#MeToo Movement - It Happens in All Industries Including Retail Loss Prevention

By Joan Manson, Senior Retail Executive and Women in Loss Prevention Chair

Any man that has unlawfully sexually harassed a female in the workplace should beware in two ways. Beware that times have changed and be aware that women have gained new strength in numbers to report harassment like never before. Women want to do a great job for their company and boss without the distraction of sex in the workplace. It is best to be known as the boss or peer that raises women up to help them flourish in their careers in our ever-growing and changing industry.

All sexual harassment is unlawful. The risks do not outweigh the rewards when it comes to sexual harassment. There can be criminal actions and civil penalties as well as the loss of a job and potentially your career if you unlawfully harass a subordinate or coworker. Women want a workplace that is free of the garbage that a few men have subjected them to due to their male chauvinism or lack of awareness and understanding of how it feels to be put in an awkward situation just because you are of a different sex.

During the Women in LP discussions during the annual Protect conferences, I continue to hear of examples of stories and I am disappointed in how some men who are leading the LP efforts of a company, still today think sexual harassment is permissible. It did cross my mind to list a few names herein, but will refrain in hopes that everyone has heard this message loud and clear. It is my hope that the men many times do not understand their words or actions and the negative affect they have on their subordinates. It is my hope through sharing a few of the examples, men will think about what they are doing that results in a negative impact on the women they work with and are responsible for developing. The following are first hand examples of what I have heard from women attending the Protect conference.

These have all happened. Not a one on the list is made up.

Women are tired of being seen as the one who is:

● Responsible for organizing all meetings/events.

● Excluded from the after work visit to the local bar or male entertainment venue. They are expected to arrange the event, but typically are excluded from attending. Thankfully, the women are disgusted and wouldn’t attend regardless.

● Expected to go to the sports bar, drink with the fellows, or if they don’t, they are considered the party pooper and an outcast.

● Expected to listen to all of the sports chatter, hunting stories, the escapade with the online date. Verses, never being asked about what her outside interests may be.

● Expected to rub the bosses back or asked out for dinner alone with the boss. And, if at the bar with the gang, do not dance suggestively to the female.

● Surprised that her hotel room is adjoining the bosses room. He knocks on the door to ask if she would like a drink!

And let’s all remember, as employers we are responsible for preventing and protecting our female employees from harassment by third parties. It has been reported more than once, that a male police officer become flirtatious and at times disrespectful of the female store investigator, manager, and so on.

These activities should have been left in the 60’s, 70’s, 80's, or 90’s but not in the 21st century. If you have ever done any of the above, or think it’s appropriate, or watched it go on, now is the time to ensure it is immediately stopped. With all of the attention as of late in the press, the last thing a male supervisor should want to hear about is a complaint due to his behavior toward a female subordinate or colleague has been treated in an unfair sexist manner. Those days are O-V-E-R!

Men can be supportive of a female's career:

● Treat them with the same manner and respect as other male coworkers.

● If you wouldn’t want your daughter, wife, your mother or the CEO to hear, watch or be on the receiving end of sexist conduct, it is best to count to 5, bite your tongue and think of something more appropriate for all audiences.

● If you don’t want to see your face on the front of the newspaper with an allegation of sexual harassment, it is best to ensure your conduct is something you are always proud of.

● Understand a female employee may have other family obligations (so do single dads).  Be compassionate, and assist when a less experienced subordinate may need help finding the right balance or blend of work and home.

● Never assume a female can’t be considered for a promotion due to family/childcare obligations. Let them figure that out.

● If a female is pregnant, treat her like anyone else. Expect the same quantity and quality of work from her unless a medical provider provides a written document that says otherwise.

● Volunteer to become a mentor to a female in your organization or another company. The Women in LP has a Mentoring Program and always looking for Mentors to help advance up and comers in the industry.

