Many people choose to work as a bagger because it offers them greater flexibility than more traditional jobs and other advantages too. But what are some of the disadvantages that baggers face in a commissary?
No Benefits
DeCA employees receive work-related benefits such as paid leave and an EIN (Employer Identification Number). But baggers in a commissary do not receive any such benefits. Any time that baggers choose to take off from work will essentially be unpaid leave. The money that they receive is not taxed; nor are social security benefits taken out each month. It is the baggers' responsibility to keep accurate records of daily earnings so that the earnings can be declared to the IRS at the end of the tax year. Baggers therefore need to have good money management skills so that they have set aside enough to pay in taxes, if they have earned enough at the end of the tax year that is owed to the federal government or to the state where they live. Baggers also receive no medical benefits if they are injured while they are at work.
Unappreciated
While many people do not grow up with the goal of working as a bagger, many in the military community choose this route only to discover that they are unappreciated for the work that they do, both by unappreciative customers and by friends and family, who may look down on them for doing such "menial work". Many people wrongly assume that they must be working as a bagger because they did not receive a high enough education or that no one else would hire them. Baggers who have spent years working in the corporate world and commanded a great deal of respect from colleagues and clients often find that bagging is a step down from what they once did with nowhere near the respect they once enjoyed.
Non-tipping Customers
One of the biggest disadvantages that baggers face is non-tipping customers. While some customers are facing genuine financial hardship and cannot afford to offer a tip to baggers, some who have the means to tip still choose not to and that can make working as a bagger an even gloomier prospect for some who rely heavily on their earnings as a bagger to pay the bills and keep the cupboards stocked.
Active duty, military retirees and dependent family members who are considering working as a bagger in their local commissary should weigh the pros and cons of bagging and see if they have the patience and right attitude to take on a position as a bagger. It is not a job that suits everyone.
