OpenSecrets reports that contributions associated with Macy’s Inc totaled $835,357 in the 2024 cycle, with 90.75% going to Democrats and 9.25% to Republicans. It says organizations themselves cannot contribute directly to candidates and party committees, and that the figures include contributions and spending by affiliates.
Macy’s said it would close its South Windsor distribution center and Cheshire fulfillment center as part of supply-chain modernization and operational simplification. Notices cited 57 South Windsor layoffs and about 993 Cheshire job eliminations, phased from March 2026; a small number of workers may stay through April 2027 to decommission equipment.
Macy’s is closing multiple Connecticut facilities and laying off over 1,000 workers in an effort to simplify the company’s operations, per an online notice filed with the state’s Department of Labor and a statement from the retailer.
In an October 2014 petition, authors Seth Greenwald and Alexander Gould claimed Macy’s removed SodaStream products under anti-Israel activist pressure and urged supporters to stop patronizing Macy’s until it reversed the decision. They called for an explanation; the post said Macy’s had not stated why it removed the product and still carried other Israeli-made goods.
Macy’s Corporation, following intense protests by anti-Israel activists claiming to have a human rights agenda, have removed the Sodastream product from their shelves based on the ideology that the company is oppressive to the peoples currently living in the disputed territories. In fact, the exact opposite is true.
In August 2019, Macy’s spokeswoman Blair Rosenberg told Bloomberg that the retailer had used MC2 Model Management for “a handful of very small projects,” but it was not on Macy’s active roster. She said the person who engaged the agency was unaware of concerns about owner Jean-Luc Brunel’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Reports said the extent and duration of retailer work with MC2 were unclear.
Several of the biggest retailers in the U.S., including Nordstrom, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Ave., and Neiman Marcus, were named as previous clients by the president of a modeling agency with deep ties to Jeffrey Epstein, as allegations of sex trafficking swirled around the financier and the firm.
According to Bloomberg, Nordstrom last worked with MC2 in January 2017, though the retailer declined to comment for the story. Macy's spokeswoman Blair Rosenberg wrote in an email to Bloomberg that MC2 is not currently on its client list, but that the retailer had partnered with the agency "on a handful of very small projects," in which the person in charge allegedly "was not aware of the concerns."
On November 21, 2023, America First Legal, led by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, asked the EEOC to investigate Macy’s diversity plan, alleging its hiring and recruitment commitments likely violate federal law. The group cited a goal of 30% ethnic diversity at senior director level and above by 2025 and a leadership program for managers and directors of specified racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Macy’s plan states it intends to “achieve more ethnic diversity by 2025 at senior director level and above, with a goal of 30 percent,” and create a year-long program to “strengthen leadership skills for a selected group of top-talent managers and directors of Black/African-American, Hispanic-Latinx, Native American and Asian descent,” the group said in its letter.
In a June 27, 2016 ruling, a New York County court granted a preliminary injunction in Cinthia Orellana’s proposed class action, barring Macy’s from demanding civil penalties from suspected shoplifters while they were detained. The court found the alleged practice of seeking confessions and payments in custody unfair, while allowing Macy’s to pursue penalties after release.
This action arises out of plaintiff's detention by Macy's Loss Prevention Officer Luz Baez for an alleged shoplifting incident that occurred on July 18, 2014. Plaintiff commenced this action individually and as a class action asserting the illegality of: (1) Macy's shoplifting prevention practices, including Macy's alleged practice of coercing unsuspecting consumers into signing confessions while being detained for alleged shoplifting and exacting monetary penalties from accused shoplifters at the time they are detained; and (2) the continued demands by Macy's through Palmer, after the accused shoplifter is released from Macy's detention, for higher civil penalties, attorneys' fees and punitive damages not authorized by the statute (motion exhibit A).
In a 2011 settlement, Macy’s agreed to pay a $750,000 civil penalty and conduct annual staff training and an inventory review. CPSC staff alleged the company knowingly failed to report hazards and continued selling some garments subject to corrective action. Macy’s denied the allegations; the agreement was for settlement purposes and was not an admission or finding of a knowing violation.
