Do not work for Panera - they care NOTHING for their employees. They care even less for their customers. Panera sells themselves to prospective employees as a "family company" - HAH!

My husband started with Chicago Bread's small (non-corp) franchise in Illinois in February 2010, hired by Vince Ancona as a General Manager - basically, he was brought in as a 'hired gun' to 'clean up' Vince's district (Libertyville/Riverwoods/Lake Bluff, etc) because the general managers at these stores are Clueless and cannot manage their people or stores (See Norm or Holly in Riverwoods). Accolades up and down about my husband and his background - since he came from the corporate restaurant industry - and he did exceptional through training and transition and everyone was excited to have him aboard, including Vince Ancona. After his training in Libertyville, he was moved to Vince's worst store in Riverwoods; when my husband moved stores, several of the associates in Libertyville requested a move to Riverwoods because they loved him and his management abilities.

At Riverwoods for 2 weeks, my husband started having problems with his knee - which is to be expected since Panera makes their GM's work six days a week, 12 hours a day and do not allow them to take breaks or even sit down (tell me how that's legal?) - anyone would have knee problems under those conditions. He worked through it for a month, but one day he just couldn't even walk, so he called in sick. For the next two days the current GM in Riverwoods keeps calling my husband and asking "Can you walk today? We need a cashier. Why can't you come in? Will you be able to walk in a few hours?" - seriously? My husband lives 20 miles from Riverwoods and he can't even drive - it's his right knee. Two, three days later - he still cannot walk and goes to the doctor. His boss - this Vince Ancona - never told him that if he's absent more than 2 days, he has to apply for a leave of absence. The doctor orders my husband to stay off his feet, and to be off of work for the next week as his knee is just getting worse, could be a torn meniscus. He notified the appropriate people, and Vince Ancona asks "how can your knee get any worse? I don't understand why you can't work" - like he's a doctor. Still did not mention the leave of absence application, the benefits coordinator in the GA home office contacts my husband to fill out the leave forms - which he did and submitted; new doctor's request is to be out an additional week. At the end of this second week, at 4:30pm on a friday, my husband gets a Voicemail that he is "not meeting requirements" and he is to turn in key.

Requirements? What requirements? He is an awesome manager and runs circles around Panera's current GMs - we were very perplexed as to why he was fired. My husband called this jerk back minutes later, and he will not pick up the phone. Many many emails & phone calls later...It's been 3 days - no one has picked up a phone to explain, and we still do not have an explanation as to why he was fired. I understand that Illinois is an 'at-will' state - but ANY employer will give you a reason - or if you're a poor worker, then you know the reason. It wasn't his work ethic. Could it be that he's being discriminated against because he had to take two weeks off because he couldn't walk? Probably... that IS illegal to fire someone on medical leave.

If Panera actually Cared about their employees and their families - they wouldn't fire people because of two-week injury - they would work with the employee. It's not like the store was short-staffed and the shifts suffered because he wasn't there... Riverwoods actually has TOO many managers and not enough associates.

Do NOT grace the doorstep of any Panera - other stores are even worse. They pay very little money and work their workers to death - making them take on 2 or more positions and yelling when they can't get it all done. The company is more concerned about 'checklists' then making the customer happy, or even moving customers faster through the lines and filling their orders: A dim or broken light bulb is more of a concern to the district managers then making customers happy. If you happen to be in Riverwoods, Libertyville or Lake Bluff - make sure you file a complaint against your visit.

Good luck cleaning up your stores Vince Ancona. Hope the name Panera goes down in flames - and you with it - considering you are part owner.