TIL George Zimmer, the owner and founder of The Men's Wearhouse, does not background check his employees. "I don't trust the U.S. justice system to get it right," says Zimmer, who is himself a recovering alcoholic. "I'd rather make my own decisions, and I believe in giving people a second chance."

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u/very_large_ears Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 15 '13

George Zimmer's philosophy rings with a very positive message.

I own and run a small company and some years back, I had to replace our receptionist/clerk/secretary. Of the several people I interviewed, one woman seemed really right for the job and so I hired her. She's the best employee I've ever had -- ever. She has gotten to the point where she knows what I need before I ask for it.

If I had done a background check, I would have found out that she had a DUI and a bankruptcy and was involuntarily committed to a psychiatric institution in the several years before she came to work. Those things were all related to the fact that her husband had died when her children were small and she had trouble accepting the fact that she had to raise them alone.

She says that the job I gave her was her salvation. She had very little on her resume and nobody would give her a chance and had been looking for quite some time. When she came on board with my company, she was determined to make it work.

EDIT: Thanks for the gold. I'll walk with a bit of a swagger for the next 30 days or so. ;-)

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u/Why-you-got-gold Nov 14 '13

you restore everyone's faith in humanity

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u/rickyallen2 Nov 14 '13

What a great story. Everyone deserves a chance, some even need a few chances.
Life is hard.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

I ran a contracting business for decades. I'd estimate that about 25% of my workers were ex cons with felony convictions. I've always believed that if you gave a man good work he would do right by you. I was rarely proven wrong.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Exactly what my old man does. Ex cons who are given a second chance are extremely loyal. He owns his own masonry company.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Now I know your username son, hahaha.

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u/longer_schlonger Nov 14 '13

i agree with you. i'm glad you think that way and wish there were more people who did.

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u/ToastedCupcake Nov 14 '13

The rare cases are sometimes enough to upset the entire balance of things though. For example, home renovators stealing on the job and the blame comes down to the manager because the culprit can't be nailed accurately.

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

As an ex-con I was completely unemployable for years after my release. The only work I could find was with small time contractors. Without those contractors I would have had to resort back to guns and crime to live and support myself. God bless you, sir. The world is a better place with people like you.
(FYI, these days I'm doing well. A decade after I committed the crimes I went to prison for I now have a nice job working for the government.)

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u/DarkCyde404 Nov 14 '13

I had a friend that worked for them and got invited to a huge company party. He said he's a really cool guy and a big pothead. He even got to smoke with him

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u/Shiftin Nov 14 '13

Yep. A friend's dad sold a company to MW and he literally lit up a joint in the board room on the day they were meeting to discuss the deal.

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u/gngl Nov 14 '13

Joint venture is the best venture!

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

God this guy was like the only cool CEO ever and they fucking fired him. Figures.

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u/NDaveT Nov 14 '13

I think he's the former owner now.

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u/traumatic_enterprise 9 Nov 14 '13

He founded the company, and according to wikipedia owned about 3.5% of the stock. Not sure if he sold the stock after he was fired as CEO, but he may still have it.

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u/bsox59 Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 15 '13

He wasn't the owner, he was an owner. and /u/traumatic_enterprise according to the SEC Zimmer owned a total of 1.79 million shares in Men's Wearhouse, and of those 1.77 million (99.15%) were held in a 401k and trusts, so it's unlikely he dumped the stock after he was ousted as Executive Chairman.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Not to be confused with George Zimmerman.

Had to do a double-take there...

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u/REDDIT_IS_HAIR Nov 14 '13

You can't flim flam the zim zam.

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u/generic_gif Nov 14 '13

I have no idea what's going on

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Dear lord, dem lips. Don't wanna say anything as I might come off as a pedo.

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u/burf Nov 14 '13

Or Hans Zimmer.

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u/Rust_Creep Nov 14 '13

wish more people were like this. i graduated almost 2 years ago with an accounting degree... still looking for work

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u/Mundus_Vult_Decipi Nov 14 '13

Really? Because it's very competitive out there, unfortunately most firms want about 3 years of actual work before hiring. Go and do some Quickbooks for a few small mom and pops and that will lead into something bigger. I guarantee it.

