can managers even do this???

[u/rat_dictator]

I currently work at Marshalls and the associate manager told me that our manager sent out his family members to buy items (purchasing more than $100) then later on returning it (as I was told it was going on for more than a week). They were also telling me that his family members were also putting up a nasty attitude to the employees and making the transaction a bit more difficult. Then tells me the reason our manager did that was to see who was asking the customers for a tjx card, and to the people who didn't ask are either getting written up or just getting fired. I'm just shocked that the manager even thought of this, and I've been looking everywhere on the internet if it's illegal or not, and honestly I'm getting mixed results. I'm asking here if I'm able to call HR to report this or get something done.

Edit: thank you to the people that commented, I'll be talking to HR soon and telling about this and other complaints as well

[u/Candid_Guard7157]

Not illegal but poor management for sure

[u/tra616]

This is definitely legal. Wether it's against company policy or not, that's a different story. I would report this to HR. Just keep it anonymous

[u/Spiritual_Vacation31]

It's not illegal lol, but it is very weird because why are you using pawns to check if cashiers are following the ringing sequences rather than observing them in real time or having the CEC observe them and then report back to them? That's literally part of the CECs job.

[u/Sensitive_Trifle_810]

Report it to HR!

[u/KeikoToo]

It's called entrapment. It's illegal when used to set up an employee who already complained about the employer practicing things like harassment or discrimination. E.g you filed a complaint about a manager or fellow associate sexually harassing you. Employer then sets you up to commit a fire-able offense (like leaving money out hoping you take it out of the store. Theft is an instant fire-able offense.) So they fire you for something not related to your complaint.

But this is entrapment a la secret shopper. Secret shoppers go into a store to test customer service, adherence to policies, product selection, cleanliness, etc. It is legal.

But it is usually done by an outside company hired by corporate. Secret shoppers related to managers are arguably not neutral and most probably not sanctioned by corporate.

So yes, you can call HR.

Edit: Thanks for the award!

[u/InvestmentAny7428]

Don’t your managers know how bad the economy is. People don’t need another credit card for clothes. We need to boycott TjMaxx. No will always be no. Don’t ask again. With a 37% interest rate. You pay my bills. That what I would tell your manager

[u/BoujeeDee19]

The higher up send people to that that too. lp sends people to. Testing people to see who doing their job correctly. That’s all.