● Compensate the female employee just as you would a male with the same skill set, experience, and potential. In some states now, an applicant is not asked for compensation history on the job application to ensure they are paid fairly without any potential of discrimination.

Times have changed. Women just want to be treated fairly and do a great job for their company and boss.
Be the boss or peer that raises women up to help them flourish in their careers.

Editor's Note: Understanding current events and the need for every industry to address this issue and allow those impacted to be heard and begin the healing process, we at the Daily offer this column and guarantee anonymity. If you would like to submit your own story or thoughts on the subject, feel free to email us.

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How to Investigate Sexual Harassment Allegations
Make sure you have the knowledge & training you need before complaints surface
While workplace investigations in general are considered one of the toughest parts of an HR professional’s duties, investigating sexual harassment complaints can be particularly challenging.

“It’s an embarrassing subject for folks, which is why we often don’t hear about it for decades,” says Judy Clark, owner of HR Answers Inc., in Tigard, Ore. “In most situations, it’s not about sex, it’s about an abuse of power.”

So, it’s very difficult for someone new to a job or in a low-level position to report harassment, Clark says. “It’s not just that they’re afraid of coming to HR. They’re afraid of the consequences. ‘What happens if I lose my job? What happens if I’m identified as a troublemaker? What happens if I lose my job and they give me a bad reference?’ ”

Frequently, the employee who is being harassed just wants the offensive behavior to stop, she says. That’s why it’s important to be sensitive to the individual’s turmoil, explaining that, “We don’t want you to be subjected to this. We have to look into this.” Then determine whether it’s necessary to take steps to protect the individual’s physical safety and to block any retaliation.

All sexual harassment allegations should be investigated, although some inquiries will be more extensive than others. If you write anybody off, you could later be accused of not taking their complaints seriously, Clark says.

Likewise, she notes, a superficial or sloppy investigation will send the message to employees “that the organization doesn’t care, that the organization thinks I’m lying, that they’re protecting a person of power.” And an employee who might have been upset and sad before could turn angry. “Mad means money in court,” Clark says. shrm.org

Pilot Flying J Trial May Include Secret Tapes
Secret recordings of Pilot Flying J exec to appear in court
Audio recordings are expected to make an appearance in a fraud trial involving four former employees of Pilot Flying J. The tapes are said to include former president Mark Hazelwood leveling racially offensive language against the city of Cleveland and the Browns. Prosecutors say the tapes shed light on Hazelwood’s character and leadership. Cleveland.com reports the tapes were secretly recorded by an FBI informant. Hazelwood and the three others on trial are accused of skimming money from trucking companies for at least five years. Pilot Flying J and Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam is not under trial. wksu.org

Fresno Female HR Director Pleads Guilty to Stealing $1.5M+ from International Food Distribution Company
To embezzle funds from Borges USA, Hays misreported her salary, expenses, and vacation time to the company’s payroll processor, which then remitted the stolen funds to Hays’s bank account. In total, Hays stole at least $1,535,420 in inflated salary payments and false expenses reimbursements from Borges USA. justice.gov

Retailers (not just Amazon and Walmart) can unlock your front door now - If you let them
You'll soon have the option to request a package be delivered inside your home, or fresh groceries be stocked in your fridge, when you're not around. You'll just need an August Smart Lock.

San Francisco-based August Home has partnered with same-day delivery service Deliv to safely open shoppers' front doors to retailers, merging August Home's access platform with Deliv's client base, which includes such companies as Macy's, meal-kit service Plated, Kohl's, Best Buy and Walgreens.

These are just a few of the retailers, along with other logistics services outside of Deliv, that could reveal partnerships with August Home in the next few months, August Home CEO Jason Johnson told CNBC.