17. Macy's denies Staff's allegations above, including, but not limited to, any claim that Macy's failed to timely report to the Commission the sale or distribution of any children's upper outerwear products with drawstrings pursuant to section 15(b) of the CPSA.
4. During periods of time from April 2006 through October 2010, Macy's, through its subsidiaries, imported, sold, and/or held for sale various quantities of the following children's upper outerwear products with drawstrings at the neck: Quiksilver, Inc.—Hide & Seek hooded sweatshirts; Jerry Leigh of California, Inc.—Harajuku Lovers hooded jackets; La Jolla Sport USA, Inc.—O'Neill hooded sweatshirts; Dysfunctional Clothing, LLC—Lost hooded sweatshirts; Macy's Merchandising Group, Inc.—Epic Threads hooded sweatshirts; Macy's Merchandising Group, Inc.—Greendog sweaters; C-MRK, Inc.—Ocean Current hooded sweatshirts; NTD Apparel, Inc.—Hello Kitty hooded sweatshirts; S. Rothschild & Co., Inc.—wool coats; and VF Contemporary Brands, Inc.—Splendid hooded jackets and hooded vest sets. The products identified in this paragraph are collectively referred to herein as “Garments.”
A judgment filed in Riverside County Superior Court in September 2023 required Macy’s Retail Holdings, LLC to pay $1.175 million in civil penalties and $425,000 in costs over alleged hazardous-waste disposal at 98 California stores. The company was reported to have cooperated and implemented policies for proper disposal and documentation.
Fashion retailer Macy’s was ordered to pay $1.6 million for environmental violations across its California stores. An investigation into Macy’s Retail Holdings, LLC revealed the illegal disposal of hazardous waste over the last several years across the company’s 98 California retail locations, according to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office. The judgment, which was filed in the Riverside County Superior Court on Friday, involved multiple district attorneys' offices including Alameda, Fresno, Monterey, Orange, San Diego, San Francisco, Shasta and Yolo counties, as well as the L.A. City Attorney’s Office. The lawsuit alleged that instead of disposing hazardous items at authorized waste facilities, Macy’s illegally dumped the waste in regular trash bins and at local landfills, which are not permitted to receive those waste products. Some of the hazardous items discarded include batteries, electronic devices, ignitable liquids, aerosol products, cleaning agents, items listed as containing drug facts, and other flammable, reactive, toxic, and corrosive materials, officials said. Under the settlement, Macy’s was fined $1,175,000 in civil penalties and $425,000 in cost reimbursement. Riverside County will receive $157,500 in civil penalties and $36,800 in cost reimbursement. The Riverside County Department of Environmental Health will receive $25,750 in civil penalties and $10,000 in cost reimbursement. The retailer was cooperative with the judgment and has since implemented policies to properly manage waste disposal in the future. The company’s hazardous waste will be collected by “state registered haulers to properly transport it to authorized disposal facilities, which is being properly documented.” “Macy’s, like all retail stores, is required to properly dispose of hazardous waste that is generated in the normal course of its retail business, and to manage such hazardous waste in labeled and segregated containers to ensure that incompatible wastes do not mix and cause dangerous chemical reactions,” said the Riverside County DA’s Office. In 2017, Macy’s was involved in a similar incident that resulted in a settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency over violations of hazardous waste regulations. The retailer paid a $375,000 civil penalty in that case. Macy's operates 507 stores across the U.S. and is headquartered in New York City.
In December 2024, Macy’s said its investigation found one employee intentionally made false accounting entries and falsified documents over nearly three years. The company said the employee acted alone, was no longer employed, and the conduct was not for personal gain; investigators identified a material weakness in financial controls. Macy’s said it was strengthening controls and revising historical statements.
Macy's independent investigation found that "a single employee with responsibility for small package delivery expense accounting intentionally made erroneous accounting accrual entries and falsified underlying documentation," according to a financial filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday morning. The filing said the investigation found "material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting" that allowed the person to circumvent validating information with "manual journal entries."
On July 14, 2011, the Federal Register published a provisionally accepted settlement agreement with Macy’s, Inc. under the Consumer Product Safety Act. The agreement contained a $750,000 civil penalty; the notice describes it as provisional, not as a completed or final settlement.
