Rent A Center I don't know why I worked for them for so long! Plano Texas

Yes it says there is an open door policy that does not mean it is abided by! I went to my DM numerous times only to be shut down!!! Going to Co-Worker relations proved about pointless as well! I tried every route and was shut down everytime!

Yes it says there is an open door policy that does not mean it is abided by! I went to my DM numerous times only to be shut down!!! Going to Co-Worker relations proved about pointless as well! I tried every route and was shut down everytime!

Yes it says there is an open door policy that does not mean it is abided by! I went to my DM numerous times only to be shut down!!! Going to Co-Worker relations proved about pointless as well! I tried every route and was shut down everytime!

Yes it says there is an open door policy that does not mean it is abided by! I went to my DM numerous times only to be shut down!!! Going to Co-Worker relations proved about pointless as well! I tried every route and was shut down everytime!

DID YOU EVER HEAR OF THE OPEN DOOR POLICY?

Although I never used the company merchandise or the fleet card for my own personal use, I can relate to much of this story.
I worked for Rent-A-Center for less than a year which was WAY to long. The necassity to work kept me there but I learned really quickly if you have a problem with someone they better not be a favorite of your DM or your life is made a living hell by bringing it up. This is my story....
My now ex-store manager was colorful to say the least. He did NOTHING, and told us repeatedly we were grunts. He bragged that he was promoted to store manager in less than a year, and how it amused him that a year before that he was denied for employment at all because he failed the background check, but hey in his words our DM was to senile to remember him! How did he get promoted to store manager, again in his words, you just tell the DM what he wants to hear, and stroke his ego, thus quickly moving him into a favorite position, at which point he learned really fast that being a favorite also meant you became untouchable! I endured him watching porn on the company lap-top, telling me in detail what he would do to our DM's daughter (sexually) given the opportunity. He had no respect for our DM so why would he ever have respect for those individuals working under him. He only gave respect if you agreed with him, for example he hated the other assistant in the store, and consistantly called him fat, lazy, smelly, stupid, ext not only to other employees but to customers as well! If you did not agree with his assesment of this individual well then you were crap too! He brags about the fact that he is sleeping with a customers wife, and treated a majority of our customers like dirt. Being that I have always been in fields where customer service is top priority, I formed a relationship with the customers there, it got to the point that he was harassing people, and their children. I would be in tears trying to get through to him that I did not bust my butt to form a positive relationship with these people just for him to come in to destroy it. So through the lying, swearing, porn, and all the sexual remarks, I also learned that complaining about such things about a favorite got me absolutely no where except for labeled as a trouble maker as I should have just let it go. Which in turn said store manager was told everything I complained about and who it came from not that the store is that big and being the only female, his "boys" would never have a problem with such behavior. He told me to stop saying things or he would have me fired, that I only had a problem with his behavior because I was a girl, and everyone knows that all girls are just to emotional and don't thing clearly. So eventually my complaints falling on deaf ears (as I was not only labeled a trouble maker but a liar as well), I contacted a lawyer who told me I could sue, but I didn't want any money, I just wanted the store manager to be held accountable for his behavior, and be terminated as no one employee or customer should have had to endure any of his behavior. I was told that technically you can't not sue for money, and asking that he be fired was similar to blackmail, and I had to be able to prove it. I asked how I could prove it if everyone was afraid of losing their jobs and didn't want to come forward. I was told that because I worked in a public setting, I could record things that would be admissable in court without the consent or knowledge of the persons I was recording (as there is notice on the front door that there are cameras which there are not). Out of all of this the thing that upset me the most was being labeled a liar, as that is something I pride myself on, I tell it like it is period!!! So I recorded, and I got exactly what would be needed to take it to court, I have him on tape saying some really vulger things about the DM, other store managers, the DM's daughter, customers, other employees. I even have him stating how funny he thinks it is that if he weren't the golden boy I could've had him fired for his behavior, and how I should just stop complaining before he has me fired as I was not a favorite. How great is that? Not so much!! I brought the recording to my DM and was simply told he would not listen to it he would talk to him yet again and if it continued then he might listen to it, I am almost certain I saw him throw the disc away as he was leaving, I was also told to stop recording as he didn't want the recording to get out and make HIS market look bad. UMMMM Hello, I am pretty sure those individuals that were put in these management positions and allowed to stay there are the ones making HIS market look bad. I am conflicted because I am no longer there, but for reasons I care not to mention I am still connected to there, so not only do I know this behavior is still going on, I still get messed with, threats, ext. I don't want money, I want the customers I worked so hard to get to trust me to have a store manager that gives a crap about them, and does things per the way Rent-A-Center claims to do things. I only worked for this one store in this one district but from what I am hearing and reading this seems to be a common issue at a lot of stores. I do know it is a HUGE issue with a majority of the stores in the market I worked. I just don't understand with the unemployment the way it is and those without jobs that are not only qualified but would be grateful to have a job, and would maybe start to make a positive opinion about Rent-A-Center, why would these individuals who treat not only their employees like crap, the customers like crap, but could potentially cost RAC a lot of money in law suits, get to stay? I just don't get it!!
So thats my story, I am sure there is more that I am forgetting as SO much happened in the short time I was there. Just know if you end up becoming an employee trend with caution! I left on my own, worked my two weeks, didn't burn any bridges, and went out with dignity. I just feel sorry for those that are or feel stuck there!

