It is written in the Constitution of the United States that we have the "Freedom of Speech". As a part of that, our appearance speaks a lot of who we are. It is an expression and no one should be sent home or fired because of that.

BJ's is a casual dining restaurant chain with 169 locations in 22 states. We're known especially for pizza and award-winning beer. It's a great restaurant to work for, but not providing auto-gratuity for large parties makes it hard for servers. Many customers don't realize gratuity isn't included or don't leave a fair tip when it's a large party. Plus, servers need to pay out a portion of whatever tip we reserve to support staff like busers and host/hostesses. Sometimes, when the restaurant isn't too busy and I'm serving just a few large parties, I won't even take home enough in tips to pay a bus fare. Other restaurants I've worked for include auto-gratuity and it's made a big difference. This issue is something that has plagued us all as employees of this wonderful company. We don't make as much as we should which, has made a lot of our staff contemplate leaving the company.

For several years in a row now, my mom -- a Kmart employee -- has missed out moments from our family’s Thanksgiving Day traditions like so many other retail workers across the country. While some retailers are reversing this trend in 2015, we’re guessing that allowing employees to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as family holiday is a thing of the past for Kmart workers and their families. Last year, thousands of Kmart employees and their supporters joined my campaign to allow employees to have Thanksgiving Day off. We heard from dozens of other Kmart employees that while the company said they would rely on employees who volunteered to work on Thanksgiving, but that was often not the case. What’s more: many employees didn’t even know when they were scheduled to work until the last minute. It’s already the beginning of November and Kmart has yet to announce their Thanksgiving day hours, and employees like my mom do not know what to expect for the upcoming holiday schedule. This makes planning for the holidays even more difficult for workers and the family and friends in their lives. While some employees have heard that the company will try to rely on volunteers, it’s unclear if that will really be the case in the end. Without knowing the store hours, it is impossible to tell. Kmart can at least make planning and enjoying the very limited time families spread across the country get to spend together easier by letting employees know right away when they will be expected to work; by relying on those employees who volunteer to work on Thanksgiving to earn extra pay; and by committing to not make last minute changes that wreak havoc on retail workers’ lives.

To many, a 10% employee discount on ALL food may not seem like a lot. But, as Walmart associates, we know it could mean the difference between putting food on the table or going hungry. My name is Nancy Reynolds. I’m a Walmart associate from store 771 in Merritt Island, FL. For me, the food that I’m eligible for with my employee discount isn’t good for my diabetes. I need to eat healthy food multiple times throughout the day and, simply put: that is hard on Walmart pay and hours. If Walmart would extend its employee discount to cover ALL food items, like Target[1], Whole Foods, Trader Joes[2] and many other grocery stores have done, it would help associates and their families across the country. What’s more, Walmart can afford it. This is a win – win. A ten percent discount would allow Walmart associates to spend more money on food at Walmart and in return, we would also be healthier workers. I've even talked to Walmart associates in Canada who said that they receive discounts on ALL of their food, so why not here in the United States too? In the past, Walmart has listened to our calls for change, but it takes associates and community standing together to call for change. The support is there. In our survey of over 3000 Walmart workers, 99% support a ten percent discount on all food. It’s time for Walmart to listen to its associates. The time to act on this is now. Thanksgiving and Christmas are right around the corner. If we can get enough support on this petition before the holiday season, Walmart could change its policy and more associates could have the food we need to provide for our families this holiday season. [1] https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits/financial-benefits [2] http://www.buzzfeed.com/summeranne/which-retail-chains-have-the-best-employee-discoun#.ggyzDxyR

It's a complete nightmare for servers, it's wearing us out, stressing us out and making our job unpleasant!

My name is Susan* and I work as a cleaner at a Myer store in Melbourne. Cleaners like me work around the clock keeping Myer stores clean and hygienic. But dodgy subcontractors are underpaying us by up to $20 an hour. We are denied basic rights like sick pay, weekend rates and superannuation. If we complain we can be sacked at any time – many of us are too frightened to join our union and speak out. A few weeks ago a Myer cleaner was sacked when he asked about his rights. So was his sister – and his partner. And they weren’t even there! Myer threw out its last contractor earlier this year because cleaners were being exploited. Now it’s happening again. We should be paid properly, and be able to work without fear or intimidation. The system is unjust and is failing us. Please stand with me and my fellow cleaners and tell Myer it needs to clean up its act and demand we are directly employed and receive our full legal pay. *Not my real name.

