• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Rug Doctor Fires Man For Time Off

K

KarenMarie

Elite Member
I think this is one of the most screwed up things I have ever seen a company do. And I will never, ever use a company that would treat their employees as Rug Doctor Did here.

Text

Man Fired For Taking Off To Be With Dying Wife
Company Offers Job Back After Initially Defending Firing

POSTED: 7:21 am EST March 2, 2006

WINDBER, Pa. -- A company that fired a 13-year employee as his wife lay dying of brain cancer has offered the Pennsylvania man his job back.

Rug Doctor said the company has offered back pay and no break in seniority to former sales representative Bernard Chippie. But it's unclear if he will take the carpet-cleaning company up on its offer.

"I don't think the offer is one of compassion. They?re afraid of what I might do (a lawsuit)," he told The Tribune-Democrat.

Earlier, Chippie said he notified his employer on Feb. 13 that he would not be able to finish his weekly route because he had just learned his wife had between two days and a week to live. He went to Kathleen Chippie's bedside at a hospice that day.

"There was never a question of where I needed to be," Chippie said.

He said that three days later, his boss demanded that he show up at work the next day. He said he was fired when he said he couldn't.

Three days after that, Kathleen Chippie died at the age of 56.

Rug Doctor said earlier this week that it went out of its way to accommodate Chippie.

The company said Chippie used all his vacation, sick days and unpaid leave well before Feb. 13.

But Chippie said he had 160 hours of accrued vacation from never taking a full week in 13 years.

Now, he's wary of their job offer. But he also said he fears he could lose unemployment benefits if he doesn't take the job back.

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Syste
 
If he doesn't sue, I'm sure some business owner out there will offer him a job so he doesn't have to go back to those bastards.
 
The man's wife is dying and his company is fretting over his vacation time?!? If it was possible to kill a company I would say Rug Doctor needs to be killed. That is just SICK SICK SICK. I'm an a$$hole but even that is beneath me.
 
Don't fault the chain for what likely amounts to a single manager's poor choice.

This is akin to the Starbucks bashing post 9/11 because some idiot kid behind the counter charged the firemen for bottled water.

Viper GTS
 
Agreed that it was heartless of Rug Doctor to do something like that... I'll bet the offer of his job back is an attempt at damage control


However, I'm waiting for all those people who say "A company should be allowed to fire anyone for whatever reason they want, whenever they want" to come in here and say Rug Doctor did nothing wrong. Yoohooo, where are youuuuuuu?
 
Originally posted by: Viper GTS
Don't fault the chain for what likely amounts to a single manager's poor choice.

This is akin to the Starbucks bashing post 9/11 because some idiot kid behind the counter charged the firemen for bottled water.

Viper GTS
Click to expand...

"Rug Doctor said earlier this week that it went out of its way to accommodate Chippie."

"The company said Chippie used all his vacation, sick days and unpaid leave well before Feb. 13. "

unless that one manager speaks for the whole company, i would say the manager had the companies backing. The company did not release a statement saying that the manager screwed up, or it was all a misunderstanding. From the news item above, the company is saying that the company tried to accomodate him, but he used all his time off and therefore was fired.

🙂
 
Why are they using 13-year olds for labor anyway? And how did a 13-year old get a sales position?
 
Can you say "Family Medical Leave Act"? Yeah, this guy definitely has a case if he decides to sue. I'm not surprised Rug Doctor is offering his job back.

I feel terrible for the guy, and I hope he has the common sense to at the very least talk to an attorney. Even if he doesn't sue, he needs to make sure the company doesn't try to screw him over again.
 
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Agreed that it was heartless of Rug Doctor to do something like that... I'll bet the offer of his job back is an attempt at damage control


However, I'm waiting for all those people who say "A company should be allowed to fire anyone for whatever reason they want, whenever they want" to come in here and say Rug Doctor did nothing wrong. Yoohooo, where are youuuuuuu?
Click to expand...

I think most of them are sleeing in P&N. Dont wake them!
 
I don't think he really has much grounds for suing now, since they offered him his job back and it wasn't really a case of discrimination.
 
Originally posted by: SSP
Originally posted by: DrPizza
Agreed that it was heartless of Rug Doctor to do something like that... I'll bet the offer of his job back is an attempt at damage control


However, I'm waiting for all those people who say "A company should be allowed to fire anyone for whatever reason they want, whenever they want" to come in here and say Rug Doctor did nothing wrong. Yoohooo, where are youuuuuuu?
Click to expand...

I think most of them are sleeing in P&N. Dont wake them!
Click to expand...

Well... In my opinion, a company should be able (legally) to fire this man.

It is the wrong thing to do, on so many levels. But law should not factor in.

Unfortunately, the attitude of the entitled has created a situation where this guy can now sue his brains out.
 
Originally posted by: OdiN
Why are they using 13-year olds for labor anyway? And how did a 13-year old get a sales position?
Click to expand...

Since there was no emoticons in your post, i will take it that you are serious.

he was a 13 year employee. An employee for 13 years. Not a 13 year old employee.

😛
 
Originally posted by: OdiN
Why are they using 13-year olds for labor anyway? And how did a 13-year old get a sales position?
Click to expand...
ROFL, stick to TFNN if you can't read articles correctly.

Anyway, they did offer him the job back, whether it was out of fear of a lawsuit or not doesn't matter to me.
 
I'll never use that company. I will also steer anyone I know clear of dealing with them after reading that.

Too bad the AT effect isnt strong like the force....we could put em out of business if it was🙂😛
 
What a rotten, immoral thing for Rug Doctor to do. The next time I need any sort of cleaning equipment, this will be on my mind.
 
This is a sad story but assuming he really was out of vacation time, what did you expect the company to do? I read stories all the time about teachers with cancer who take half a year off. Did they accrue that much vacation time? No way. Did the school district offer to give them time off due to compassion? No way. They had some other means to pay for it. Most of the time, the other staff at the school donated their vacation time. Same thing happens at my company when someone or their spouse gets sick. Or when Katrina hit the gulf states. No company has special funds sitting around for "sad situations". Give me a break.

And for those boycotting Rug Doctor, you don't get any pats on the back. How often in your life do you ever need a carpet cleaning, let alone one that you do yourself? If you move out of an apt, go hire a company. That's like saying I am going to boycott the Kansas City Hospital, when I live in CA. Sure, I might need them one day, but I doubt it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top