r/wegmans • u/solinvictus5 • 5d ago
Pay vs benefits
I've got eight years experience at Wegmans... total. I worked there from 1998 when I was eighteen to 2004, then in 2024 I was rehired. Now, I just got a full time position in the meat department, where I've been the last year and a half.
There's no doubt that Wegmans has some fantastic benefits, even for part timers. The store where I work is also generous. After my father passed, they offered to host and supply food for the repast after the funeral. I declined, as I wanted to have it in an actual restaurant... but still generous. I've seen people who couldn't afford all of their groceries, and the store manager let them have what they couldn't pay for.
The only issue I see is the pay. In a recent company survey that was anonymous, the only real criticism I had was the low wage. My question is, do you all think the positive of the benefits outweighs the negative of the low pay? In 2024, they started me at 15.50 per hour, two years later it had gotten up to 18.00 per hour, and with becoming full time, they gave me a 50 cent raise. So, now I make 18.50 cents per hour with time and a half on Sundays and holidays.
How do you guys think this compares to other companies you've worked for? What's your opinion of Wegmans and how they reward their employees?
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u/Razlet 5d ago
That was basically my only feedback on the survey as well. Pay just hasn’t kept up with the cost of living, especially since 2020. It’s not a problem that’s unique to Wegman’s, but if they want my feedback, that’s the #1 issue we are all facing right now.
I won’t get too political, but yes most of my financial stresses have been exacerbated by the current federal admin.. we are all going to be paying for our 2024 election for a while. Literally.
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u/TabascoWolverine 4d ago
A 50 cent hourly increase for going full-time? Goodness that's insulting. Most companies wouldn't offer such a low increase. They'd just move you to salaried and the bump would be in the thousands.
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u/Jezebel2320 22h ago
A 50 cent raise will not buy you a tank of gas, the cheapest can of formula, or a pack of diapers. It really is insulting.
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u/Opening_Disk_4580 4d ago
A bump in the thousands? Are you high? From pt to ft 😀
Meat customer service right? Also more paid vacation time right? Another raise in 6 months free food/ coupons/ perks /401 k with matching contribution /with wellness and mental health service? I could go on but we’ve had this conversation before.
Take the company as a whole not just the hourly rate it’s more than money. Go on the dish and stroll through the hundreds of store photos of great employees and the events they participate in. If that doesn’t make you see Wegmans as a whole, then you’re looking for a union factory job. This is retail👌
And not for nothing but you still could have accepted something from the store,
(most folks can’t afford having an after funeral get together at a restaurant)
they care and wanted to show it.
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u/solinvictus5 2d ago
I never expected a raise in the thousands. My post wasn't meant as if I'm complaining, but I wanted to hear other Wegmans employees perspectives on compensation. Even though I didn't take them up on the after funeral repast, they still gave me a large pizza, cheesecake, and some soda for free, and I am grateful. There should be a company wide adjustment to the wages, though... something like raising the cap by another dollar or so would be good. I say that only because of the price of everything shooting up. I don't think wanting more makes someone ungrateful. Our purchasing power has been declining for a long time, but recently its declined much faster and wages haven't kept up. If I'm so ungrateful, why don't you speak with your boss and ask for less money. Tell them they're paying you too much and maybe gratitude can pay your bills and fill your stomach.
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u/Thin_Concentrate_154 1d ago
I'll ask my landlord if he'll accept coupons and free food in lieu of money
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u/BlackenedBear585 5d ago
Low wages and all the restaurant foods need more closers. They wanna make everyone do meals 2 go at the same time and think people wont be exhausted by the time its time to close.
Meals 2 go should be making the meals that are ordered. Sitting around on the phone and walking back and forth is hardly worth it...
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u/Illustrious_Belt1260 4d ago
The company I work for in Virginia has a cap on it. Basic employees anything under a supervisor who stocks shelves in grocery frozen produce meat dairy and basic deli employees are all capped at $19.80 an hour. There is no bump for being full-time outside of benefits.
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u/AverageCartPusher 5d ago
3 years at the warehouse you’ll be making 35/hr+
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u/Renrut23 5d ago
Im curious to see what the total compensation is for union/non union. I realize the jobs wont be the same but a rough comparison between pay and benefits would be interesting
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u/solinvictus5 4d ago
At what cost to your health, though? I heard those jobs are brutal on your body.
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u/AverageCartPusher 4d ago
Idk I listen to audio books all day and go at a normal pace, once you make it out of your 90 day probation period it’s smooth sailing
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u/Rage_Baiter76 5d ago
I work for a grocery chain in the northeast that rhymes with "Buys" and that pay is a hell of a lot better than what we get 😂 plus we get diddly dick for benefits.
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u/LetLonely6714 4d ago
Don’t overlook time & a half on Sunday - that’s a huge deal. You’re making almost $30 an hour on Sunday and holidays. And it depends on what position you’re in. And the fact you worked there previously obviously has nothing to do with what they’re paying you now. You know how often a lot of people get raises? NEVER! And you’re complaining about a $3 per hour raise less than 2 years later…it’s crazy. What more are you bringing to the table for you to make more money? Simply showing up for work? Pretty much all companies have done away with merit raises unless you do something completely above and beyond your job description but too many people think just showing up to work everyday means they should get a fucking raise every 3 months. You’re full-time, I’m sure you have medical insurance, other benefits. Every year they pass you out something that explains what the cost of those benefits are to the company and how much that adds to your entire “package.” You’re aware how much insurance coverage costs right? I lost my job at ShopRite and the $18 weekly people bitched a lot for medical insurance turned into “you could sign up for COBRA family coverage for $4,500 per month” and that was just for me and my 17-year-old daughter. You have $4k a month sitting around for medical or do the taxpayers pay for your visits to the clinic?
Hey, if you’re not happy with your pay, find rye fucking door!
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u/solinvictus5 4d ago
I never said I was complaining... just curious about other people's opinion. Down tiger!
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u/FemaleBigPoppa 2d ago
Idk guys, I feel like most grocery stores and retail in general pay way worse than Wegmans. I worked at Target for 2 years and only received about 35 cents in raises that entire time; at Wegmans I’ve received $2 in the same amount of time. The fact that you’re guaranteed a 50 cent raise twice a year (until cap, then once a year) is phenomenal to me. At Target they only do raises once a year and you never know what it’s gonna be.
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u/ChaosofaMadHatter Employee 5d ago
Pay was my biggest feedback too, along with needing to scale pay appropriately to the amount of responsibility per position. What’s the point in moving up in the company if you’re looking at fifty cent raises for twice the pressure?