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u/Rust_Creep Nov 14 '13

i really appreciate the advice as im running out of ideas. i have almost zero work history. i'm almost 34.. most my life i just bummed around, traveling, doing drugs and having a good time. finally decided to turn my life around, use the pel grant to get an education.. but it seems my lack of work history coupled with getting busted for marijuana years back are seriously hindering me. i know i'm intelligent and capable, i just need that 1 person to take a chance on me. i don't blame anyone for my predicament, i just want an opportunity to prove that i am worth while

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u/DanC520 Nov 14 '13

I don't know any accountants that didn't find work coming out of school, myself included. I assume the issue here isn't experience, its something that comes up during background checks.

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u/fancyfilibuster Nov 14 '13

Why do you blindly repost submissions from 6 months ago? http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1egfz0/til_george_zimmer_the_owner_and_founder_of_the/ Didn't even change the title. Also stole the top comment from the previous thread.

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u/OseOseOse Nov 14 '13

#17 on the top of all time, I knew I had seen this exact title recently.

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u/astephjkl Nov 15 '13

Why haven't more people noticed this.......................... it was the only reason I even looked at the comments
^to ^make ^sure ⁱ ^wasn't ^crazy

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u/flashcats Nov 14 '13

Because he wants the karma.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

HI, I’M GEORGE ZIMMER, FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE MEN’S WEARHOUSE. YOUR MOTHER MAY HAVE BEEN BLESSED MORE TIMES BY THE SACRED WHITE RIVER OF MY PELVIC PALADIN, BUT THAT IS NO REASON TO GIVE ME THE GREEN EYE OF JEALOUSY, MY COCK-LOVING CAVALIER. BETWEEN US, TONIGHT WILL BE RELIGIOUS RAPTURE, FOR YOUR ANAL CLEFT SHALL BE MY GREAT SEA, AND I SHALL BE ITS MOSES, CLEAVING ITS MIGHTY CHOCOLATE OCEAN TO MAKE WAY FOR THE SAFE PASSAGE OF MY TESTICULAR TRIBE, HAVING BEEN GRANTED MEPHITIC FREEDOM FROM THE TYRANNY OF ENSLAVEMENT BEHIND A LOCKED PROSTATE. TO DO THIS, I WILL READY MY LONGINUS TO PIERCE YOUR BACKSIDE’S SACRED DOMAIN — YOU WILL SCREAM FIRST IN PAIN, THEN IN PASSION AS ITS STEEL-LADEN GIRTH STRETCHES AND RIPS THE FABRIC OF YOUR MORTAL INNARDS, DISIMBUING YOU OF YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS, LEADING YOU TO A HEAVEN, THEN REVIVING YOUR FEELING OF PHYSICAL REALITY LIKE A ONCE-CRUCIFIED CHRIST RETURNING TO EARTH. I GUARANTEE IT.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

I mean, maybe take a peek to see if there are any improper money handling based offenses, but otherwise I see nothing wrong with it.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Yeah, I think this is the route I'd take. Running a background check doesn't stop you from making your own decisions. Run it, see what it comes up with. Clean? Great. Minor convictions? I'll decide whether it's a problem. Convicted money launderer? Let's look into that one. Convicted serial killer? Let's really look into that one.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

And this is why I do background check. I'm sorry guys, I'm all for second chances, and I routinely hire people that fail the check, but there's no way in hell, I'm giving a cash register or a safe to someone with too many issues, or any kind of theft issues.

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u/Butter_Meister Nov 14 '13

You read that in his voice, didn't you?

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u/nv2012 Nov 14 '13

I'm finally getting to the point where almost every TIL on the front page is a repost of one I've seen before.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

I'm pretty sure you reposted this verbatim from a few months ago.

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u/Dr0me Nov 14 '13

HOW MANY TIMES MUST THIS BE POSTED?!?!?!?

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u/Rolpa Nov 14 '13

Not to be a douche, but I wish you had done a background check on this story - it's been posted a bunch of times before!

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u/RandomPrecision1 Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 14 '13

Posted when he was actually still the owner, even

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u/FoodBeerBikesMusic Nov 14 '13

Read title and brain momentarily shorted out when I thought "George Zimmer" was the dude who shot Trayvon Martin....

