Big Lots is a discount retailer that prides itself as a company committed to offering equal employment opportunities to all employees and maintaining a non-discriminatory environment.
As a result, most people yearn to work at the store, including teenagers. So, if you’re a teen and hope to work at Big Lots, keep reading to see if you qualify for the position!
Big Lots is open to hiring teens for several duties around the store in 2022. However, the minimum age requirement for teens at Big Lots is 18, so this policy disqualifies candidates below 18 years old. The positions available for teens at Big Lots include store associate/stocker, overnight stock associate, furniture sales lead, or lead support associate.
If you want to find out more information on whether Big Lots hires teens, the age requirements for Big Lots, the positions available for teens, and much more, keep reading for more facts!
What Is the Age Requirement to Work at Big Lots?
Big Lots hires teens between 18-19, which is the minimum age to work at the company according to its policy. Therefore, teens ages 13-17 cannot work at Big Lots, as they must be legal adults before applying.
What Positions Are Available for Teens at Big Lots?
The entry-level positions at Big Lots available for teenagers include the following:
- Store associate/stocker
- Overnight stock associate
- Furniture sales lead
- Lead support associate
Note that you must be at least 18 to apply for any of the above positions. Additionally, Big Lots prefers a minimum academic qualification GED or high school diploma for the above positions.
The positions available for workers in their late teens at Big Lots have the following responsibilities:
1. Store Associate/ Stocker
In this position, employees are expected to perform store operational duties like customer service, cashiering, truck unloading, merchandise recovery, stocking, and light cleaning and maintenance.
Generally, this position requires the associates to efficiently and accurately operate point-of-sale systems and participate in the freight flow process.
2. Overnight Stock Associate
An overnight stock associate at Big Lots normally performs general store operational duties, such as the unloading of trucks, stocking, merchandise recovery, as well as light cleaning and maintenance.
This position also requires associates to perform furniture department operations such as displaying the furniture assembly.
Furthermore, overnight stock associates perform other duties assigned by store leadership, including shrink control, cart retrieval, and safety-related tasks.
3. Furniture Sales Lead
The furniture sales lead position at Big Lots requires a minimum age of 18 years, and the company prefers candidates with at least one year of experience in the retail industry.
The position requires employees to take responsibility for the performance of the furniture department. The duties in this department include service desk, cashiering, store paperwork, merchandising, shrink control, freight processing, inventory control, and product assembly.
In addition, the furniture sales lead at Big Lots should also assist customers in making purchase decisions. For instance, they need to provide product information and help customers select based on their needs and requirements.
4. Lead Support Associate
The lead support associate at Big Lots performs general store operational duties such as truck unloading, stocking, customer service, cashiering, light cleaning and maintenance duties.
They also provide directives for store associates on the sales floor and work closely with store leadership to drive the store’s overall performance.
Furthermore, the lead support associate at Big Lots assists customers, maintains the point-of-sale systems’ operations, and drives customers’ participation in loyalty programs.
Additionally, they help with the furniture department operations and participate in freight flow processes.
Lead Support Associates at Big Lots also help maintain the interior and exterior appearance of the stores and perform daily front-end maintenance and other duties by the line manager.
Can You Work at Big Lots at 16?
Unfortunately, you cannot work at Big Lots at 16 years old. Since the minimum age requirement for working at Big Lots is 18 years old, individuals below the age of 18 years old are disqualified from working at the store.
However, other stores such as Walmart and Target allow associates as young as 16 years old to work at the stores.
Can I Be 17 and Work at Big Lots?
You cannot qualify to work at Big Lots at the age of 17 years old. Ideally, Big Lots company policy prohibits 17-year-old individuals from working at the store since the minimum age is 18 years.
However, 17-year-old individuals yearning to work at retail stores can work at stores with lower age requirements, such as Walmart and Target.
Can You Work at Big Lots at 15?
You cannot work at Big Lots at the age of 15 years old. The company restricts the age limit to 18 years, making 15 years way below the minimum age requirement at the store.
Furthermore, the US Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) provides numerous restrictions for 15-year-old individuals, which may not be ideal for Big Lots conditions on flexibility.
What Kind of Experience Do Teens Need to Work at Big Lots?
You don’t need any previous position if you’re a teen looking for entry-level positions at Big Lots, such as a store associate/stocker or overnight stock associate. However, teens with previous retail experience can land furniture sales lead or lead support associate positions.
To learn more about Big Lots, you can also check our posts about Big Lots dress code, if Big Lots pays weekly, and if Big Lots drug test.
Conclusion
Big Lots only hires teenagers aged 18 and 19. The store adheres to a company policy that sets the minimum age requirement at 18 years. As a result, all teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years old cannot work at this discount retailer.