It is the policy of the Commission to publish settlements which it provisionally accepts under the Consumer Product Safety Act in the Federal Register in accordance with the terms of 16 CFR 1118.20(e). Published below is a provisionally-accepted Settlement Agreement with Macy's, Inc., containing a civil penalty of $750,000.00.
In a 2008 report, New York’s Labor Department said Jin Shun, a factory that made garments for Macy’s and other retailers, underpaid workers and used sweatshop conditions. Officials alleged wage-law violations, falsified time records and coaching workers to mislead investigators. Macy’s and other retailers said they took the matter seriously and had supplier policies on fair working conditions.
NEW YORK (CNN) -- Employees were underpaid millions of dollars and worked under sweatshop conditions at a New York factory that made garments for major retailers including Macy's and The Gap, the state Department of Labor said Wednesday.
Reports in March and June 2026 said shoppers using Macy’s “Ask Macy’s” spent about 4.75 to nearly five times more per session than nonusers. The “Complete the Look” tool offers outfit suggestions and virtual try-on. The reports describe an observed spending difference, not proof that the assistant caused it.
After Macy’s launched its AI-powered “Ask Macy’s” shopping assistant in March, executives quickly noticed that one feature was a particularly big hit with customers. The chatbot’s “Complete the Look” virtual try-on feature invites users to upload a photo of themselves and then suggests different looks—either complete ensembles, or items to compliment what they’re wearing. Its popularity is paying off: Shoppers who use the feature spend almost five times more per session on Macy’s web site than those who don’t.
Macy’s reported that shoppers using its new AI assistant, "Ask Macy’s," are spending 4.75 times more than those who are not. Nearly five times more. A couple of days earlier, OpenAI pulled back Instant Checkout, its attempt to let users buy products directly inside ChatGPT, after Walmart EVP Daniel Danker told Wired that conversion rates inside ChatGPT ran at roughly one-third of Walmart’s own site rate — an experience he called “unsatisfying.”
CEO Tony Spring has added brands including Reiss, Good American and Theory, and brought Abercrombie & Fitch children’s products to Macy’s in July. Spring said the company still had much to prove. Retail analyst Saunders said Macy’s remained “middle-of-the-road” and needed to keep elevating the customer experience.
Armed with some promising results, Spring has been working to attract new brands to Macy’s and bring back others. In July, he landed a coup when Abercrombie & Fitch’s children’s business started selling its products at Macy’s. Other brands Macy’s has recently added include Reiss, Good American, and Theory. Spring is also betting he can get important partners to come back to many of the Macy’s stores they abandoned.
In response to an inquiry about the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, Macy’s said it belongs to the American Apparel & Footwear Association and other groups engaging policymakers on trade, human rights and sustainability. The company said its supplier terms require compliance with its Code of Conduct, which prohibits forced labor throughout the supply chain.
...we are an active member of the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA), among other associations and networks that directly engage with policymakers on international trade, human rights and sustainability issues. Our supplier contract terms and conditions require compliance across the entire supply chain with our Vendor & Supplier Code of Conduct, which explicitly prohibits the use of forced labor...
CNBC reported that Macy’s announced on Jan. 18 it would cut more than 2,300 employees and close five more namesake stores. Forbes separately noted plans to close five stores and two furniture galleries, saying some locations had been identified for closure before the pandemic. The reports describe announced plans, not completed closures.
Macy's announced Jan. 18 that it will shrink its head count and store footprint even more. It laid off more than 2,300 employees and announced it will shutter five more of its namesake stores.
Before the pandemic, the company had identified 125 stores it would close. While the pandemic changed many things, it did not make these stores any better or more productive. Therefore, closing of some of the stores will be necessary. So far, the company announced that five stores and two furniture galleries will be closed.
On June 22, 2016, the Justice Department said Macy’s agreed to settle allegations involving its Glendale, California, hiring practices. Investigators found employees wrongly required lawful permanent residents to show unexpired resident cards, delaying one applicant’s hiring and imposing the same requirement on four others. Macy’s agreed to training, monitoring and an $8,700 civil penalty.
