Add Cooperative to your Resume
The Coop employs a few discount employees who volunteer their time in the store for credit towards their Coop purchases. There are a limited number of opportunities—some are regularl weekly positions, others are one-time projects.
Working Your Way Up
Many of our full time to part time employees started as discount employees. It's a great way to get trained at the Coop and discover your niche. In the past we've had general managers who even started as discount employees.
Time to Cooperate
As a discount employee another benefit is we can work with you to find a time that meets your scheduling needs. From early mornings to closing shifts discount employees are helping day to night. Another nice benefit some find is there is a minimal weekly commitment, working around 2 hours a week.
In addition to our paid staff we have a wonderful group of discount employees who help with opening, closing, and other store duties. Some of these employees have been with us for nearly a decade and their help has been vital to the success of the Coop.
Our 'volunteer' system is set up a bit differently from most. In order for volunteers to be covered by workman's compensation insurance and to be fairly and adequately compensated for their time we put them on payroll at minimum wage. However, instead of receiving a paycheck, the money they earn in deposited into an account here at the coop.
Every time a volunteer, or discount employee as we call them, makes a purchase at the register they pay 80% of the price out of their pocket. The other 20% comes from the account in which their 'wages' are deposited.
To date, this is the fairest and most efficient system we have been able to develop for our volunteers. The money they have earned is deposited into their account at the beginning of each month. New discount employees work for a month before they have access to their discount which allows them to accrue some reserve and prevents them from overdrawing their 'discount'.
Download a Discount Employee Application here
