ok, i'm on my soapbox about walmart...again. so Mister, i expect you to complain about me complaining about this company. Warning: this may be a long post.

i have a problem. i feel i have a certain right to privacy, and i feel it is being publicly violated. We have to take these tests for tire certification or else we can't work on the vehicles. that i totally understand, nobody wants someone who isn't qualified working on their vehicle even with supervision usually. we also have our pictures up. i'm lucky i have a decent enough shop manager to make sure that it says Mickie above my picture even though i had to make an important decision(we were denied food stamps and had to reapply because they screwed it up, but that takes a month and a half in the state of Ohio, so we were lucky it was at tax time. it was either i spend $600 for my name change, or feed my kids. i hope you can figure out which choice i made).

the first test i took was not through their computer system, so i filled it out in the name I preferred which was Mickie at the time, cuz i figured that was what i was going to change it to, and i have no problem with that one being on the wall. absolutely none.

the second test, i had to take was for Bridgestone and was through walmart's SUPER-EXCELLENT LEGAL computer system, which means when i was done taking the test, the certficate that "legally" HAS  to go on the wall is in my MALE name, and the ass. manager won't allow it to be changed.

the dilemma i have, is that people aren't totally stupid, and WILL ask questions, and the 72-year-old man, the old men in hardware ALL have no problem telling people that stuff like that is mine. the shop manager and ass. manager believe that since they aren't attached to photographs, nobody will know. WRONG!!! Michael, the 72 yo man, IS worse, he IS a walking picture, and so are the men in hardware. these two managers, just don't seem to get it. the techs in the shop that don't know will ask where Mickie's certification is, and he will have no problem saying it's that one(pointing to mine), outing me each and every damned time.

my current idea is to write Bridgestone and ask if i can have a certificate in my preferred name, but i doubt they would understand or care, but it's the best thing i can think of without involving lawyers.  People in this area aren't totally stupid, and walmart management doesn't understand or care that it isn't free for me to change my name by court order. they didn't honor the last letter from my therapist "because of the way it was worded", but i figure even if i give them a letter from him stating this exactly, they still wouldn't honor it, and if they don't honor medical records, how the hell am i suppose to believe that they will honor court documents? i know they are SUPPOSED to, but that doesn't mean a damned thing when it comes to walmart when you're an ASSOCIATE.

NONE of us ever asked for our certifications to be on display or with our pictures on display either, it's a NICETY, from them, NOT  a NECESSITY.

i know at least one of you will say to find another job, trust me i've been looking for months, or even to just get out of the department, but every time something comes up, my stuff somehow MYSTERIOUSLY NEVER comes up in the computer for the positions, and i'm really sick and tired of it.  it's not easy to find a job with flexible hours, get a babysitter to watch my kids, while my ex and i share a vehicle because her boyfriend is driving the other one. everything i'm even remotely qualified for is way out of town, some even so far that they are out of state.

am i wrong to ask to have all my paperwork match with my preferred name so i can have some privacy? does anyone think they are violating any laws against me?

please give me some advice, help CONSTRUCTIVE criticism!!!!

Ok..here's my constructive? advice or whatnot.

I'm going to assume that you are presenting female 24/7 and aren't 'out' to the people you work with. 

My situation is similar being that I was fulltime without having my name changed for 5 years.  I wasn't working because of a disability but had to deal with the name issue everywhere else. 

I worked for Walmart pre-transition and, yeah, they are a pain in the butt to put it nicely.  The problem here, unfortunately, is the issue of your legal name.  While it would certainly be nice for your company to make exceptions on your certificates they aren't required to in order to protect your privacy. However, placing a certificate with a picture and 'male' name on display that contradicts your presented gender would absolutely, in my opinion, create a hostile work environment which is the angle I would try first. 

Walmart is going to do whatever Walmart wants to do so you gotta get them to WANT to help you.  If they think that they are in danger of another, in a long line of, glbt related suits they might budge.  In the case of your letters from your therapist and such, they hold no legal power over Walmart.  The only document that can force them to change thier system is a court ordered name change.  I, finally, had my name changed less than two weeks ago so I know how expensive it can be. 