The department’s investigation was based on a charge filed by a lawful permanent resident whose hiring was delayed in October 2015. The charging party alleged, and the investigation found, that she was not able to begin working at Macy’s even though she showed sufficient proof of her work authorization because a Macy’s hiring official incorrectly believed that lawful permanent residents were required to produce unexpired permanent resident cards. The investigation also found that other human resource employees in Macy’s Glendale location were imposing the same unnecessary requirement on four other lawful permanent residents. In contrast, U.S. citizens were permitted to choose whichever valid documents they wanted to present to prove their work authorization. Under the INA, lawful permanent residents do not have to show their permanent resident cards when they start working. Instead, like all workers, they can choose whichever documentation the would like to present, such as a driver’s license and unrestricted social security card, from the lists of acceptable documents.
At a March 2016 gala, Tony Spring, then Bloomingdale’s chairman and CEO, received the New Yorker for New York Award and praised the company’s support for the Citizens Committee for New York City. He cited associates’ participation in restoring and cleaning 23 city gardens over five years, including a community garden in Chinatown.
Recipient of the New Yorker for New York Award, Tony Spring Chairman and CEO of Bloomingdale’s hailed Bloomingdale’s support of the Citizens Committee for New York — “an organization that touches 140 neighborhoods and supports powerful leadership in all five boroughs.” He lauded Bloomingdale’s support of “a beautiful garden in Chinatown… a natural environment for the whole community… where people come together to support one another. Over the past five years, 275 Bloomingdale’s associates have participated in the restoration and cleanup of 23 gardens across New York City.”
When Tony Spring became CEO in February 2024, Macy’s faced pressure to stay relevant and grow. He was positioned to build on smaller stores, exclusive brands, luxury names, Bluemercury and Backstage. Spring emphasized curation and customer experience; by 2025, he said Macy’s had to confront weak performance, while the company pointed to outside hires as a source of fresh perspectives.
Spring will face existential questions about how Macy's can stay relevant and grow rather than shrink, as competitors such as Amazon, T.J. Maxx and even Target and Walmart steal away sales. He will also lead Macy's promising efforts to chase suburban shoppers with smaller stores in strip malls, expand its offerings of trendier exclusive brands and luxury names, and build on the strong performance of newer businesses such as its beauty chain, Bluemercury, and its off-price business, Backstage.
Even as he rose, Spring described himself as committed to one of retail's key building blocks: making sure stores draw customers in, invite them to linger and surprise them with beautiful displays and items they didn't know they needed. It's a touch shoppers and Wall Street believe Macy's could use as it fights for relevance.
“Neil didn’t take pictures of things that didn’t exist,” Spring told Fortune in an interview at Macy’s headquarters in New York. The venerable department store had long been in denial about the depth of its problems, said Spring, who took the reins of Macy’s Inc in early 2024 after a successful decade-long stint as CEO of its Bloomingdale’s division.
Though the company's sales are sagging, Spring will take over promising pockets of the business, as well. Its smaller stores, which Macy's is opening in a growing number of strip malls, have outperformed sales at its traditional, mall-based locations. After launching the women's clothing brand On 34th, Macy's plans to debut and refresh other lines that shoppers can find only at its stores and on its website. That private brand strategy has succeeded for other retailers, such as Target.
The EEOC alleged Macy’s fired long-term employee Letishia Moore after denying her request to excuse a one-day absence for emergency asthma treatment. Filed in Illinois on August 16, 2017, the lawsuit was settled in April 2018: Macy’s agreed to pay $75,000 and provide disability-law training, monitor accommodation requests and discrimination complaints at two Chicago stores, and report to the EEOC.
CHICAGO - Macy's, Inc., violated the federal disability discrimination law when it fired an employee rather than excuse a one-day absence the employee needed to address serious complications arising from her disability, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit it filed today.
According to the EEOC's lawsuit, the asthmatic employee worked for Macy's for nearly eight years, but she was fired after a one-day absence due to needing immediate medical attention for her asthma. Macy's policy permits absences for disability-related reasons. However, in this case, Macy's denied the employee's request to excuse the absence, even though she had to be seen in a hospital emergency room, and fired her three weeks later.