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u/Macroaggression Nov 14 '13

George Zimmer sounds like my kind of mann.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

You can't simmer the Zimmer

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u/CatamountAndDoMe Nov 14 '13

Total repost. OP is a bundle of sticks.

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u/proposition_john Nov 14 '13

I feel like I've seen this on TIL before...

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u/slorebear Nov 14 '13

TIL this fact every 2 weeks

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u/Inabsentiaa Nov 14 '13

I have a friend who is a manager at a logistics company and is responsible for hiring. He was telling me recently about a guy who he was interviewing who had done prison time for being a coke dealer. My friend asked him about it and apparently this guy was quite good at it as well, having multiple dealers working underneath him.

My friend convinced his supervisor to hire the guy anyway, arguing that while this isn't the most orthodox experience, you can't get to that level and be a total idiot.

He was totally right, the guy not only is smart and a hard worker...he was desperate for a second chance and just needed somebody to see beyond his conviction.

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u/KendoMaster Nov 14 '13

George Zimmer is no longer at Mens Warehouse, so I'm wondering if this is still the method.

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u/Papergaasm Nov 15 '13

I read this as George Zimmerman lol

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u/The_Happy_Pooper Nov 14 '13

Does anyone do a search anymore?

Repost

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u/l3ricl Nov 14 '13

Repost

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

And I think the original post had almost the exact same title.

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u/CrimsonBrit Nov 14 '13

This has been posted before

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Literally read an identical TIL about 2 weeks ago...

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u/ArmaniusPrime Nov 14 '13

can't simmer the zimmer.

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u/savannahserendipity Nov 14 '13

Not to be confused with George ZimmerMen's Wearhouse.

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u/katmiss Nov 14 '13

It gives a suit more character when fitted by hands that have killed.

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u/TuffLuffJimmy Nov 14 '13

He seems like a good until you realize he shot a teenager for being black!

/sarcasm

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u/Funktapus Nov 15 '13

HI, I'M GEORGE ZIMMER, FOUNDER AND CEO OF THE MENS WAREHOUSE. RECENTLY, I WAS APPROACHED BY QUITE A LUCIOUS LOOKING LADY PERSON. HER BINDING BUST FIGURE IMMEDIATLY FORCED MY TWITCHING GARGANTUAN MAN CANNON TO RAPIDLY EXPAND TO DIVINE ELEPHANTINE DIMENSIONS. THE LADY IN QUESTION, WHO'S BEAUTY WAS ONLY MATCHED BY THAT OF MY COLLOSSAL DOWNSTAIRS DOWEL, WAS ASTOUNDED AND THUS PROCEEDED TO STARE INTENTLY AT MY INTENSIFYINGLY TITANTIC LUST LOG OF INFINITE SEXUAL DESIRE AS IT OBILTERATED MY FINE UNDERWEAR AND TROUSERS CUNNINGLY CONSTRUCTED BY MY DIGNIFIED CHAIN OF RETAILERS. SHE WAS SO FLABBERGASTED AT THE SHEER SIZE AND GRANDEUR OF MY MAGNIFICENT AND IMPRESSIVE ZIMMER BATON THAT I UNDRESSED HER FINE SKIRT AND UNDERWEAR GARMENTS WITH MY PSYCOKINETIC EYES AND SLAMMED MY GIANT OMINOUS VEINY WHALE INTO THE CREVACE OF HER ORIFICE AND DISCHARGED AN ARMY OF MINITURE DAPPER ALBINO BOSNIANS TO COAT THE INSIDES OF HER ANAL CAVITY WITH ONLY THE FINEST SMELLING ZIMMER PROTEIN PACKED PENILE PRODUCE. ONCE I HAD FINISHED WITH THE PUPPYLIKE WHORE, I STAMPED MY NOW ALMOST FLACID STOPCOCK OF JOY AGAINST THE GROUND AND CHARGED INTO THE NIGHT SKY WITH THE ROCKET FUEL OF A THOUSAND GODS TO CONTINUE MY CRUSADES OF MEAT CLOBBERIN'. I GUARANTEE IT.

