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American Red Cross

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Contradicting Values - Disaster Specialist American Red Cross Employee Review

1.0
Jan 28, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The volunteers are the heartbeat of this organization—truly selfless and almost saintly in how they support people during their most vulnerable moments. Our non-leadership coworkers are equally dedicated, hardworking, and generous.

Cons

Disaster relief mid-level management demonstrates persistent disorganization and a concerning lack of empathy toward employees and, at times, clients. Cultural values and external perspectives are insufficiently respected, and despite serving a diverse KCMO community, the chapter’s workforce and volunteer base do not reflect that diversity. Employees from marginalized backgrounds appear inadequately supported or protected. A reported on-the-clock racial discrimination complaint was deemed unsubstantiated by HR, after which the employee experienced retaliation and a lack of protection from management. Perceived conflicts of interest further undermined trust in the process. Overall, while the organization publicly promotes inclusivity, its response to discrimination and the evident lack of managerial experience in disaster relief leadership raise serious concerns.

Explore other reviews about American Red Cross

5.0
Mar 23, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

it is comforting to work where some people have been in my department for 30+ years. I can understand why, the people are a breathe of fresh air.

Cons

I have no cons, I have been here for over 4.5 years

2.0
Mar 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

You feel connected to a larger mission, and go to bed knowing you did good work. Most of the volunteers are amazing people. The job is a good stepping stone to other disaster management jobs elsewhere. PTO policy is generous and Healthcare is decent.

Cons

You are INCREDIBLY overworked and GROSSLY underpaid. You get zero work-life balance. Even when you're not on call, you'll still get tons of calls from volunteers with questions and concerns. If a volunteer is unavailable to respond to a fire call or tend to any other responsibility day or night, you're on deck. You're salaried, so there's no overtime pay. Your pay barely covers the basic cost of living in today's economy ($40k-$50k). Diversity is bottom heavy, meaning there are lots of employees of color in entry level or lower management roles, but beyond that there's a steep drop off. Most of the volunteers are great, but the Red Cross is so desperate to keep them, that poor behavior and language (racist/sexist/phobic) is not properly disciplined or responded to, if at all. Employee retention is poor, especially in the Disaster Specialist role, because they burn you out so quickly without decent pay.

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