doesn't sound like the company I work for. At my Rent A Center I do care for my customers. My customers are important to me. In some cases i have watched whole families grow up. In my whole career I have never taken an item from a customer for being 1 day late. I have customers that sometimes go 15-16-17 days late and we are still willing to try to catch them up. Of course that is on a case by case basis. Even first payment defaults. I have never know any Rent a Center being told to pick someone up for being one day late. We don't do that. We wouldn't have any customers. Our customers come to us as a last resort. They have killed their credit, don't have lots of disposible money, and are usually not the best payers. I have over 300 customers in my store and probably on 25-30 who i can count on not to be late. The rest are up in the air. But I work with these folks because i do care. I let Ms. W be late because I know that frig she has keeps her daughters insulin cold. I know Ms. M has three kids and is struggling so I work with her because I know she needs that washer and dryer.

Yeah, the prices are high. there is no way around that. But these people wouldn't have anything if rent to own wasn't around. Even with the high prices we are still a great deal. If you bought that TV from Walmart and it broke in a year after the warrantee ran out you would be a fix to get it fixed and it may cost you some money and you would be without a TV. We are going to pick that TV up, send it to service, give you a TV to use until yours comes back and all at NO COST to you.

It funny how you claimed to have no money and were doing so bad but found money to be on vacation. You knew going in the penalty for using the gas card. thats like me using YOUR credit card for my own purposes.

I sympathize with your plight. But please don't give us all bad name because of your bad experience

You said, " 'In the time that my husband and I worked there we took fridges and W/D's from single mothers with 4-6 kids b/c they were a day late. We over charged people 4x's what the merchandise was worth and it was always bottom of the line from where ever we got it from.'

So, you found this morally reprehensible, yet you continued to work there and looked forward to moving up in the company. You apparently didn't see anything wrong with their practices until you got the boot, right? Your hypocrisy does not lend itself to generating a whole lot of sympathy about this.

Thus the pay he was getting wrong was his pay raise. You were paying the bills before the raise so why was the raise missing hurting you?

He stole and got caught. He will have a hard time finding another job. Trashing RAC on here will not fix that. If you believe in karma it will only hurt you more.

TO POOLSHARK6417:

YOU STATED: "In the time that my husband and I worked there we took fridges and W/D's from single mothers with 4-6 kids b/c they were a day late. We over charged people 4x's what the merchandise was worth and it was always bottom of the line from where ever we got it from."

MY QUESTION: Why did you stay with this company? Seriously! Taking appliances from customers when they are 1 day late? They are heartless and only care abount money. but you stayed with the company and worked your way up to management so you can no give the orders to force your employees to take appliances from clients if they were 1 day late? You should have left the company. You both have the drive and motivation to work 60 hours a week to succeed, just find a better company where they respect their clients.

YOU STATED: "When they promoted my husband for the first two pay periods he didn't get his check. We had both called our disctrict manger and let him know that he didn't get it and we couldn't wait for it either."

