Changes are being made to parking at the Valley Plaza Mall after an employee reached out sayng she was upset with the mall's employee parking policy.
The employee said the mall's policy only allowed parking near Ming Avenue by Sears or on the south side of the mall near the apartments. Which she said was not a safe option.
"They're requiring us to park out by the streets on the outskirts of Valley Plaza which is not lit up, we've already had girls assualted, cars stolen out of the parking lot, cars broken into," said Moore.
Moore said she often closes and leaves when it's dark but has to walk too far to get to her car. While mall security says an employee can call them and have them escorted to their car Moore says it took them almost an hour to do just that. "Late at night walking out there you never know who is out there and girls have already been assaulted right in the parking lot walking out of Valley Plaza at night," said Moore.
She says she understands customers should get the right to park up front but she shouldn't have to fear for her safety everytime she closes up shop which she says she does almost every day.
Moore also says she is supposed to register her license plate so that it is obcious who employees are. However she claims that the mall watches for emmployees on video then fines them.
"Are they that desperate for money that they have to mess with us employees who keep their mall going and make them money, ya know, it's pretty pathetic."
In a statement from John Baker, General Manager of the Valley Plaza Mall said, "Valley Plaza Mall requires employees of the mall and the companies that operate within to park in designated areas. This requirement was put in place several years ago in response to customer feedback regarding the lack of parking close to the shopping center. Valley Plaza Mall has on-site 24/7 security both inside the center and throughout the surrounding parking lots to ensure our customer and employees safety."
The employee, Timi Moore who works at Regis Salon said that since our interview with her the mall has started to allow employees to park in the last four stalls in front of each store where they work.
