Boycott walmart for firing employee trying to do good deed

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Ravensfan

New Member
I know I won't be shopping at walmart again. Here's the story from my local rag:

Charitable deed gets worker fired



Tuesday, December 03, 2002


By JENNA PORTNOY
The Express-Times

When 20-year-old Tara Osmun piled her Wal-Mart shopping cart high with basketballs and Barbie dolls, she hoped the toys would brighten Christmas morning for children and raise money for a local volunteer organization.

She had no idea her efforts would put her out of a job three weeks before the holiday.


"Right now I'm really worried about what I'm going to do for Christmas. Right now I can't afford Christmas," the Stewartsville resident said Monday, two hours after she was fired for theft.

Osmun used her Wal-Mart employee discount to buy nearly $1,000 worth of merchandise on behalf of the Harmony Township Volunteer Fire Co., which raffled off the toys Nov. 24. She saved the fire company $108 by using her employee discount.

But Wal-Mart policy prohibits employees from using their discounts to benefit anyone except themselves or immediate family members, said Wal-Mart spokeswoman Sharon Weber, who is based in Arkansas.

Although she declined to discuss Osmun's situation, Weber said the termination resulted from more than one discount card abuse.

"I can assure you that there was more to it than just this one time," Weber said.

But Osmun said she has never been reprimanded for misusing her employee discount before Monday.

Store employees are told about the policies during orientation and sign documents saying they understand the rules, Weber said.

"We have a really strict policy in place when it comes to associate card abuse," Weber said.

Osmun's use of the card to benefit the fire company is especially disappointing because the Wal-Mart where she worked donated $49,000 to community organizations this year, Weber said.

With more than a million employees nationwide, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is the fastest-growing and largest employer in the country.

Wal-Mart assistant manager Pauline Doser echoed the company line.

"It has to be for their own purchases," Doser said, adding that all her employees know the policy.

But Osmun insists that she was unaware of the rule. About three weeks ago when she was buying the toys, no one in the store questioned her about the purchases, Osmun said.

"I don't remember anyone saying that I could only use it for myself," said Osmun, who has worked full time in the store's photo lab since June. "I got a handbook, but I started working right away so I didn't have time to read it."

Osmun worked until noon Monday and was then called into her bosses' office. She signed a document saying she would pay back the discounted amount. Her first installment of $36.21 is due by Jan. 14, she said.

A Wal-Mart loss-prevention representative was present when Osmun found out she was being fired for using the money-saving privilege improperly.

"I honestly didn't know that we weren't allowed to use it," Osmun said. "They told me that I was fired because of it because it's considered stealing. I didn't take any items, I just used my discount."

In the end, the discounted price only benefited the Harmony Township Volunteer Fire Co. that fronted the toy costs.

Harmony Township Volunteer Fire Company Chief Wesley Garrison declined to comment about the auction and Osmun's fate Monday.

Osmun lives with her uncle, Troy Rush, who is a social member at the Harmony Township company and captain of the Stewartsville Volunteer Fire Co.

"She did something to help out the volunteers and now she's getting punished for it," Rush said.

More than 120 people, including Rush and Osmun, attended the fund-raiser and bought tickets in hopes of winning toy prizes.

"The whole town benefits because they use the money to buy stuff for the fire company," Rush said.

Now he fears that Osmun's intended good deed could tarnish her permanent employment record.

"I'm afraid it's going to follow her, and I don't want her to not get another job because of this," Rush said. "If anything, she's not a thief."
 
Quite a story. Our family doesn't trade at Walmart for even more reasons than this.

We don't like their shark business practices. Like opening a store at the edge of a small town and knowingly wrecking the retail business in the old downtown. And intentionally buying large quantities from small suppliers until the supplier becomes dpendent on their trade --- and then demanding price cuts so deep they eventually put the supplier out of business.

I hear that Walmart's in a big fight with some union that's trying to organize their employees. I've never belonged to a union, and don't like a lot of what unions do, but suspect that this is a case where unions are needed. It's said that a fair number of Walmart employees have incomes under the poverty line. (!!)

Bill S
 

Vic

Active Member
I'm not going to get on a soapbox and try to defend Wal~Mart or the terminated employee either, but the rules are the rules and I speak as a former Service Manager for Wal~Mart. Sorry, but I didn't know or I wasn't told are not acceptable excuses when it comes to rules of conduct. An employee has a certain degree of responsibility to apprise themselves of the rules of the company and if any doubt exists to ask if their actions are acceptable within the scope of their employment.

Sounds like to me this was an attempt to circumvent the system. Other discount violations had been noted. Most likely had the employee approched store management the toys would have been donated to the fire department or at the least since it was for a charitable cause they would have been sold to the fire department at cost. The stores I worked in gave away/discounted $1,000's in toys at Christmas for needy children.

Appears to me that this is just another effort on the part of the whining, crying liberal press to put the screws on our free enterprise system.

Now let's get back to TRAINS!!!!!
 

Ravensfan

New Member
I don't disagree in principle, Vic. But, if you look at the intelligence level of this individual, i.e., working a menial job for poverty level wages, I bet she can barely read the employee handbook, let alone fully understand it. I am a former lawyer by trade and I know how legalese sounds to the common folk. Also, the allusion to prior abuses doesn't fly with me. If there were prior abuses, why wasn't she warned, reprimanded, etc. Just a tactic used by management to defame her. Finally, if the company had a problem with it, the appropriate action would have been to take her aside, tell her that her efforts at trying to help a charity are appreciated, but she broke the rules and that next time she should ask her manager, supervisor, etc., what she can do about it and that if she does it again, she's gone. It is just callous and abusive conduct by walmart.
 

rockislandmike

Active Member
Don't buy it, Ravensfan. My mom works at a retail store and they have the same policy. Family purchases only - and it doesn't matter how smart you are, *everyone* knows the rules. Period.