In June 2024, CEO Tony Spring showed retail analyst Saunders improvements underway at 125 priority stores, including more staff and sharper merchandising; Saunders praised the changes. Spring’s broader plan called for fewer, more appealing stores, stronger service and newer brands alongside e-commerce, with a target of about 350 locations from 449. Fortune reported comparable sales rose 1.1% year over year in the latest quarter.
At the well-appointed Macy’s in the upscale Topanga Westfield mall in Los Angeles in June 2024, Spring walked the brand’s former bête noire through the improvements he was starting to roll out at 125 “priority” stores: elegantly styled mannequins and more staffers in key areas; double the staffing in the women’s shoe department; and three times as many in the dresses area. There were even live human beings manning the fitting rooms.
Spring’s plan is simple in its essence: Go back to retail fundamentals. That means sufficient staffing to ensure the customer service that justifies shopping at a department store instead of online or at a discounter; well-maintained stores with more visually appealing product presentation; and newer brands rather than the same-old, same-old, over and over again—all while keeping costs down. Ultimately, his strategy aims for a Macy’s with fewer but more appealing stores, complemented by e-commerce. The goal is to go to from the current 449 locations, to 350 or so, including the 125 priority stores that will get disproportionately higher investment for things like more staffing and new lighting.
Bloomberg Law reported on March 24, 2025, that Macy’s omitted a diversity section from its 10-K, unlike the prior year’s report, which described its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The change came amid a broader corporate shift after President Trump’s January directive. Macy’s did not immediately comment; the report does not establish why it made the change.
Nordstrom Inc., Victoria’s Secret & Co. and Macy’s Inc. all removed some references to diversity, equity and inclusion from their 10-K annual reports on Friday. Their actions reflect a cross-industry move rejecting diversity language—including the acronym DEI—amid President Donald Trump’s directive in January to clamp down on certain corporate diversity efforts.
Fortune reported that CEO Tony Spring, who had led Macy’s since 2024, sought to change a siloed culture that had impeded earlier turnaround efforts. Magni recalled Spring telling him, “I didn’t hire you to fit into the culture, I hired you to break it and innovate,” as part of a broader push for self-examination and experimentation.
Innovation of course can only go so far without a workplace culture that enables some sense of risk-taking, along with curiosity and experimentation. Macy’s was notorious in its industry for how siloed its teams and culture were, characteristics that impeded prior turnaround efforts until Spring, CEO since 2024, instilled a culture of self-examination and an ability to admit mistakes before quickly moving on. “I didn’t hire you to fit into the culture, I hired you to break it and innovate,” Magni recalls Spring telling him early on.
The supplied Human Rights Campaign record for Macy’s, Inc. shows a rating of 5/5 and a total of 50/50 points. The evidence provides no further details about the assessment, its criteria, or the date.
In a February 2024 Forbes article, Walter Loeb argued Macy’s should focus marketing on specific regions rather than operate as a national chain. He suggested the company might give up some Southern stores and consider three autonomous regional divisions, each with its own management, buying and locally tailored events.
Key question: Should Macy’s be a national company with stores in major cities throughout the USA? That is where I differ with the current thinking, since I visualize Macy’s to be a different company in the future. I think the company should be more focused by marketing in specific areas. That may mean giving up some stores in Southern States. Dillard’s is doing very well in the South, while Macy’s is a stronger company in the North. Maybe Macy’s could split into three autonomous regional divisions that operate under separate management teams, buy merchandise for “their” customers and have events that resonate with their localities.
In a February 2024 Forbes article, Walter Loeb recommended that Macy’s match Walmart’s reported $18 starting wage. He argued that higher take-home pay could improve morale and productivity, and said recognizing long-serving employees across buying, marketing and supply-chain roles also mattered.
Associates can boost the tempo of stores. Macy’s has many long-term loyal co-workers that deserve recognition. It applies to the buying staff, the marketing people as well as the people in the supply chain. Recently, WalmartWMT increased the starting salary to $18 an hour and I would recommend the same action for Macy’s. It would show a leadership attitude in an industry that needs a leader. Undoubtedly, raising the take-home pay will raise morale and will boost productivity. It will benefit everybody.
