I’ve been working for Walmart part time for over 4 years in the pharmacy as a cashier and wanted to transfer out, So back on December 22nd I applied and got an interview and job offer from vision center for an optician apprenticeship (which I was an apprentice for 6 months before leaving for the army 5 years ago) and was told I’d get one year time served (1000 hours) off my apprenticeship to make it only 2 years until I can get licensed in my state of Massachusetts.

So my district manager came in the first week of January and told me it’d be at least 6 weeks before I can go to vision center because he has to find my replacement. I was disappointed but there’s nothing I can do so I said okay. Well only one person has applied to the position and they were denied due to some restriction they had. Another person was interested but says they can only be in pharmacy two days a week so they’re a no go now.

It’s now April, almost 4 months after I got my job offer and I’m still no closer to going to vision center which is a higher wage, better hours 30-34 (only making 28 in pharmacy) and a set weekly schedule. My manager is useless and mean and when I ask if they can start the transfer she says no and that I’m stuck there until they find my replacement. I’m just so frustrated and angry. How can they just hold me like this? I understand I didn’t sign the papers to go to vision center but that’s because they wouldn’t let me. Vision center said they’d hold my position but I don’t think they will forever.

How is this legal? What can I do? What if no one applies for my position? There’s no way they can just keep me indefinitely