I personally don't feel sorry for her one bit. She should've known better.
 

spitfire

Active Member
Home-less Depot

In Toronto recently, a "tent city" of homeless people near the waterfront was recently cleared out and demolished by police at the request of the owners of the land - your friendly neighbourhood Home Depot. No time was given to anyone to gather up their meagre belongings, no notice of the impending raid was given either. The site, a vacant lot, has now been returned to its former status, the people dispersed to more appropriate shelter under bridges etc.

This generated a lot of controversy here, with some deploring the callousness of the action and others defending Home Depot's property rights to do whatever they want with the land. Turns out that they have no plans for the property whatsoever, they just didn't like all those dirty, drug-taking, irresponsible, penniless, yucky homeless people living there.

That's a coincidence because I don't like all those shuffling, stock-taking, clueless, vacant "associates" with their insincere robotic "greetings" and "thank-you for choosing (Box Store)". Home Depot, Staples, Walmart, Price Club etc etc. Shudder.

I guess we're all free to excercise our rights.

Rant mode off now.:D :D :D :D

cheers
:p Val
 

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Clerk

Active Member
I agree 100% with Vic. I have worked for the Wal Mart store in Woodland, Ca for 2 years minus 7 months medical leave when I had my two strokes. Everytime I went in to give them a update, the manager,Elise, said not to worry about it that my job will always be there for me. I went back 2 weeks ago after being off since April and I love the job. Lots of hugs from fellow employees and customers alike. I love my job as Greeter.
I was aware of that policy from the first day I was hired and several others besides. The pay is not that great, just above minimun wage but other that, This is the best company I have ever worked for. Besides the discount on purchases we get several other benifets that make up for it. If the Union tries to get in here I will fight it for all I can. I have always hated unions since 1954 when I got ripped off by one, also my a union in 1959.
 

Ravensfan

New Member
Originally posted by Clerk
...I have worked for the Wal Mart store in Woodland, Ca for 2 years minus 7 months medical leave when I had my two strokes. Everytime I went in to give them a update, the manager,Elise, said not to worry about it that my job will always be there for me...


That's because they have to under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, plus, I'm certain CA has a state version. They are not doing you a favor, they are just complying with the law.
 

jon-monon

Active Member
Originally posted by Ravensfan


That's because they have to under the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act, plus, I'm certain CA has a state version. They are not doing you a favor, they are just complying with the law.

Not quite, FMLA is limited to 12 weeks. Just a fact, don't get me wrong, I'm not coming between a focused walmart shopper and his/her store.
 

Clerk

Active Member
That's beside the point. I still love my job. I will agree we have a high turnover in help but that is mostly the help hireing on while they look for better jobs. We have several dozen employees that have been at this Wal Mart for several years and love it. I will say it again. "I am strongley Anti - Union. If they get in we loose what benifets we have and when striking, never make up the loss. I have been through this and never again.
Jon is correct. After 12 weeks I could have lost my job.
 

Vic

Active Member
Hey Ravens, Its always good to be able to have intelligent reparte on an issue and I can speak to the legal issue of this too as I have 35 + years experience as a litigation supervisor/examiner for several major insurance companies in addition to the stint at Wal~Mart after I retired.

I don't think that intelligence has anything at all to do with it. Nor does being able to read make any difference. I had some certified mentally handicaped persons in one of the stores. They were among the best workers we had and they could follow the rules and most of them could not read or write.

Always around the Christmas Holidays the press looks for some sob story to pluck at the heart strings of the public. Had this happend 3 weeks before the Fourth of July they would have thrown it in the trash can.

I am truly sorry for anyone who might loose their employment thru no fault of their own but in this case the excuses just don't fly with me, having been there and heard them before. May God bless that lady that lost her job and hopefully she learned a lesson.

But enough of this...if anyone wants to "flame" me go ahead. I won't reply. I'm back to posting about trains!!!
 

RailRon

Active Member
Ok, I'm commenting this from way off Switzerland, where everybody is yodelling all day, eating chocolate, winding up cuckoo clocks and such...

1st: I think in every company there are rules - and if you're working for that company, you have to obey them. Period! There's no such thing like 'I haven't had the time to read all that stuff.' Hogwash!

2nd: When the rules say, you have the right for discounts for YOURSELF, or for YOUR FAMILY, then it is just that. Otherwise you could buy up all the stock of something or other for a fine discount, and then distribute it all over the country. Hey, and WHO pays the difference? It is just all of us other idiots who pay the full price - which will raise accordingly (afterwards)...

AND - MOST OF ALL:

3rd: What the hell has all that stuff to do with railroading? Or model railroading? Please keep this forum free of such themes - there MUST be other platforms on the net to post such stuff, or aren't there?

As devastating this is for that girl, frankly I don't think that here is the place to discuss themes like that. Or am I THAT way off? :confused:

Ron
 

N Gauger

1:20.3 Train Addict
Originally posted by RailRon
Please keep this forum free of such themes - there MUST be other platforms on the net to post such stuff, or aren't there?

As devastating this is for that girl, frankly I don't think that here is the place to discuss themes like that. Or am I THAT way off? :confused:

Ron

Actually - The Moderators were discussing this very fact - We do not take sides in such matters nor do we condone such posts.. Therefore - this thread is closed... Thank You
If anyone has any questions please e-mail me or PM me.. Thanks!!

~~ Mikey (moderator)
 
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