Equinox fitness Clubs review: Unwarrented Firings 8

I was sexually assaulted there and equinox fired me because they guy who I went up against was a bigtime lawyer. I got escorted out.

I recently graduated with honors with a degree in exercise physiology. I have 10+ years personal training experience. I was awarded employee of the month working for 6 months while working as an intern at a high quality fitness center. When I applied to Equinox, I didn't apply to any specific gym. The equinox in Coral Gables, Florida contacted me and asked me to come in for an interview. The day of my interview, I spoke to two managers. One was named Raul. The other was named Luisa. During the interview, Raul was attentive and generally maintained eye contact as we spoke. However, Luisa spend a majority of the interview process looking off to the side and appeared genuinely uninterested. At one point I looked right at Luisa and then looked questioningly at Raul wondering if I have somehow offended her or said something wrong. Raul responded by nodding and smiling. I was hired after all. Unfortunately, Raul was reassigned to a different Gym. This left me to deal with Luisa. In one of our discussions, Luisa proudly announced that she is a "[censor]" and often "tells it like it is." I found this perplexing. To proudly advertise that you are unprofessional in your behavior seemed odd. However, she proved to live up to her claims. She was entirely unhelpful. Expected me to figure things out on my own. Some, but not all, of the other trainers were somewhat stand-off-ish with me. I felt like a pariah at times. Part of the process required that I practice a fitness assessment and sales pitch called the "equifit." Despite approaching more than half the training staff for assistance, I got nearly zero help. One day I was confronted by Luisa as to why I had not practiced with other trainers. I tried to explain that I haven't been treated in the most friendly welcoming manner. She took that as a personal insult and said "your the one who is unfriendly" and "my team is the most friendly helpful team". Later, she approached our regional manager and lied saying that I was combative and spoke negatively about the entire team. This was not true, yet it does not matter. The regional manager told me that I was fired and asked me to leave. Within minutes, I had some guy who works in the gym approach me and told me he had to ESCORT me off the premises. If you've ever worked somewhere and felt there was a "click" this was exactly what I experienced. I had no opportunity to state my side of the story. They treat you like a commodity that they can use and toss away at any point. If they like you they will help. Otherwise, you are screwed.

I have been going to the Equinox gym in Great Neck on and off for almost 8 years. I am so disappointed by this gym. The rates have gone up 25% in 8 years, but the gym is exactly the same as it was 8 years ago. I don't know why they keep jacking up the price, but it is not worth it anymore. I contracted a bacterial infection from the unsanitary locker room. The products they provide are not quality products worthy of the extremely high membership fees. The gym hours are terrible, they close way too early. My friend pays less than a third of what I pay and her gym is open 24/7, has a sauna and offers more classes. I cancelled recently and no one called me from Equinox to discuss the reasons I was cancelling, as I was told a manager would do. Then they charged me 12 days earlier for the remainder of my contract than they were supposed to. When I called to speak to a manager about this issue, I got attitude from the front desk person, who also tried to hang up on me. The manager was supposed to call me back about the error in charging my card, but never did. I had to call the corporate office in NYC and they couldn't do anything to help me either. Basically, this gym is NOT worth the money they charge, it's a small mediocre gym that does not value their members.