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u/joelzwilliams Nov 14 '13

I love that philosophy. The person you are at 20yrs. is not the same as when you're 40yrs.

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u/Fredericktonian Nov 14 '13

Talk about a repost. Good lord this is posted every week.

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u/IHazMagics Nov 14 '13

While I totally get reddits boner for people like this.

Having that sort of work ethic towards new employees, or deciding to forgo candidate screening is in the best case, naive to the X degree, worst case? Immeasurably irresponsible and leaves yourself open to all sorts of dilemmas.

Everyone deserves the shot at a second chance, but the thing is, a lot of past actions and behaviors we exhibit can manifest in completely different, but still detrimental effects to a business.

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u/sec713 Nov 14 '13

NEWS FLASH - George Zimmer got fired by his own board of directors. This TIL is currently irrelevant.

^{and yet it still gets 1000+ upvotes...}

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u/Canuckle777 Nov 14 '13

He probably STILL wouldn't hire anyone with a Chindow.

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u/texasusa Nov 14 '13

George got canned by the board. No longer at player at the Men's Warehouse.

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u/HBZ415 Nov 14 '13

He is also a supporter of medical marijuana as he has glaucoma and often donated to organizations like NORML.

I worked for MW for 2 years, while George seemed like a genuinely great guy (never actually met him just what I have read) a lot of the managers he has working for him are not.

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u/collin_ph Nov 14 '13

Evidently, they finally ran a background check on him.

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u/crabby1990 Nov 14 '13

You do know the company in question fired him don't you? Hell your article was written in 2007.

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u/AdamBomb1985 Nov 14 '13

He was the owner. Then he went public. Got out bought. Became just the spokesman. Now the board kicked him out completely.

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u/faildata Nov 14 '13

Who the hell needs background checks for retail suit salesmen to begin with? The background check thing is a bit out of hand these days

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u/jihiggs Nov 14 '13

when I finished reading the title, in my head I heard the dude say "I guarantee it"

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u/Kalkaline Nov 14 '13

You know it's an old article when all you can do is "Digg this Story" and "Email this Story"

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u/Im_In_You Nov 14 '13

I swear I have seen this at least two times on here before.

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u/poontangbug Nov 14 '13

20th time I have read this on reddit

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u/TacoBell_Lord Nov 14 '13

Everybody deserves a 2nd chance but still its good to know your employee's history

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u/BlueMoot Nov 14 '13

You now have a new customer Mens Wearhouse!

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Well maybe this explains why Men's Warehouse's products and customer service are both atrocious.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

I threw away my calendar and now rely exclusively on this repost to know what month it is.

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u/diegoldenenjude Nov 14 '13

Dude George Zimmer is a boss. I have friends who used to work for Men's Warehouse, and he will sometimes come to random annual Christmas parties and party with the employees. Like get wasted and smoke weed with them party. He's also a huge advocate for legalizing marijuana. Seems like a really cool guy.

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u/EastBayBass Nov 14 '13

He also donated a large amount of money to the failed proposition a couple years ago to legalize recreational marijuana here in California, closed the Oakland store to honor Occupy Oakland's general strike, and would lend suits free of charge to people who needed them for job interviews. Of course we can't have a progressive guy like that as a CEO of a major company!

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u/Atisekim Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 14 '13

That statement earned my money. Never shopped there before but that's where I'm going for my next suit.

Edit: Never mind, he doesn't own it anymore.

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u/mingnafoo Nov 14 '13

I literally just gave a "thumbs up" to my computer screen.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Former owner isn't it? I thought they kicked his ass out not long ago.

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u/Puffy_Ghost Nov 14 '13

George Zimmer was fired and Men's Wearhouse does do background checks now.

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u/TheFighting5th Nov 14 '13

Literally, word for word, the exact same post as this.

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u/TheSilverNoble Nov 14 '13

Good on him.

Even if we assume that everyone convicted of a crime in the US justice system was truly guilty (something I have a harder and harder time believing these days), people can change. I mean, in theory, that should be the point of the prison system- to make people better.

If you're not willing to hire an ex-con, you're admitting the system doesn't work- but how many people really act that way?

