I, Nicholas Edwards, had my employment at Whole Foods Market Berkeley wrongfully terminated at about 7:20 PM on Thursday, Dec 22, 2005:
3 days before Christmas, and
a week before ending my stay at the store to leave for school.
I don't feel like there was any conspiracy against me, but I am unhappy about the situation, and the policies in question.
WFM has a history of being unfair to its employees:
http://www.buyblue.org/node/2182/view/ratings/tid/141
I contend that I have been a dedicated, trustworthy employee of WFM Brk for 3 years, with NO prior history of theft or suspicion of theft.
Many if not all of my supervisors and co-workers, have or will vouch for my character. None have ever known me to be dishonest in anyway, or suspected me of any thievery, including the ones who enforced the policy in question.
I am not nor have I ever been dishonest, a thief, or a liar in any way, and I believe my employment record and my relationship with WFM should reflect that.
I am seeking apology, reinstatement, a clean employment record, and an open discussion about changing the unfair policies that result in these termination situations.
Research will show that there is precedent for unfair employment practices, including a reinstatement in my own career at WFM Brk, over a false performance consensus from peers and supervisors.
I recall the events leading to my termination as follows:
At 6:30 PM I bought about $8 worth of snacks at a cash register for my lunch break. On my way to the back of the store I took a bottled water off the shelf, intending to pay the $1.50 for it later. Around 7pm, a manager asked to talk to me outside the break room that I was sitting in. He told me that the Loss Prevention agent on duty let him know that I had taken a water without paying for it on my way to the back break room. Upon brief questioning, I admitted to taking it and drinking it without a receipt, apologized, stated that I had just bought several items, and said that I intended to pay for the water. He asked me if I knew that the store policy said that my act looked like stealing. I said yes, and asked if I should go pay for the water. He said no, and told me that he would go talk to someone about what he could do about the situation. I went upstairs, clocked back in around 7pm, and looked for Steve. He waived me over to his position down the upstairs hallway where he was sitting with another manager. He said he was sorry about the situation. I saw him filling out the termination paperwork, and it was understood that there was nothing he could do about the situation. I asked to see the store's general information guide, which did in fact state that 'unauthorized consumption' of goods before purchase would result in termination. No other specific statements about store policy were made to my recollection. I agreed to leave the store under suspicion of theft, and not return to work in the near future. The terminating manager stated that the form I signed was not for me, and that it was very basic, agreeing with my implication that it was not necessary for my records. His apologetic demeanor said to me that this was a routine action and that there was no action for me to take at that point in time. Upon further contact with management, I was given a copy of my termination notice and my final pay check.
Simply put I don't think it's fair for a trustworthy and conscientious 3 year team member to be fired on the spot for what I believe is a minor infraction, and most likely my only infraction at the store.
SUMMARILY:
Management cannot say that it was made profusely clear to me that my action was a major infraction that would result in the enforcement of a policy involving immediate termination. I therefore assume that if the topic of the store's position on pre-purchase consumption was ever reviewed, I was never informed about it in a manner that was proportional to the potential punishment.
I believe the loss prevention agent was overzealous in his tracking and reporting of my supposed theft, which may have resonated throughout the whole enforcement process.
It is discriminatory to single me out from the numerous employees who regularly consume things before purchase, sample items without permission, or take write offs without paying. As a cashier I have frequently had both employees and customers ask me to charge them for items they have consumed or the wrappers/containers of consumed items.
I made absolutely no indication that I intended to steal the item. I had full intent to pay for the item, and not ample time to do so.
I made no attempt to leave the store or conceal the item after taking it from the shelf. I made no attempt to conceal my actions of taking it off the shelf.
3 days before Christmas, and
a week before ending my stay at the store to leave for school.
I don't feel like there was any conspiracy against me, but I am unhappy about the situation, and the policies in question.
WFM has a history of being unfair to its employees:
http://www.buyblue.org/node/2182/view/ratings/tid/141
I contend that I have been a dedicated, trustworthy employee of WFM Brk for 3 years, with NO prior history of theft or suspicion of theft.
Many if not all of my supervisors and co-workers, have or will vouch for my character. None have ever known me to be dishonest in anyway, or suspected me of any thievery, including the ones who enforced the policy in question.
I am not nor have I ever been dishonest, a thief, or a liar in any way, and I believe my employment record and my relationship with WFM should reflect that.
I am seeking apology, reinstatement, a clean employment record, and an open discussion about changing the unfair policies that result in these termination situations.
Research will show that there is precedent for unfair employment practices, including a reinstatement in my own career at WFM Brk, over a false performance consensus from peers and supervisors.
I recall the events leading to my termination as follows:
At 6:30 PM I bought about $8 worth of snacks at a cash register for my lunch break. On my way to the back of the store I took a bottled water off the shelf, intending to pay the $1.50 for it later. Around 7pm, a manager asked to talk to me outside the break room that I was sitting in. He told me that the Loss Prevention agent on duty let him know that I had taken a water without paying for it on my way to the back break room. Upon brief questioning, I admitted to taking it and drinking it without a receipt, apologized, stated that I had just bought several items, and said that I intended to pay for the water. He asked me if I knew that the store policy said that my act looked like stealing. I said yes, and asked if I should go pay for the water. He said no, and told me that he would go talk to someone about what he could do about the situation. I went upstairs, clocked back in around 7pm, and looked for Steve. He waived me over to his position down the upstairs hallway where he was sitting with another manager. He said he was sorry about the situation. I saw him filling out the termination paperwork, and it was understood that there was nothing he could do about the situation. I asked to see the store's general information guide, which did in fact state that 'unauthorized consumption' of goods before purchase would result in termination. No other specific statements about store policy were made to my recollection. I agreed to leave the store under suspicion of theft, and not return to work in the near future. The terminating manager stated that the form I signed was not for me, and that it was very basic, agreeing with my implication that it was not necessary for my records. His apologetic demeanor said to me that this was a routine action and that there was no action for me to take at that point in time. Upon further contact with management, I was given a copy of my termination notice and my final pay check.
Simply put I don't think it's fair for a trustworthy and conscientious 3 year team member to be fired on the spot for what I believe is a minor infraction, and most likely my only infraction at the store.
SUMMARILY:
Management cannot say that it was made profusely clear to me that my action was a major infraction that would result in the enforcement of a policy involving immediate termination. I therefore assume that if the topic of the store's position on pre-purchase consumption was ever reviewed, I was never informed about it in a manner that was proportional to the potential punishment.
I believe the loss prevention agent was overzealous in his tracking and reporting of my supposed theft, which may have resonated throughout the whole enforcement process.
It is discriminatory to single me out from the numerous employees who regularly consume things before purchase, sample items without permission, or take write offs without paying. As a cashier I have frequently had both employees and customers ask me to charge them for items they have consumed or the wrappers/containers of consumed items.
I made absolutely no indication that I intended to steal the item. I had full intent to pay for the item, and not ample time to do so.
I made no attempt to leave the store or conceal the item after taking it from the shelf. I made no attempt to conceal my actions of taking it off the shelf.
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