I had a gut feeling about all the changes that were being made long before all the lay-offs, separation packages, and firings happened. After 30+ years, I took early retirement at age 62, and have not regretted one day of it! I too was absolutely shocked when upper management was given the boot!
Many of the workforce that were let go were lifetime friends. We started working together when our children were still in diapers. Watched our families grow, shared in happy birthday parties, grieved at the loss of our parents, were overjoyed with the birth of the grandkids, and watched another generation grow up, and even some of the grandchildren came to work with us at JCP!! Most of us were not retirement age yet. I was lucky that I did not have a mortgage payment or car payment to make. I methodically paid off my few credit cards, and took early retirement in 2010. I have only been back to the store twice to purchase some summer clothes for my granddaughter. There were only 3 associates I recognized. So sad.

How many people have I seen in this last year lose their job? More than I can count on 2 hands. I worked in a small store so the percentage is fairly high. The store manager is the worst I have ever worked for. Truly a spineless, gutless wonder. He recently told his new MEL; who is already extremely frustrated at his passive aggressive management style, that he would bend over backward (and I expect forward too) to keep his job. There is one particular instance I can think of where a supervisor lost their job and the trumped up charges against them were so absurd that no one in the store believed it. But because we work in a work at will state there does not have to be a valid reason to fire. Penney's is a terrible place to work; enough said.

Since Mr Johnson took over as a new CEO, the company is experiencing a huge decline in customers. Most of them do not like the changes. His idea of employee's waking around with those "Libby's" is totally absurd.
He is not taking into consideration, that we need the quad, for plastic bags, receipts, and plus: where should we put the merchandise we are scanning?
Obviously he NEVER spent time in a store, to see the way things work, and "changing procedures" sitting behind a desk, obviously is the wrong way to go.

I am currently a JCP salon receptionist about to be eliminated. This really sucks!!! I feel like I have been run over by a truck. I have been at the salon for 4 years. I love my job, the customers love me, the hairstylists love me and so does management. I do my job and I do it really good. Why the hell would you replace me with someone who has no experience? Good luck selling all the product, taking care of the desk, the phone, the customers in the salon , and cutting hair all at once. I've been offered to work in the store. This would be great but I have to take a pay cut. I will find somewhere to work where my experience and talent is appreciated.

I was let go April 2012, after 21 years.
What puzzles me is how the fine jewelery associates were kept on at the hourly rate they make $28. & more $32. $36. & up I understand this was their benefit rate but supervisors that were let go were making $15 or less.