Pros
I have a great group of vibrant coworkers passionate about exploring the outdoors and inspiring customers in their own adventures. The discounts on gear and accessories are amazing, and even though I work part-time I have access to healthcare.
Cons
My work schedule is erratic. I work different hours and days every week. We are given our hours a week at a time, two weeks in advance. We are required to be available for one full shift every weekend, unless we have been approved for time off. Almost no one is full-time, and the number of hours I am given varies dramatically depending on the season. My biggest complaint is that to remain on the health insurance, I have to maintain at least 20 hours average per week, and REI cannot promise to give me at least 20 hours, as I am not fulltime. Averages are checked quarterly, and if I fall below, I loose my insurance. This happened once: I got a letter from corporate in my box, and 1 week later I was off. I got no warning. Scheduling is done per store, but averages are monitored at corporate so there is a disconnect. I was sooooo close to 20 hrs average, I could have contributed some of my vacation time to raise up my average if I had known. I went on COBRA, and the following quarter I again qualified for insurance. Also, any question about the health plan, and I am referred to a phone number. There is no in-house HR at all.