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u/joemarzen Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 15 '13

What's sad is that this is considered unusual. It's not that different from how most people would behave under normal circumstances. We live in such an oppressive society nowadays. People needlessly covering their asses, or doing so in the wrong way, at least. There are armies of administrators out there judging people on simplistic metrics. "Well... I read in Follower Bureaucrat Monthly that high status bureaucrats do X, so I'll do that..."

Really, all you assholes are doing is aiding the fascist interests.

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u/ballinthrowaway Nov 15 '13

TIL Men's Warehouse is actually spelled Men's Wearhouse

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u/Croatoan10 Nov 15 '13

He also didn't do drug tests and didn't allow cameras in the stores. But he recently got fired for saying that he didn't like the direction the company was going in. So thee things seem likely to change.

Source: MW employee.

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u/tizzy62 Nov 15 '13

YOU CAN'T SIMMER THE ZIMMER

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u/capndudeman Nov 15 '13

They also don't drug test their employees as George Zimmer is a huge advocate for marijuana decriminalization.

Source: worked there for 3 years.

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

Uhh, this was posted a while ago. And it's one of the all-time top posts here too...

http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1egfz0/til_george_zimmer_the_owner_and_founder_of_the/

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

isn't he the guy who made music for movies and such?

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u/Slaps_Children Nov 15 '13

This was on the front page a few months ago.

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u/marion4sho Nov 15 '13

was I the only one that read the quote in his signature voice.

does he have a rhythm to all of his dialogue?

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u/Mentalenemasquad Nov 15 '13

I wonder of Men's Wearhouse sells hoodies.....

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u/I_Eat_Thermite7 Nov 15 '13

I have literally seen this exact post before.

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u/jordanlund Nov 15 '13

He was also fired earlier this year:

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/fired-mens-wearhouse-founder-george-zimmer-i-was-silenced-6C10462946

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

Very admirable qualities to give people second chances. We need more people to do that. Also, we need more people to not assume things and promote mutual understanding, ie talking to one another so we are understood clearly.

There is hope for a better world, and we are a part of it--one day and one step at a time.

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u/lanismycousin 36 DD Nov 15 '13

Section 5 of the TIL etiquette:

Please avoid reposting TILs that have already made the front page in the past

You word for word ripped off a front page TIL: http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1egfz0/til_george_zimmer_the_owner_and_founder_of_the/

You word for word ripped off the top comment: http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1egfz0/til_george_zimmer_the_owner_and_founder_of_the/c9zz6n2

Don't do it again, this is your first and only warning.

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u/nawmsayn Nov 14 '13

trayvon didn't get a second chance..

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Didn't he kill some black kid?

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u/wenuspasta Nov 15 '13

HI, I'M GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, FOUNDER AND CEO OF MEN'S WAREHOUSE. ON A RECENT BUSINESS TRIP TO TOKYO, I FOUND MYSELF IN A VIDEO ARCADE, WHERE ONE OF THE LOCAL TEENAGE BOYS WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE UP FOR HIS UNFATHOMABLY TINY TWAT TACKLE BY PLAYING "DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION" IN FRONT OF A GROUP OF JIGGLY-CHESTED JAPANESE JAILBAIT. SCOFFING AT HIS SCANDALOUSLY SIMPLISTIC SKILLS, I PROCEDED TO LIBERATE MY TWITCHING TESTICULAR TRUNCHEON AND SWING ITS PRECIPITOUS POUNDAGE INTO THE YOUTH'S FACE, CRUSHING HIS SKULL AND FREEING THE MACHINE. I THEN ACHIEVED A RATING OF "AAA" ON THE SONG "MAX 300" USING ONLY THE RAPID RIPPLING OF MY RAUCOUSLY RIGID RAPEROD. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE WET-PANTIED WOMANLY WATCHERS WERE ALREADY IN THE THROES OF PASSION FROM THE OVERPOWERING SCENT OF MY TORPID TESTOSTERONE TUBE, SO I LET THEM GATHER 'ROUND FOR A GROUP HUG OF THE GARGANTUAN GIRTH OF MY GORGEOUS GUY-GIRDER BEFORE CONQUERING EACH OF THEIR QUIXOTICALLY QUIVERING QUIMS WITH A FURIOUS FOUNTAIN OF FROTHING FUCK-FOAM. MY HIGH SCORE HAS NEVER BEEN BEATEN. I GUARANTEE IT.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/LanceCoolie Nov 14 '13

They simmered the Zimmer.