In 2017, Walmart teamed up with the smart-lock maker to pilot this shipment method around Silicon Valley, which was largely successful, Johnson said. The big-box retailer is expected to make an announcement later this year regarding its progress and the next steps to tackle in-home (and in-fridge) delivery. cnbc.com

Joplin, MO: Mall Security Guards Quit Over Alleged Safety Concerns
Ray Martinous and Bob Jacobous quit their jobs as security officers at Northpark Mall shortly before Christmas. The now former security guards say ERMC, the company Northpark Mall contracts for security and housekeeping services, has ignored the need for security cameras inside and outside the mall.

"We had a senior shopper who was struck by a careless driver, turned out to be a hit-and-run driver," says Martinous. "Right there, should have been enough to have cameras installed, both inside the mall and outside. We were depending on the mall director to tell them, hey, we need cameras here. She comes up and says, I need you to write a report on every shoplifter who gets away. I asked her, what is the point here? She said, well, I have to get enough reports of crime going on so I can get these cameras out here."

Martinous says pictures included with this story show a security guard sleeping on the routine job and also during CPR training.

A statement from CBL Properties, the company that owns Northpark Mall, reads, "We contract with a third party to provide security services for the property. Once made aware of these allegations, we contacted our vendor, and corrective action was taken." koamtv.com

The mall crisis is secretly morphing into a full-on Armageddon
Some retailers are choosing to let leases expire instead of closing stores, and that number is not accounted for in store closure numbers.

As stores close around the country, one symptom of the retail apocalypse has been overlooked. While many brands announce their store closures in earnings calls and press releases, others are quietly pulling back their footprint and letting store leases expire.

A new report by the real-estate analysis firm Green Street Advisors found 2,468 "in-line" store closures in 2017, but 979 of those were not announced by the parent brand.

The report specifically looked at the largest 25 mall retailers in the US, which have the biggest impact on malls. It found that even some retailers that have not talked about closing stores shrank their footprint in 2017, like Hallmark, which closed 101 stores, and Stride Ride, which closed 160. businessinsider.com

Retail’s Tax Windfall Provides Ammunition Against Amazon
How will retailers use the free cash flow from corporate tax cuts?
Instead of coal for Christmas, retailers got a war chest. Their corporate tax rate of 35% will drop to 21%, handing them a free cash flow boost as they fight for survival in the Amazon era.

Domestically-focused retailers like Nordstrom and Ross Stores will fare better than those that have already taken advantage of loopholes associated with foreign business.

Research by Loop Capital points to Williams-Sonoma, Best Buy and Ulta as those likely to reap such rewards.
Meanwhile, deep-discount retailers have less to celebrate. Paltry tax breaks for low-income consumers will leave them with little extra to spend. Indeed, potential changes in entitlement programs to offset low corporate income tax means they could be worse off.

For those retailers flush with savings, the question is how to use them. Some will reward shareholders. Others are more likely to reinvest savings in store remodelings, customer service and e-commerce capabilities.

In the long-term, though, retailers can look forward to battling Amazon with renewed resources. Will it be money well spent, or just expensive life-support for a dying industry? wsj.com

NJ Ready To Give Billions In Tax Breaks For 50,000 Amazon Jobs
New Jersey is laying out the welcome mat big time to get Amazon's second headquarters located in the state. A plan to attract Amazon's second corporate headquarters to New Jersey was approved by the Senate this week, presenting the company with incentives to locate a facility that could create up to 50,000 jobs with an investment of $5 billion in tax breaks. patch.com

U.S. Employers Reveal Strongest Early-Year Hiring Plans Since 2001
Companies in the United States reported the strongest first-quarter hiring outlook since 2001, according to ManpowerGroup's latest employment forecast for 2018. The survey of over 11,500 U.S. employers found that 21 percent plan to increase staff in the first quarter, 5 percent plan to decrease staff and the majority expect no change. That results in a net employment outlook of 16 percent and rises to 19 percent when seasonally adjusted, marking the 14th consecutive quarter with an outlook of 15 percent or above. shrm.org