Servers are not able to support themselves or their families, if they don't start thinking of their employees too, families truly are going to be suffering more. There are tables who don't tip properly on parties. Many times, we have had parties of 10 or more whom did have great service -- they would even tell us -- but at the end when the bill is $250, they slip you a $10. But the government thinks hey you probably made at least 10% which would have been $25 but in all actuality you made $10.00 and still tip the bartender. So you made $5. Please help us make Fridays listen.

I feel it is important because some stores because of their location do NOT earn as much tips as other locations. Many customers are rushed away from register and forget or do not even think to leave tips, whereas workers on bar are frequently complimented on speed, style and some on latter art. Tips are vital to some of us when we've spent our check and all we need is a few bucks to buy metrocard or pay for our other necessities. $15 in tips is too little for those work too hard.

Uber has been treating their drivers worse and worse as time goes by. Enough is enough. Just because they label drivers as independent contractors, doesn't mean they can take advantage of them and completely ignore labor laws. Nobody is standing up for Uber drivers. Its time drivers stand up for themselves!

My name is Blanca de Leon. I started working at the Bubbles Salon located at 205 Pennsylvania Ave NW on March 9th, 2009 and worked there for 6 and a half years. I’m a stylist specializing in cuts and colors, as well as all areas relating to beauty. When I first started working at Bubbles, there were things about the company that I didn’t agree with but I stayed when I started to get to know the clients who are the best clients I’ve had in my whole career. One of the main issues was the way the management at Bubbles treated the staff, some better than others. Every time the Latino workers asked for something, they wouldn't listen to us. They even told us that we weren’t allowed to speak Spanish. There was also discrimination in who got the best appointments. Everyone except for the Latinos were given new clients, but they only gave us new clients when there were extra. But the hardest thing for me was that even though another non-Latino employee was allowed to use a mat under her styling chair, I was told that I wasn’t allowed to have one. I need the mat to help alleviate my back pain because I am on my feet all day. I told my managers about my back condition and the medication that I take to help it. I also asked them for something in writing about why I wasn’t allowed to have the mat even though another employee was, but they never gave me anything. On August 26th, I went to work and my managers called me in for a meeting. When I got there they said “We have bad news for you.” They told me that I hadn’t listened to my manager when I was told to remove the mat I used for back pain. Then they told me that I was fired. I asked if I could have 30 days so that I could look for a new job, but they refused. I wasn’t even allowed to finish the day with the rest of the clients I had scheduled. They only gave me half an hour to pick up my things and go. I filed a claim at the DC Office of Human Rights because I believe my employer discriminated against me. In six and a half years, I never had a single client complaint against me. I was a good coworker to everyone and I believe my termination was unjust. Being fired affected my life a lot. I am a single mother and I need to work to support my family. I suffered significant emotional distress after being so suddenly and unjustly fired. They must think that you don’t eat, that you don’t pay rent. Ratner Companies, which owns Bubbles Salons, owns over 1,000 salons in 16 states. I’m speaking out so that others won't have to go through what I did. Please demand that Bubbles establish a policy that requires that employees be given 30 days notice before being fired so that they can look for another job.

Because of a lack of funding many people with disabilities are not getting the Personal Assistant support they need, making some prisoners in their own home. PAs have also suffered cuts to their pay and conditions, making ends meet a real challenge for many. People with a disability deserve to live with dignity and workers deserve a living wage. We all have the right to own independence, it's time to make this a reality for all.

We need to quickly check the time when dating products and to keep track of breaks and punch times, and wearing a watch would be an efficient way to ensure we can always check the time without running to the BOH computer or bothering the partners on register. Engagement rings should be allowed, they are symbolic and important to those who have them, just as wedding bands are.