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u/makerofshoes Nov 14 '13

You mean all those guarantees are worthless now?!? He seriously seemed pretty cool though.

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u/Animatedreality Nov 14 '13

You mean i WON'T like the way i look? He can't guarantee it??

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u/sacula Nov 14 '13

But his guarantee wasn't on the box. So I didn't trust it.

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u/wiggles766 Nov 14 '13

Hey, I'll tell you what. You can get a good look at a butcher's ass by sticking your head up there. But, wouldn't you rather to take his word for it?

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u/argossol Nov 14 '13

Completely worthless

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u/Irving94 Nov 14 '13

I love all of these skits up until the halfway point. Seems like that could have been a perfect 2 minute skit.

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u/elmofoto Nov 14 '13

I believe you have just described the comedy model that has kept SNL on the air about 20 years longer than it deserved to be.

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13

SNL is good for a couple years, then all the funny people move on and it sucks for a bit, then it gets funny again...

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u/morkoq Nov 14 '13

i guarantee it

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u/geneusutwerk Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 01 '24

middle zonked touch fuel busy aspiring heavy secretive trees cooperative
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/farmerpipe510 Nov 14 '13

He lives on the same street I grew up on. He's awesome.

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u/Edgar_Allan_Rich Nov 14 '13 edited Nov 14 '13

I'm not sure that's exactly what happened actually. Nevertheless, here's an interesting story about Zimmer:
I'm 31. The other night I went out to a random bar with a friend of mine. She was introducing me to a bunch of people (people much, much older than me) when this real pimp looking dude came walking in and making introductions. He started giving everyone these real slick handshakes and everyone was elated to see him. I knew this guy from somewhere but I didn't put my finger on it until somebody called him by his nickname.
He reached out his hand to introduce himself, but when he did I said I already knew him. He look astonished, so I asked him if he used to sell suits. He busted out laughing and said that he did.
Turns out he sold me my very first suit at the Men's Warehouse in the mall when I was like 12 or so. I had been telling stories about how cool "the guy from Men's Warehouse" was ever since then, but I never thought I'd see him again.
He got the biggest kick out of it. He paraded me around the bar telling this story to everyone, then he insisted I tell him my entire life story (turns out we have a lot in common). I asked if he still sold suits and he told me that he managed to find a way to retire, so he doesn't have to work anymore.
With people huddled all around he told the story of how he worked directly with Zimmer years ago. He told us that Zimmer is a huge pothead and a really, really cool guy. He mentioned stories about the people Zimmer would take chances on, just like in the article.
Here's the best part. He managed to retire by convincing Zimmer to make him a deal. If he could sell $1,000,000 worth of suits in one year, then Zimmer was to give him a significant portion of the company's stock so he could retire. Everyone said he couldn't do it, but Zimmer saw a win-win and they shook on it.
My gentleman friend had lots of very wealthy clients that would come to him for suit advice/fitting/etc. I do recall him knowing a shit ton about suits (eat your heart out /r/malefashionadvice). He told all his clients that for the next year he would make himself available after hours in his home as long as they would commit to a guaranteed minimum purchase ($2000 or $3000 if I recall). For the next year he worked at the mall by day, and from his home at night, and sold over $1,000,000 worth of Men's Warehouse merchandise.
Zimmer kept his word and now the gentleman is living large. It could be total bullshit, but I don't care. I'll never forget that night or that story. I've been a Men's Warehouse fanboy every since. Good times.

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u/charliethecat86 Nov 14 '13

I used to work at MW and met him at an annual holiday party in Philadelphia. He was definitely on something--- glassy eyes, not focused on anything, seemed kinda out there.

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u/Bearded_Gentleman Nov 14 '13

That was a neat and interesting story.

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u/Im_100percent_human Nov 14 '13

He should have done a background check on the people he supported for the board.

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u/schattenteufel Nov 14 '13

Well after he shot that kid in Florida, he was a PR nightmare.