2 months ago (Feb. 17, 2015), during a spate of snowstorms, I slipped off the top step between the mezzanine and lower floor at location 54th St./ 2nd Ave.. I bounced the entire 12 metal stairs, which are supposed to look industrial and pretty but are only impractical and dangerous. The stairs were wet and slick from the slush and salt members were dragging in but Equinox wasn't cleaning up. My right arm was ripped from the banister and I ended up with multiple injuries including 3 hematomas, one the size of a baseball over my greater trochanter leg bone and a pulled rotator cuff. The manager at my location, Edwin Henry, made an obligatory call to me the next day. I told him I did not break bones and that I hadn't intended to sue if Equinox would agree to foot my "out of pocket" costs, the remainder of the claims after MY insurance company paid the larger amounts. It was agreed verbally, I was laid out on my back for over two weeks, figuring out different ways to roll out of bed without hurting my thigh any further. It was almost impossible. I suffered massive hemorrhaging within my inner thigh 2 weeks after the event, turning my whole thigh purple. If nothing else, it was frightening. It took 2 months to recover to the point where I could walk. Edwin Henry was conspicuously quiet during that time but I figured all I needed wass to collect the bills and send them off to his email (which he gave me for that specific purpose). I made all of management aware of the complications that incurred. For suspicious reasons, Edwin was transferred although his presence shouldn't matter. I supplied him with the current invoices for x-rays and emergency care. They totaled a mere $425. Management at my location was changed to Scott Placona who seemed to find it funny to send me numerous questionnaires on how I felt Equinox was performing. At that point, I was stonewalled for a few dayhs but finally Equinox responded in an unsigned email that said that not only wouldn't Equinox uphold their end but they had done all they could to prevent such a disaster. Their effort so far is having merely asking an employee to pick up a phone and call an ambulance. In the two month interim, Anti-slip strips were added to all the metal steps, essentially confirming that there was a problem they ignored before. I learned from other members that I wasn't the only member that fell, just the most damaged. Equinox's management and legal dept. suddenly viewed my intention of not engaging a lawyer as a sign of weakness and blew me off at the end. They almost argued against my getting the two lost months of my membership! But conceded and ended the sober emial with "Sincerely, " No name from the coward who wrote the email. There are no awards for moral integrity at Equinox. If you wish to work for a company that treats their members as animals, do so out of desperation only. My stupidity was trying to be fair and honest. But I'm not kicking myself in the butt. I know am right. They are sickenly wrong here. I'm just left having to find a new gym.

Equinox is doing it again it appears in California, with recent mass firings of instructors (40+) and programs catering for older, woman-men who may have less the desirable body types. Members in a uproar with daily protests and suspending memberships.
Senior Management APPEAR indifferent and focusing "on the new direction" and marketing pictures says it all.
Sex seems to sale if ones previous recorded lawsuits because of alleged public sex in the change rooms?
You have to ask yourself if your age and body type allows you to be a help to check out
What would happen if all members of Equinox Clubs demanded a change, discrimination of any type is wrong and illegal.
Might out better clubs that market for the over 40 and not perfect body types.

This company has lost its "magic" in the Long Island Market, it it all sub-standard, not worth the membership. all the favorite instructors & management that made them on Long island have been terminated carelessly, a shame. Until another club opens, which it will, I'm placing my $ into other clubs. sportime has 2 locations & is $60 monthly with all our loved instructors/staff. Two Worlds is $24., & there are many more. The arrogance is Equinox is not admired, nor is it professional. Now they have instructors w/Tattoos & body piercing, its disgusting, & unprofessional. The GFm is low class & same w/woodbury GFm. tThey believe that "sex" sells but these people arent even attractive nor nice. The constant mgmnt changes shows how unstable the company is. Whomever is in charge in Corporate hasn't a clue how the fitness business works, especially on Long Island.
Check out other clubs with a personality & kindness @ a better price, who care about their staff & members.

Equinox use to be a reputable company; however, in the last 1 1/2 the reputation is horrible. The Long Island NY clubs especially..
They are over priced & few qualified perfessionals, unlike when they first opened. Last 8 months they decided to rid the clubs of best mgrs. that L.I. knows & respects, now they clubs are run by members who are teaching, & they company is now replcaing staff w/interns. The clubs are dirty & the staff is disrespectful/low class. $150. a moth its the biggest BS in the fitness business, they keep raising dues & push training packages on everyone. anyone with intelligence has gone elsewhere, there is no value here..

This company does not care about members, nor do they respond to any complaints. Currently, the new staff changes are low standard, & the Rslyn GFM & Regional GFM are destroying all that has made these clubs successful, by firing favorite instructors & staff, all because of egos.
Kristin Gagne & Pam P have a bad backround, how does a corporte company not conduct backround checks? My wife & I have cancelled our memberships, as will many more. Equinox is now Low Class, hostile environment. Such a shame...