My Experience at Lowe's - Phillipsburg, NJ
I am posting this review because I want to document my experience working at Lowe's in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, under supervisors Jasmine Lee and Tomesha Johnson. I ultimately submitted my two-week resignation notice in March 2025 and formally ended my employment.
My experience at this location was extremely difficult, both physically and emotionally.
For background, Jasmine Lee and I attended the same high school, where I experienced bullying from her for years. Unfortunately, when I began working at Lowe's in January 2024, I felt that the treatment continued. Before I even started working there, I was told that Jasmine had already been speaking negatively about me, including comments such as "Elvinna is mean," "Elvinna is weird," and "If Elvinna doesn't do well, I'll fire her." Having someone who had previously bullied me now in a supervisory position made me uncomfortable from the beginning.
In June 2024, I fractured my left foot in three places. I provided Lowe's and Sedgwick with medical documentation from my doctor stating that I was not supposed to stand, lift, or squat and that I required accommodations while recovering.
Despite this, I was repeatedly required to stand for long periods while working self-checkout. I was told by Jasmine Lee and Tomesha Johnson that when customers were present, I needed to remain standing, even though I was wearing a medical boot and experiencing significant pain.
There were registers where I could have worked that would have been easier on my injured foot, but I was placed at self-checkout most of the time. Although I was given a chair, I was expected to remain standing while customers were present. During the busy summer months, I was in so much pain and exhaustion that it affected my ability to function normally at work. I even received a negative customer review during this period.
I was essentially told, "We understand you're in a boot, but we need you standing." That statement has stayed with me because it made me feel as though appearances were being prioritized over my health and recovery.
Labor Day weekend was especially difficult. It was one of the busiest times of the year, and I was again expected to stand at self-checkout for essentially my entire shift. Even when I attempted to sit briefly while assisting customers, I felt like I was being treated as though I was doing something wrong. I was in severe pain and completely exhausted by the end of the day.
My restrictions also stated that I should not lift heavy objects. Yet during mulch season and other busy periods, I was expected to handle heavy soil, stones, wood, and other materials. I felt that the accommodations I had been given were not being meaningfully respected.
My leave through Sedgwick was eventually extended through December 14, 2024, while I continued recovering.
Then, in February 2025, things became even more upsetting. After discussing my foot and bunion pain with management, including Tomesha Johnson and Amy, I later overheard conversations in which I felt I was being mocked and accused of lying. I heard comments including, "She's lying," "She walks fine," "There's nothing wrong with her feet," "She's lazy," and "I can't stand her."
For anyone who may not know, a bunion is a painful deformity that develops at the base of the big toe, causing the joint and toe to shift and sometimes creating a visible bump along the side of the foot. Bunions can cause significant pain, especially with prolonged standing or walking, and the severity of someone's pain cannot simply be determined by looking at them or watching them walk.
Hearing supervisors speak about me this way was extremely humiliating and hurtful. I was genuinely experiencing pain, yet instead of feeling supported, I felt dismissed and ridiculed.
Overall, I felt disrespected, dismissed, and unsupported by management. I experienced prolonged physical pain while working with an injured foot, felt that my medical restrictions were not being properly respected, and was deeply hurt by what I perceived as gossip and disrespect from people in leadership positions.
I am sharing this review because employees deserve to be treated with professionalism, dignity, and basic respect--especially when they are dealing with a documented medical injury.
I hope Lowe's takes experiences like this seriously and ensures that other employees do not have to go through what I experienced at the Phillipsburg location. read more