Tony Spring said that, during a Bloomingdale’s store visit about a decade before his 2025 interview, a shopper told him employees asked how she was but did not wait for her answer. Spring described the rebuke as a reminder that staff training had focused on saying the line rather than understanding its purpose.
One anecdote Spring likes to tell is from a decade ago, when as director of stores for Bloomingdale’s, he conducted a store visit with other executives. He and “the suits” were intercepted by a shopper who told him that everywhere she went, staff would ask her how she was doing. Anticipating a compliment, Spring recalled, he heard a complaint instead: “Nobody could even wait for the answer,” she told him. The reproach was like a punch in the gut, Spring said.
In February 2024, a Forbes contributor argued Macy’s should rely less on promotions, use Backstage for off-price shopping, and make its main stores responsive to younger customers with new fashion and technology. The contributor also urged Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s to become destinations for new merchandise and trends.
Should Macy’s continue to be very promotional, as it is now? Candidly, Macy’s should be less promotional and let promotions be the strength of companies like TJ Maxx, Burlington, Ross StoresROST and Nordstrom Rack Stores. Macy’s has their own off-price stores called Backstage, which in many cases substitute for their old basement stores. However, the Macy store should be able to introduce new fashion trends, new technology ideas and be responsive to young adults by reflecting their lifestyle needs.
Decisions should be made for the future. Manufacturers should be encouraged to introduce new merchandise and new designs at Macy’s. While management has welcomed new designers and new creations, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s must be the place for new fashion trends. No one in New York City can speak with as much authority as the key stores of the city – Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s.
Macy’s gives each of its 200 vice-president leaders a personal executive coach and uses AI to provide similar training to 6,000 management-level employees. It also opened a Heritage Room showcasing the company’s history, aiming to build employee pride and support innovation.
The term “innovation” typically evokes cool new tech. But it exists in other spheres of corporate life too. In talent recruitment, Macy’s has updated its leadership development, with new moves such as giving each of its 200 vice-president leaders a one-on-one personal executive coach and using AI to offer similar training to 6,000 management-level staff. At the more analog level, Macy’s has also opened a museum-like Heritage Room, to showcase its history and foster pride among employees—and by extension, buy-in to make innovation work.
A February 2024 Forbes commentary questioned whether Macy’s should expand private-label exclusives. It argued national brands retain demand through advertising and influencer support, while calling On 34th Street unnecessary but describing INC and Charter Club as established Macy’s exclusives with growth potential.
Should Macy’s carry more private label exclusive merchandise? The strength of national brands cannot be ignored since their advertising creates demand. In addition, there are influencers who support national brands. Some of Macy’s private labels, like “On 34th Street,” are silly, and unnecessary. On the other hand, some brand names like INC and Charter Club, have established themselves, are multi-million-dollar exclusive brands and have a strong potential for future growth.
Macy’s was an early adopter of stores as e-commerce hubs in the early 2010s, but is now viewed as a faster adopter rather than a retail innovation pioneer. An expert said the company focuses on core retail improvements over costly fads; a former Macy’s executive said its customers prioritize fashion and price over showy technology.
In the early 2010s, it was also among the first of its retail peers to equip stores to also serve as e-commerce hubs for both order pick up and shipping, allowing it to quickly build a massive digital business.
Tony Spring said Macy’s announced in 2015 that it would install smart mirrors in fitting rooms as it sought to satisfy impatient investors. The mirrors often malfunctioned and were viewed as an expensive flop. Spring, then a Bloomingdale’s executive on Macy’s leadership team, said the company had chased shiny objects instead of its own playbook.
Spring pointed to the company’s missteps last decade, as investors grew impatient with Macy’s and its middling performance. So desperate was Macy’s to mollify Wall Street that in 2015 it announced that it would install “smart mirrors” in fitting rooms. (They often didn’t work properly, and were seen as an expensive flop.) “We became enamored with shiny objects and feeling we needed to keep up with everyone instead of playing our playbook,” said Spring, who as an executive at Bloomingdale’s was on Macy’s leadership team and saw firsthand the chain’s problems.