[Archangels]

Hello: I just started working for LA Weight Loss after being unemployed for 4 months. I'm concerned about working for a company that is not being as ethical with selling their services as I would hope. I do not believe that purchasing the supplements are necessary and I'm not sure that I agree with the eating plans. I have always felt that eating healthy grains is a good thing, and on the LA weight loss plan, a person gets very few low glycemic grains. People do have a lot of constipation on the plan. I'm just looking for some suggestions on how to best handle this. If I quit, I may not be eligible to receive unemployment benefits....I was receiving them before I took the job. I'm very disappointed because before accepting the position I was really "sold" on the wonderful, safe, and very professional company this was.

Any ideas would be very helpful.

[RunnerDuck]

I know what it's like to be eager for any job, then have the job you take not be quite what was sold to you in the interview.

The unemployment benefits part is a toughie.

I am not too sure how these work, but if you were to talk to someone at where ever they come from and explain that after starting the job, you feel the company operates in a non-ethical fashion... what would happen? That seems like it would be different than being a quitter.

Good luck with this!

[aphil]

There have been lots of complaints here on the 3FC boards about LAWL, and a lot of them come from the active LAWL thread here in the general diet plans section. You may go over there and voice your concerns to those girls...the pushing of the bars and sipplements, and high prices for each food card, and things like this are what they complain of most. I personally believe that they are too strict, with strange food restrictions that do not make any nutritional sense...
The real question here is your personal conscience. Will you be able to enjoy working in an environment that is using these practices? I know that when you need money and benefits, it is a hard decision. I would personally be worried about their benefits being as "iffy" as their business practices. Maybe speaking to the girls on the LAWL thread will help you see the customer's side of things and hear how they feel about the way they are treated- and you can decide further from there.
Aphil

[Archangels]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. I'll check out the General Diet plan treads and see if I might get some help there. The job thing is a difficult one, since I need to work. However, I don't like the way things are done there. I agree about the supplements and the Bars. The bars are basically sugar and yet we are told that clients are not to count calories...but just do the program as it is set out. I don't believe that a lot of refined sugar is ever a *good* thing.

Archangels

[MrsJim]

Archangels - the way I read your post was not really about LAWL (from what I've heard and read about the program, I don't blame you for not wanting to work for them) but more about losing your unemployment benefits due to not wanting to work for them after taking the position.

I find it interesting that even though the company uses the LA/Southern California image as a marketing tool, they are not based here in California, and last time I checked no centers in California at all, much less LA. Pretty ironic, eh?

I don't know what state you are in - but have you discussed this with your unemployment office? They might have a solution for you - you can't possibly be the *only* person that has been in this situation. It couldn't hurt to ask.

And BTW, we actually had a thread not too long ago here in the Buyer Beware forum regarding LAWL. It got pretty heated, but made for interesting reading. I personally tend to shy away from posting negative comments about a diet plan in a thread meant to be 'support' for that particular program, but you might try sending a Private Message (PM) to some of the regulars at that thread. As I've noted in the past on various other posts, people tend to get very defensive about whatever diet plan they are on - whether it be LAWL, WW, Jenny Craig, SlimFast, etc.

Just my two cents - but I feel you might want to talk to your state employment office (or if they have a website, check there).

Welcome to 3FC BTW - and best wishes to you

[trixiepup]

can you put in applications for other jobs? i don't know what is around you, but you could probably find some retail work that might get you through the money crunch.

[Jibbelle]

You are welcome to join us on the LAWL board under diet plans. Maybe someone there will have ideas/suggestions for you!

[THE BIG ORANGE BABE]

My SIL is on the LAWL WOE and is having great success with it. She told me that while the supplements are encouraged, they are not pushed one her. They are there for the participant to choose if they want. If you make the suggestion, and it is turned down by the client, then you've done your part...I don't understand your problem after that...as for the eating plan, she said it's like the original DIET CENTER plan...very healthy and easy to do...once again, they don't push any product on her at all.

BOB