MY RESPONSE: Rent-a-center just committed theft, and they are the real criminals here. Especially when they do this to their own. Especially when it deals with their dedicated and loyal employees who bust their A** for 60 hours a week. This shows proof that the Rent-a-center corporation does not value their employees and managers at all. Their #1 priority is PROFITS at all costs, even at the cost of their employees and customers.

YOU STATED: "I called home office and talked to payroll and finally 5 days later he got a paycheck. Next pay period same thing happened. In that time period we didn't have hardly any money and what we did have went to the bills."

MY RESPONSE: Good for you! But at this point you should have looked for a better company to work for because if they did this in the past, they will do it again. You are working your A** off with blood, sweat, and tears, did not get paid for 2 weeks, and when you did get paid, it happened to you again. In the mean time, you cant get gas, groceries, and have to put your bills off until you get paid, and this could possibly ruin your credit scores. they are playing games with you life! Your family! You work 60 hours a week to get them PROFITS, and they pay you late? YOU SHOULD HAVE QUIT. But quitting is not easy and takes time and is hard to take risks to go up to a month without work until you find another job. So while you worked at Rent-a-center, you should have hired a professional writer to write your resume for $100 and email out 100 resumes a month.

THIS IS TO ALL THE PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THIS RIPOFFREPORT:

Tbluedevil = The Rent-A-Center Manager:
I do believe there is truth to this report and this did happen to them. You guys are heartless! Your customer service is bad. The way you treat your employees is worse! How do i know this? You have over 350+ ripoff report complaints against your company on this site! That is a fact! You charge $3000 for a refrigerator that costs you $800, and then you take the product back from the customer if they are 1 day late? Heartless!

You are stupid to judge this couple and call them thieves for stealing from rent-a-center using the fleet gas card. If they did not get paid for 2 months, then Rent-a-center corporation is the ones that are the real criminals and thieves. They caused this couple to do what they had to do to survive, they needed gas because they had no income coming in. They were desperate and were trying to survive. Rent-a-center not paying payroll on time and for 2 weeks actually is the reason why good people who dont steal turn to stealing from the company. Did they steal payments from clients? No. Did they steal furniture or appliances? No. Did they need gas to get to and from work so they could work 60+ hours a week with blood, sweat, and tears for a company that did not pay them for 2 weeks? ABSOLUTELY YES!

You call them thieves and tell them they got what they deserved to get fired for stealing? What do you call your own company Rent-a-center for not paying payroll for 2 weeks?

We are talking about a couple that cared about their career with rent-a-center, did everything they could to make it to the top, worked 60+ hours a week with blood, sweat, and tears, AND THEY SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PUT IN THE POSITION TO USE A GAS CARD FOR PERSONAL USE. They did this because they were desperate and needed gas to get to and from work in which they worked 60+ hours a week with blood, sweat, and tears.

It is probably a fact that Rent-a-center found a reason to fire them because they felt like they complained too much and were too much of a problem, for what? They complained too much because they did not get paid for 2 weeks.

If i were the owner of the company, i would recognize the hard workers who are dedicated and loyal to the company as they are the ones that make the company profitable in the millions! I would write them up and tell them they cannot use the card for personal use, but i would also understand it was my company that put them in that position to do that, I would offer them some type of compensation for the hardship they suffered from not being paid for 2 weeks, and apply that compensation or bonus to what they spent, and tell them how much i appreciate them. But be very firm not to let that happen again, and also reassure them that they will not go another pay period without being paid.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, ALL THE MANAGERS, DISTRICT MANAGERS, EXECUTIVES, CEO'S, CFO'S, ETC. OF RENT-A-CENTER ARE ALL HEARTLESS. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT STORE GOALS AND PROFITS - TO REWARD THE TOP 1% OF THE EXECUTIVE POSITIONS AND OWNERS OF THE COMPANY, AND BASICALLY CRAP ON ALL THE WORKERS AND MANAGERS WHO DO ALL THE GRUNT WORK, AND PUT IN THE 60+ PLUS HOURS OF BLOOD, SWEAT, AND TEARS TO MAKE THE COMPANY PROFITABLE.