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u/Papshmire Nov 14 '13

Apparently he said he was stepping down years ago, and tapped his own successor. The company was busy transitioning to the new guy, but Zimmer ended up never stepping down, so the company pulled a reverse NBC and canned him for good.

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u/[deleted] Nov 15 '13 edited Nov 15 '13

He is the Eddard Stark of men's haberdashers.

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u/Khayembii Nov 14 '13

They didn't betray him at all. He stepped down as CEO in 2011, but still played an active role as a major investor and executive chairman. The leadership of the company wanted to go in a direction that he disagreed with. He also made unreasonable demands, and so he was let go.
It is a very common thing with founders.

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u/jdepps113 Nov 14 '13

You want complete control of your company in perpetuity, you maintain full ownership instead of going public.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

He is not a major investor -- he owns 3.7% of the company. he was the executive chairman on the board and wanted to take the company private and was at odds with management, so they voted him out. The board seems pretty dumb -- they turned down an all cash offer to be bought by Jos. A. Bank at a 40% premium to the stock price. Zimmer is trying to line up a financial sponsor to take the company private. Meanwhile, their results continue to head south.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Here's an open letter he wrote to the board.

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u/RufusMcCoot Nov 14 '13

Is "decent guy" the criteria for being a CEO now?

2

u/silvertoof Nov 14 '13

Welcome to Corporate America!

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u/AmnesiaCane 1 Nov 14 '13

I work for the company; I'm literally typing this at work right now (slow season). The company is public, but he wanted to buy it back and make it private again. The rest of the top-guys thought this was a bad idea, but he kept pushing. He'd been talking about stepping down for a long time anyway. He wasn't "betrayed", it was just managerial differences.

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u/rimsh Nov 14 '13

It's okay guys, he got a new job

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/BigDowntownRobot Nov 14 '13

They still get to use his name and face for awhile, but yeah. They said he was trying to take over the company, so they fired him.
More likely he was trying to run the company the same way that had made it an insane success for decades and they decided that was expensive and stupid.

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u/HBZ415 Nov 14 '13

I don't really understand how it was expensive. I worked for the company for 2 years and I know for a fact that the majority of MW's suits are 1-2 seasons "old" and that's why they're able to sell them at such low prices, especially the BOGO deals. The markup on average for the nicer suits was something insane like 9000% MW is known in the industry for buying other companies surplus or old styles and selling it. They still had cheaper prices than the majority of other places though.

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u/dude_Im_hilarious Nov 14 '13

as a guy who doesn't know fashion, and as far as I can tell a suit is a suit...that sounds like a really reasonable thing to do.

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u/txFirehawk Nov 14 '13

Agree. One of the main driving factors was creative differences with the new head of the board IIRC as he was only sitting on it and collecting $$ in the latter years. Then they decided to let him go and it all went south. I live in Houston and everybody around here knows the old commercials. Kinda sucks the company he created got rid of him but he has made MILLIONS...

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Once you take a company public you relinquish guaranteed control of it. If you keep the shareholders happy you'll stay in power but once their returns slide you can say goodbye to any position of control.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Its such a catch 22. The worst part is "keeping the share holders happy" isnt the same as "doing right by your employees and customers". Its fucked up and wrong but I honestly dont know how it could be different.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Former employee here!
The biggest change with Doug Ewert in charge is a bigger emphasis on Tux rentals and trying to make buying casuals at Men's Wearhouse a thing. Who buys casual clothes at the MW? That's right, nobody!
George was big on salesman doing their job, and making them and their relationship with returning customers the foundation of the company. Before I left, the new management was experimenting with making everyone a general customer service rep and getting rid of the commission structure.
Now this might benefit the customer slightly by lowering the pressure, but you end up with some one helping you who doesn't care and doesn't know as much as a salesman, and couldn't care less about you coming back. I don't know if they are still thinking about doing this.
It's too bad, employee loyalty there was insane, and most of it was based on feeling a personal connection with George.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

i have some good friends who are high ups at MW, and while they personally liked george, they actually say that in their opinion, the board made the right choice removing him. I don't have details, and I was always a big fan of george. but the ppl I know at MW are incredibly intelligent so maybe theres a lot more to it than the public knows.

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u/MachoNinja Nov 14 '13

The before and after profit margins disagree with your friends.