I would highly recommend you work on finding a way to get your name legally changed.  Initially I was despondent because I couldn't afford to have it done but after some intensive research and talking to others in my state I found that I could fill out the documentation myself and represent myself in court for a tiny fraction of what the lawyers I spoke to had quoted me.  Then I was fortunate enough to find a TG attorney who understood my financial situation and did everything for me at a very minimal cost.  Perhaps search around for a TG lawyer in your area who might be willing to give a "sister" a break.  He or she would also be the best source for help on this issue.  I know you didn't want to involve lawyers but it's an option at least.

It's a really crappy situation I know..I hope it works out for you.

I would imagine that much like my technical rigging certs, my fall-protection certs, my forklift cert and all that, that because there is a huge legal liability attached, they have to be in your legal name (and mine do get checked from time to time).  I'm not sure how you would go about changing that once you change your name.  Now, had you changed your name already, they would be in the new name.

Yep, when it comes to licenses and such things just take it as a rule that your name needs to appear as your legal name on all of that. Otherwise it means nothing.

Nichole

If the certifications are through the tire manufacturers, and not "official" Walmart training, they should honor your request.

Check with your HR Manager about having your records show your preferred name, AKA Nick Name.  Unless their are something that is legal and binding, it should not be a problem.  Like Tekla said there are somethings that are state regulated and they have to show your legal name.

Janet

if you could manage to get your name legally changed, would they then have to change it on your certificate/picture? Seems maybe you could raise a fuss if they wouldn't. Even if not, maybe you could just take the test again after your name change and then it would have to be issued in your new name. 

If these things are required for you to do the work as you said, then I'm sure they are both insurance and state required.  As such, they are legal documents and the name on them must match exactly what is on your legal ID in case its ever checked.

When we remodeled the theater last summer I had to hang some new drapes in the lobby.  Let me tell you matching pleats 19 feet later is no picnic.  At any rate, the way we were hanging them the fire certs were not going to be in any place they could be checked, so the decision was that I would remove them and then sign an affidavit to that effect. So I did that, with the company lawyer and his notary there to witness it.  No big deal.

A few weeks later the big boss calls me into his office and tells me to bring my wallet.  There stood Mister Fire Inspector and Mister Fire Marshall (in full uniform) and they looked at my ID, my union card, and asked me if I had signed the affidavit, if it was true, if those were the certs.  I said yes, showed them were I had put my little doo-dad initials on them. And all was good.

I'm sure the outcome would have been much different if those names did not match up.

There's probably not much you can do without obtaining a legal name change.  $600 seems to be a number that conflicts with both the experiences of OH residents I've heard of and what I've found with a quick google search.

Is there any way you can befriend another manager and have them help you get into a different department?

Me, I try to find another job, if your working and still qualify for food stamps, that seems like not the best job in the first place. 

Of course, ain't that pretty much WallMart's modus operandi of business in the first place - Always Low Prices (because it's always low wages and not enough hours to make ends meet).  If WallMart employees are on food stamps, your community is not saving any money shopping at WallMart, your just having it passed on to you in social support costs.  And they think we're crazy in SF because we won't let them build one here.  Yeesh. 

Quote from: tekla on April 28, 2009, 03:08:07 PMAnd they think we're crazy in SF because we won't let them build one here.  Yeesh.

you mean there are no Volde*Marts in SF? I think I need to move there lol

No WallMart, no K-mart, no Target either.  However, 2 Macy's (one flagship), 2 Nordstroms, and one Bloomies.  Matter of fact there are no 'big box' stores at all, though a Home Depot or Lowe's (one of those) is about to open. 

Also, minimum wage in SF is $9.97, and there are other laws and ordinances in place to keep people from doing things like WallMart does in giving people 35 hour weeks so they don't have to pay for health care or vacations. 

Wal-mart may, indeed, be the single largest reason that so many working Americans have no health-care. While the Walton family, I'm sure, enjoys excellent health benefits.

Nichole

Why do you stay in Ohio ? It sounds like you hate it there .

Hi Mekayla,

I did some searching and I came upon this site
ohio name change

I claims the cost is about $135.00 for court cost and publishing.

Hope it helps some.

I like your idea about contacting Bridgestone. 
That could work. 
What have you got to lose?