Dollar General Registers Short Often?

Photo: Getty Images/J. Michael Jones

Mar 04, 2022

Dollar General has emerged as i of the fastest growing retailers in the U.Southward. But as it has expanded its footprint, it has at times run afoul of the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Assistants (OSHA).

OSHA recently fined two Dollar General stores, one in Mobile, AL, and one in Dalton, GA, for hazardous work atmospheric condition, according to Insurance Journal . The federal agency has cited the chain for similar complaints 55 times since 2016, with fines adding up to $iii.6 million.

The list of violations from the about recent round of inspections, like to previous ones, includes blocked exits and blocked electrical panels. In a argument, OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer said that the concatenation has a "long and all-encompassing history of workplace safety violations" and "blatant and continued disregard for the safety of their employees."

Dollar General direction told Business organisation Insider in response to the almost recent inspections, it "took immediate activity to address these issues and reiterated [its] expectations with these store teams." The statement continued, "The safety of our employees is of paramount importance to united states of america, and we take effect with whatever argument to the contrary . We will continue to work cooperatively with OSHA to resolve these matters."

Dollar General's alleged disregard for worker prophylactic comes at a time when labor concerns are more than a role of the public dialogue in the U.Southward. than at any fourth dimension in recent retentiveness.

Starbucks, REI and now fifty-fifty Amazon accept begun facing efforts by workers to unionize, Business concern Insider reported. Other chains like Target and Costco accept touted major pay increases to employees after decades of wage stagnation.

The OSHA fines also come up at a time when business organisation has been booming for Dollar General. Despite concerns about the brusque-term time to come of physical retail during the height of the pandemic, the chain continued its plans for a huge nationwide expansion. Dollar General'due south number of shop openings in 2021 was projected to make up virtually i-tertiary of the total brick-and-mortar store openings in the country.

Dollar General also plans to have ane,000 of its new suburban woman-focused Popshelf stores in operation by 2025.

Dollar General Cited for More Workplace Hazards – Insurance Journal
OSHA says contempo safety violations at iv Dollar General stores illustrate the discount retailer'due south 'long history' of endangering workers – Business Insider
Workers behind the first marriage push at an Amazon retail shop merely sent management a list of demands, including a starting wage of $25 an hour – Business Insider
Is now a expert time for retailers to open new stores? – RetailWire
Dollar General'due south Popshelf expansion shifts into loftier gear – RetailWire

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Are the number and types of bug constitute by OSHA at Dollar General common throughout retail or an outlier? What should Dollar General be doing to reduce such violations under police force?

Braintrust

"Dollar General has been on a ringlet for some fourth dimension at present and has emerged as a small-scale format innovator. It'south fourth dimension to invest in employee condom and wellbeing."