IF YOU ARE THE STORE MANAGER IN CHARGE OF A STORE WORKING 60+ HOURS, AND IF YOU ARE NOT MAKING ATLEAST $90,000 OR MORE A YEAR IN SALARY, THEN YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME. GO WORK SOMEWHERE ELSE.

WORK SMARTER. NOT HARDER. = IF YOU ARE WORKING 60+ HOURS AND NOT GETTING AHEAD, YOU ARE NOT SMART! THE SMART THING IS TO GO WORK FOR A COMPANY THAT CARES! STAY AWAY FROM RENT-A-CENTER

IF THE COMPANY HAS GOALS TO MAKE CERTAIN PROFITS EACH YEAR, THEY BETTER HAVE GOALS TO FINANCIALLY REWARD THE EMPLOYEES AS WELL.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

To Poolshark6417 = You should be given a medal for your courage to deal with and put up with their crap for so long, for choosing to put all your trust and your familys life on the line to choose to work for a company that could care less for you, for your loyalty and commitment to work 60+ hours a week with blood, sweat, and tears. YOU SHOULD NOT BE CALLED A THIEF. They created this issue, not you!

DO NOT LISTEN TO ALL THESE JERKS ON HERE GIVE THEIR COMMENTS CALLING YOU A THIEF. IF YOU ARE A THIEF FOR USING A GAS CARD, WHAT KIND OF NAMES CAN WE CALL THEM FOR NOT PAYING PAYROLL FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. INSTEAD THEY WANT TO FOCUS ON YOU USING THE GAS CARD.

YOU TRUSTED THEM. THEY PUT YOU IN THE POSITION TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE! SO DON'T BE ASHAMED OF WHAT YOU DID. THEY HAVE NO SHAME FOR WHAT THEY DID, AND THEN THEY WANT TO IGNORE WHAT THEY DID AND BE COWARDS AND FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DID, THEN FIRE YOU FOR THEFT?

DON'T BE ASHAMED!

I am an ex-employee and I hate the company but I must say that the company pays a decent wage for grueling work. I absolutely hated that company but I never took what wasn't mine. That is where he messed up. You are really right to be mad about many of their issues but stealing from them is not right, either and damages your suit.

I'm sorry for your hardships with your employer, but your husband is lucky he didnt end up behind bars for stealing company funds. It's one thing to have general complaints about your employer, but when you steal from your employer, you pretty much lose all credibility in the eyes of a jury. This is something you should think about before you decide to drag them in court, because that issue will come up again. There is absolutely no excuse for stealing, its dishonest, and the state penitenary is full of people just like your husband. There were other avenues he could have taken other than that. After stealing from his employer, I'm not surprised it took 3 months to find another job. Most companies are not in the business of hiring thieves, especially in todays job market.

And I get paid decently by RAC. If I didn't think it was enough, I would either grow my store to a more profitable level (which I am doing anyway) or find another employer.
How on earth can you feel your husband was justified to use the Fleet card to buy gas for his personal vehicle. That is stealing. Point blank! There is no way to pay that back. I'm sorry for your payroll difficulties, but anytime I've ever known anyone to have a payroll problem, the problem gets resolved asap by contacting your payroll administrator by 2pm on Monday.
I have to ask though, with his store being in Plano, did alot of home office bigwigs come into the store every once in awhile?
RAC is a good place to work, but people who do wrong love to badmouth the company. Good luck winning a lawsuit against the employer that your husband STOLE from!

And I get paid decently by RAC. If I didn't think it was enough, I would either grow my store to a more profitable level (which I am doing anyway) or find another employer.
How on earth can you feel your husband was justified to use the Fleet card to buy gas for his personal vehicle. That is stealing. Point blank! There is no way to pay that back. I'm sorry for your payroll difficulties, but anytime I've ever known anyone to have a payroll problem, the problem gets resolved asap by contacting your payroll administrator by 2pm on Monday.
I have to ask though, with his store being in Plano, did alot of home office bigwigs come into the store every once in awhile?
RAC is a good place to work, but people who do wrong love to badmouth the company. Good luck winning a lawsuit against the employer that your husband STOLE from!