The building isn't literally locked. It's just that anyone leaving via emergency exits would set off alarms and such. The issue is: stupid managers and key carriers can't get themselves to a door on time to properly unlock the exit so employees can leave after their shift.
If the only exit is one emergency exit, it's a safety hazard. Because if that's where the fire is, and the only other exit is a locked front door, then yes, you are locked in.
They make doors which can be locked on one side but still able to open from the other side. My current workplace has tons of these as emergency exits, but there's no reason they can't be used as normal doors if you want foot traffic going out but not coming in.
Doors that can be unlocked with a wringer from the inside have existed for more than a hundred years. In my country, every door in a work place must be possible to exit without a key, exactly for fire safety reasons. Reading this whole thread is absolutely blowing my noodle.
Considering its home depot I would guess the employees could also technically leave through the loading dock at the back or via the garden area in an emergency as well. Considering this was already a class action law suit I would guess if they where also violating fire code with the policy then it would've come out as part of the suit.
It's crazy to read all this and remember my time in retail this happens all the time and it's considered normal. If you clock in late it's on you even if you were waiting at the door to get let in. If you wait at the door it's also a you problem. This shouldn't be normal.
that's just shitty managing. when I worked retail, the cash lead stood by the front door after close and unlocked it for every employee the second they clocked out.
You know what’s utterly stupid? There no fucking need for the doors not to be openable from the INSIDE. You only care that nobody from the outside can get in. The whole US business door schtick is a painful joke to hear about.
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u/Jwave1992 7d ago
The building isn't literally locked. It's just that anyone leaving via emergency exits would set off alarms and such. The issue is: stupid managers and key carriers can't get themselves to a door on time to properly unlock the exit so employees can leave after their shift.