Is this legal? Or fair?

[conanismyidol]

I work at a Wal-Mart. I was a cashier about 1 1/2 years ago and I was kicked off of register because of too many 'pink slips', which are shortages/overages of more than $5. I had a D-Day (if you don't work for wal-mart, it's a day off of work where you are supposed to contemplate your job, etc... it's the last 'warning' type of thing before being fired).
I was transfered to the Housewares department. I've worked there since they kicked me off of register.
Now, since they laid off half of the cashiers we had, they keep paging me to come up front and run register. Management is ticked off at me because I refuse to go up front and get on a register.
I've tried explaining to them that they KICKED me off of register and TOOK 20 cents an hour off of me because of my move to the floor.
They refuse to exempt me from running register.
I just feel that I obviously wasn't good enough to be paid as a cashier, so why should I go up and be a cashier when they page for me?
Just wondering what you guys think... is this legal or fair?

(I graduate in May with my Bachelors degree, so I won't be with Wal-Mart too much longer, but it's still just driving me crazy.)

[Dorath]

Legal? Yes. Fair? No.

[Crazeyal]

Okay, stop me if I'm wrong. Management is being unfair, you are calling them on it and refusing. Instead of firing you for negligence and/or insubordination, they are pressuring you to follow management directives. HOW is this so evil? No offense, but either I'm missing part of the story, or you sound to be lucky.

Are they threatening you with being fired, again? It sounds like they asked you to do something you didn't want to, you refused, and the Manager got surprised/angry over it. I admit it's a bit rough to make you go back, especially early after a demotion. Perhaps, looking at it from another angle, it's a way to give you a chance to prove yourself worthy of the extra pay and responsibility?

And before I'm jumped on, this is NOT an attack, it's an opinion.

[Saydrah]

Instead of getting in more conflicts, could you offer since they want you on register so often to take the pay increase and go back to cashiering? Offer them your help as an experienced cashier, and promise to be more careful with your drawer. And 'grats on the degree and de-Wallyworldization upcoming!

[bainsidhe]

I'm not sure of the specifics of Wal-Mart labor law and how they vary by state, but one person I know who works in Wal-Mart Soft Lines said that if a certain percentage of your shift is spent cashiering, Wal-Mart is required to pay you as a cashier for those hours or maybe for your shift? (don't remember which). But I think it had to be a pretty substantial portion of your shift before you were compensated

The person in question continually was called up front to cashier when she 1) wasn't a cashier 2) Had many things to do in her own department and was getting screwed over when she couldn't get to them 3) was spending nearly ALL her time cashiering, because they were short-handed. She didn't find out about the little "they have to pay you as a cashier" thing until a few months into this. So although they weren't able to back credit her for time she spent as a cashier (not fair, but maybe they couldn't track it??), she was able to demand compensation from then on. Suddenly she spent more of her time in her own department (go figure) because the powers that be didn't want to pay her the higher wage.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I just feel that I obviously wasn't good enough to be paid as a cashier, so why should I go up and be a cashier when they page for me?

Because it's part of your job most likely. That's the way it is at my store too. If you work on the salesfloor you will be expected to come up and run a register when the lines get too busy.

You'd have a point if they were making you spend hours on end out of your shift on a register.

It isn't very fair, but life isn't fair. At least you will be out of there soon.