ADT Sets Terms for $2B IPO With Shares Ranging $17-$19 Apiece
ADT has updated the terms of its initial public offering (IPO) after first stating in December it would go public. Owned by Apollo Global Management, the nation’s largest residential security provider plans to raise $2 billion by offering 111.1 million shares at a price range of $17 to $19. At the midpoint of the proposed range, ADT would command a fully diluted market value of $13.7 billion. securitysales.com

Bloomingdales Cuts Almost 20% of Loss Prevention Payroll

SteinMart - Director of Asset Protection job is no longer on their website

Walgreens sees $200 million in savings from GOP tax cut

J.C. Penney will put Sears out of business, retail expert says

Whole Foods places new limits on suppliers, upsetting some small vendors

LeBron James, Diddy and other celebrities rebuke H&M for 'monkey' hoodie

Jack in the Box CEO says 'it just makes sense' to consider replacing cashiers with machines as minimum wages rise


Holiday Sales

American Eagle Outfitters comp's up 8%
Target comp's up 3.4%
ascena retail group comp's down 3%

 

 

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25 Years of LP Council Leadership Chairing the Council - Volunteering their time to help build an industry Former NRF LP Council Chair Gary Johnson Adjunct Faculty at Miller-Motte Technical College, Advisory Board Member for ALTO USA Former Executive Committee Member on LP Council 2013-2016 Former Chairman on LP Council 2011-2013 Gary Johnson, a 30+ year veteran of Loss Prevention industry, began as a College Intern in Osco Drug Stores LP program. He quickly rose to Agent and then LP Coordinator for the Chicagoland market before joining Pier I Imports as District LP Manager. Next, Gary went to NYC where he was appointed the Director of LP for Barnes & Noble and stayed for nearly 13 years before becoming Vice President of Asset Protection for A&P Supermarkets. Then he was appointed to the newly created VP of Loss Prevention role for The Vitamin Shoppe. Gary holds a BS degree in Law Enforcement Administration and dual minored in Security Administration and Sociology. He’s a board Certified Protection Professional earning the CPP designation from ASIS in 2000. Over the years, Gary has been actively involved as an advocate for the loss prevention Industry and served on the ASIS Retail Security Committee, the LP Magazine Editorial Board, and the LP Foundation’s Benevolent Committee. He has also been extremely committed to the NRF’s LP Council efforts and held various volunteer and leadership positions including: ● Council member ● Council Vice Chairman ● Council Chairman ● Executive Committee Committee appointments Awards & Recognition Committee, Chairman Legislative Committee, member Conference Planning committee (now Content Committee) Read our full Q&A with Gary Johnson

Robberies and Burglaries Sponsored by Scarsdale Security Systems ● Advance Auto Parts – Harrisonville, MO – Armed Robbery / clerk stabbed ● Cabela’s – Fort Mill, SC – Burglary ● C- Store – Portland, OR – Armed Robbery ● C- Store – Martinez, GA – Burglary ● City Gear – University City, MO – Burglary ● Dollar General – Tulsa, OK – Armed Robbery ● Dollar General – Bowman, SC – Burglary ● Gun Store – Clive, IA – Burglary ● Gun Store – Mason, OH – Robbery ● Gun Store – McHenry, IL – Burglary ● Kohl’s – Tulsa, OK – Armed Robbery ● Liquor Store – Columbus, GA – Burglary ● Liquor Store – Jefferson County, IL – Armed Robbery ● Metro PCS – Huntington Station, NY – Robbery ● Pharmacy – Towson, MD – Armed Robbery ● Raspados Funland – Tucson, AZ – Armed Robbery – Customer shot and killed ● Verizon - Menomonee Falls, WI – Armed Robbery ● Walgreens – Tulsa, OK – Armed Robbery ● Walgreens – Wilmington, DE – Armed Robbery/ clerk assaulted ● 7- Eleven – Allentown, PA – Armed Robbery   Daily Totals: • 13 robberies • 7 burglaries • 1 shooting • 1 killing