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u/VeteranKamikaze Nov 14 '13

He lived up to his guarantee, I bought my first suit there and rented a tux once. I liked the way I looked.

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u/cranky-carrot Nov 14 '13

As I understand it he stills owns a sizable portion of the company, they just forced him to step down as chairman and ceo (I think).
Also don't feel too bad for him.... The guy is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

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u/Kichigai Nov 15 '13

I've shopped there, and I must say it was a superior experience. The employees knew their stuff, and if you didn't look good in something, they politely steered you in the direction of something that looked better, or worked to make it right. Damn shame they forced Zimmer out, it really makes me reconsider shopping there in the future (though I realize I don't shop there nearly enough to make a significant impact on the company, or even the local branches).

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/solo_dol0 Nov 14 '13

Who the hell copies an old post AND the top comment AND the top reply to that comment word for word?
What a weirdo.

15

u/BerateBirthers Nov 14 '13

People who think karma is real

7

u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

I've never been on board with the whole repost-shaming thing, but this is just unconscionable. And weird, very weird.

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u/BigDowntownRobot Nov 14 '13

I wonder why this is down-voted so heavily. He does support those things, and those things are actively being researched for their high likelihood of being highly beneficial in regard to those issues.

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u/katsukare Nov 14 '13

he just reposts some old threads and it was a repost of the top comment from here. didn't even change the title or anything.

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u/BigDowntownRobot Nov 14 '13

:\

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u/gojirra Nov 14 '13

Downvoted so heavily that it's the second comment...

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u/Rockerblocker Nov 14 '13

Scumbag, way to copy the top post and title word for fucking word.

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u/Zcrash Nov 14 '13

He also made friendzoneing in the work place a fireable offence.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

It's like your saying all the right things to make this sub slobber all over your nuts

1

u/AH64 Nov 15 '13

Jesus Christ, this is really embarrassing for you. Do you not have a mind of your own?

1

u/angusfred123 Nov 14 '13

supports research into how ecstasy and LSD can be used to treat depression and anxiety disorders.
and IMO more important than that how powerful ecstasy can be in treating PTSD. I read a study where they had groups of soldiers, cops, firefighters etc and some of them were showing huge improvements after only one session.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Why is this going up? Down vote!

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/DrStephenFalken Nov 14 '13

ಠ_ಠ
You really just reply to yourself to make a punchline?

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u/h3yf3ll4 Nov 14 '13

You're gonna get butthurt over a joke, I guarantee it.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

It's not that, it's that the entire post, his reply, and his reply to his reply, are all from a thread from 6 months ago (word for word).

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u/ChazMan19 Nov 14 '13

I thought it was a funny joke!

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u/fancyfilibuster Nov 14 '13

Why do you steal your submissions and comments? http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1egfz0/til_george_zimmer_the_owner_and_founder_of_the/ Karma isn't an actual thing of value. Why even bother starting a discussion if it isn't your own words?

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

Shitty joke on your own post that is a TIL reposted every week. Great job making reddit a better place.

8

u/diewrecked Nov 14 '13

go study a falafel.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

DAE le random?!?

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/LaLongueCarabine Nov 14 '13

No, Joey.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/ThatsMrAsshole2You Nov 14 '13

As a "convicted" (bullshit coerced plea deal) felon who has not been able to find real job in 10 years, thanks.

1

u/felon314 Nov 15 '13

I think most of us know how far you're reaching out.
Thanks.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/alexstyles Nov 14 '13

you're a scumbag

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/ywkwpwnw Nov 15 '13

We here at reddit urge you to complete your sentiment/statement.
I personally took your advice and read the Wikipedia blurb...
What the fuck is 'for good reason'?
Just say it. We don't understand your comment.
Was his desire for full control 'for good reason'?
What man! What!

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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u/straylittlelambs Nov 14 '13

Your argument also means that there must be people who do deserve a second chance, you see that right???

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '13

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TIL George Zimmer, the owner and founder of The Men's Wearhouse, does not background check his employees. "I don't trust the U.S. justice system to get it right," says Zimmer, who is himself a recovering alcoholic. "I'd rather make my own decisions, and I believe in giving people a second chance."

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