The sign calls for shoppers to boycott the chain and accuses management of failing to pay employees for unused vacation time, giving laid-off employees only one day's notice of their store closing (leaving little time to find new jobs), and not offering employees transfers to other stores.
Wet Seal has fallen on hard financial times lately; the California-based retailer has faced dramatically declining profits for the past two years, plus tumbling stock prices. It recently received a default notice from its creditors to the tune of nearly $30 million. In December, the company announced that it may file for bankruptcy soon if its fortunes don't improve.
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This Seattle store's employees are clearly aware of the brand's recent troubles: Their sign states that, despite the brand's "financial hardship," Wet Seal's CFO received a $95,000 raise this year, while an employee of five years received their first raise ever (16 cents above minimum wage).
Refinery29 has reached out to Wet Seal reps for comment and to verify the employees' claims, but has not heard back as of this writing. Scroll down to read the sign in full. (Reddit)