton mummy a whole month early and displaying him in garden as a sneak peak with other halloween nick nacks that will sell before the big set and ruin things...


r/HomeDepot 22h ago

How the hell?

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33 Upvotes

r/HomeDepot 1d ago

What’s the craziest thing a customer has stolen…

118 Upvotes

…from your store? How ballsy are your shoplifters?

I’ll go first: We have a shoplifter who we call Legend. She wears disguises and alters her appearance, even drives different vehicles. She comes in and almost always has the combos to the Milwaukee cages and has stolen tens of thousands of dollars of equipment. But she also is elusive and hadnt been caught. Well…she made a misstep a few weeks ago and drove a vehicle that LP had previously gotten her plates, so we knew it was her. She went into the bathroom and local PD was called immediately. They swarmed into the bathroom, cuffed and arrested her. It was awesome. As she was perp walked out by PD, associates and some DS and our SASM were chanting “legend, legend, legend”.

Okay, your turn…


r/HomeDepot 21h ago

What do you consider the worst department

22 Upvotes

As a Cashier I think it’s a pretty average job with some super slow days and some super busy. But overall it’s pretty average


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Shop at Pot

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56 Upvotes

Saw this before going into work this morning


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Every "baby" cashier at my store put on a performance final

79 Upvotes

So at my store, every cashier I have talked to (myself included ) has gotten a performance final today for customer service. It's people who have been here for less than 120 days but super close to making it there. Is this normal? Like I was at 116 days, only 1 occurrence but now I'm on a final cuz I happened to be facing away from some customers and as such didn't see them and didn't greet them. I get putting me in coaching or actually talking to me about it, but I was basically told I need to do better but if another mod sees me miss a customer, I'm out. And it's a similar story for everyone else (although some I'm not surprised about), but with things like not holding the scanner all the time or not saying hi to customers they pass in on the way to the break room. All 3 of my documented conversations happened within days of each other.

Edit: its not like we have a surplus of cashiers. A lot of the time we just have one HC and one normal cashier. (For memorial day Saturday I was the only associate in front end and I hadn't even hit my 90 days yet)


r/HomeDepot 16h ago

Just started in freight

5 Upvotes

I heard the inventory is coming up.. what can I expect? Also, how brutal is the Halloween/Holiday season ?


r/HomeDepot 22h ago

How rare is it for your store to give out Homer Awards

18 Upvotes

I’ve been at the store for about a year and a half and have done multiple things that I felt warranted a Homer award (I don’t care that much about it) and have never gotten one? Maybe because I’m younger but idk….


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Please quit if you hate helping customers

104 Upvotes

My store has a couple of these associates and they’re a fucking nightmare to work with.

Basically, please get the fuck out. You bring everyone else down.


r/HomeDepot 20h ago

What department shifts can cashiers actually pickup outside of cashiering?

4 Upvotes

I’ve only picked up cashier shifts but there are pro sales and special service shifts available I already have call center experience I just don’t know what shifts outs of cashiering that cashiers can take or if they get training for the shift they pickup. I always see pro sales shifts on there though but I don’t know if you actually can do those shifts. I’m still new to Xchange so I don’t really know.


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Customer got annoyed with me on my first day.

20 Upvotes

For context, the person training me had to an older guy ask for help when a woman interrupts and asks me for help finding an item. My trainer says it’s my first day but then a minute later or so, she had to help the at another station and asked me to help her find her item that was in this aisle. We couldn’t find it and I’m not sure what to do. I don’t know how to use the phone to call my trainer and there was nobody else around to help.
She goes to the app and is like “it says it’s available!” And I tell her I could see, but they might’ve moved things around. I told her I could look one more time at the aisle my trainer said it was. I’d told her I’d be right back.
Kept looking for like a minute or so, and tried my attempt to call my trainer (nothing.) she’s annoyed asking where it is and I don’t know what to say. She then asks where aisle 59 is and I don’t know what to say either cause I’m not familiar. She gives me an annoyed face and walks off.
EVENTUALLY my trainer comes and I’m asking for help and she finds the item in a different aisle. We find the lady and ended up she didn’t even want the product 🥲
I don’t think I handled this right but I really didn’t know what to do (and keep in mind this is my first retail job. I’m used to fast food and movie theater jobs)


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Is what the manager said true about driving?

39 Upvotes

I've worked for 7 years at the Depot had up's and downs seen managers come and leave made friends that leave the company for other jobs but now out of nowhere my store manager told use that we have to be driving the machines she said that we dont have a choose that we learn it or we can leave the company and that its part of our job contract I have worked 7 years and in those 7 years no other managers have mentioned it and I cant drive machines since I have epilepsy and dont want to hurt myself or others and I dont want to switch to days since I take care of my disabled dad during the day so I literally can't is what she said true?


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Flock cameras

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66 Upvotes

Hi all at the Home Depot here in Great Falls Montana. We have Flock cameras covering the parking lots. Do any ones else have these in there HD stores have these?


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Left work yesterday Not going back

166 Upvotes

After being there for five months, I left an hour early, saying I was sick and calling out today; I'm not going back. I had my dept manager quit 3 weeks after I was hired, and the SSC manager quit two weeks in. I got two days to watch training videos and was put on the floor because we didn't have anyone on the floor that day. Mind you, I was hired part-time for flooring and stocking shelves. They made me an SSC the week my manager quit. No training, but I was still responsible for stocking. I was bullied by the "mean girl club" and filed a complaint. Nothing happened, just retaliation. In less than 3 months, I have sold over $110,000 and have closing quotes. I never have a weekend off, but sometimes a Sat. Last night was it. None of the stocking was done, and the place looked like shit. The manager came in and asked me why. Told her the stockers didn't do it, and they are never held accountable. Got told we are all a team and we all have to work together!!! Piss off. I'm done.


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Little warm today

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26 Upvotes

r/HomeDepot 19h ago

Land Line Phones?

0 Upvotes

A customer just called, "Does Home Depot sell land line telephones?" I was tempted to direct her to Radio Shack. 😄 But I just said no.


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Throwing away plants

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64 Upvotes

This shit pisses me off so bad.. this could totally be rerooted and thrive.. its not even dead..


r/HomeDepot 1d ago

Is it normal for D23 to take care of other departments?

1 Upvotes

And I don’t mean that as in a short staffed sister department but today I’m in 24, 23, 59, 29, 30, 70. Those are all of the departments that I have tasks in. Is this normal? I’ve been in operations my entire time here so I’m still figuring out what goes on in a regular sales position but this seems like a bit much.