WalMart Employee Fired for Doing the Right Thing

[Adrianne Matzkin]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/07/10/ottawa-walmar...

A former employee of Wal-mart in Kemptville, Ont., says she was fired for confronting a customer who left a dog in a truck on a hot day this week.

Carla Cheney told CBC News she hadn't yet started her shift and was in her own clothes outside the store with colleagues on Tuesday when she spotted a Walmart customer leaving his dog in a parked truck.

The dog jumped out of the open window twice to follow the man, Cheney said.

The man took his dog back to the truck and rolled up the windows, leaving them open about an inch, Cheney said. The man then headed into the Walmart.

'Told me it was none of my business'

"I said, 'Is this really happening? I'm going to give him about five or 10 minutes and then I'm going to call the police,'" Cheney recalled.

Carla Cheney says the confrontation happened at this Wal-mart in Kemptville, Ont., on Tuesday. (CBC)

She called the police and an officer arrived to get the man's licence plate, then headed into the store to find him.

Later on, the man left the Walmart and got into his truck, Cheney said. Before he left the parking lot, he pulled up to the table where Cheney was sitting with her colleagues.

"He pulled up to us and said, 'Hello, ladies, how are you?' And I said, 'You shouldn't leave your dog in the car,'" Cheney said.

"He told me it was none of my business and I said that that was fine, that if I saw him do it again I would just call the police next time. He said he was no longer going to be shopping at that Wal-mart, and I said, 'OK.'"

Called to manager's office

Later on that day, Cheney was called into the office of her manager, whom she had spoken to a week earlier about a different dog left in a hot car and who told her there was nothing she could do about it.

Carla Cheney says people should leave their dogs at home if they're going shopping. (CBC)

She said she told him her side of the story about the dog in the truck and that he told her to come to him with any problems in the future.

Cheney said she wouldn't do that.

"So I [told him] if I did see something unsafe, that I would just go to the police if I thought it was necessary," Cheney said.

"He told me then that I was terminated, he wanted my vest, my badge, and to clean out my locker and that I needed to leave."

'I thought I was doing the right thing'

Cheney also said that another former Wal-mart employee was scolded last week for confronting a customer about leaving a dog inside a vehicle. She said that person had already given his two weeks' notice, but that the manager sent him home and told him he'd be paid for the rest of the two weeks.

"Now I'm worried that other associates won't say anything and they'll be afraid that they'll lose their job if they do say something," Cheney said.

"[The manager said I was fired] because I was rude to a customer, but I felt because I was not even on the clock, it shouldn't have been an issue anyways. And I don't think it should be an issue even if I was on the clock … because it's on the news and we're being told not to leave animals and children in cars.

"I thought I was doing the right thing."

Cheney said that on the whole, Walmart is a good company, but thinks the Kemptville store needs to go over what staff are supposed to do when they see something unsafe in the parking lot.

In an emailed statement, Wal-mart Canada wouldn't comment on Cheney's case, but said it has guidelines that cover situations like the one Cheney faced and is reviewing them with staff in Kemptville and across the country.

A Facebook page supporting Cheney, called "Animal Rights for Kemptville Wal-mart," had more than 2,100 members as of Wednesday evening.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/355415201228556/

[Adina P]

Rumors of our town getting a Target have been going off and on for years. None yet.

[Cathy, Fozzie & Shaggy]

HA!! Serves them right!! LIKE, LIKE, LIKE

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Awesome, perfect and the best!!!

[Sally S Miles]

Ridiculous to see someone loose their job for this - obviously it's going to hurt her wallet for a while, but I'll just bet she ends up with a much better job, better sleep, she is on my 'hero' list!    

Wal Mart hasn't gotten any of my money in ages, our town refused them, and yes that video is excellent. 

[Mandy & Benny]

I know this will probably put a salty taste in some of your mouths, but I work at Walmart as a pharmacist.  I know everyone hates the place, I'm only there because the pharmacy jobs in my area are few and far between, and I have 25 years of student loans left to pay.  Not everyone there is bad, I promise!!  I'm very thankful to have a doodle to come home to after a day in that place (Yes, twelve hours spent in a rectangle windowless box full of the people presented on www.thepeopleofwalmart.com is as awful as you would imagine it to be.) 

Anyway, the point of my post- on the front doors of all of my stores (I work between 6 stores), we now have a sign that tells people to pay attention in the lot- look for kids or animals left in cars.  Last week one of my patients told me she saw a truck with two dogs in it, with the windows barely cracked open.  I don't have much use for the store management, so I just called the police directly.  An officer showed up and waited for the man by his truck.  He was given a $150 fine.  

I'm honestly not sure of the policy as to what I'm technically supposed to do- tell a manager and not deal with it myself, or what- they have a policy and procedure for everything so from what I'm guessing the employee probably didn't follow the walmart bible and consequently lost his job, which is absurd and ridiculous.  I've heard of stranger things happening there.  I was actually pleasantly surprised to see those signs on the doors- I thought that was a good idea and from my experience so far it's helped- I've heard of several customers reporting what was happening outside.  Like I said though, I'm not exactly sure how these other situations have been handled. I don't understand if the company is promoting customers to tell someone about these things why they would fire the employees.  Who knows.  That place is like another planet.   

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Mandy, I don't think anyone here thinks that everyone who works at Walmart is bad, or that anyone who works for a Walmart is bad. It's the company itself and the executives who run it with whom we have a beef. In fact, I think the majority of people who speak against Walmart are disgusted with the way they treat their employees. 

I'm glad that the managers at your store seem to have more compassion and concern for animals than those at the store where this employee was fired. :)

[Mandy & Benny]

I agree with you Karen.  I don't agree with the majority of the things that the company does and I understand why most people have a problem with them.  You are very much correct- they don't treat their employees very well at all.  My job falls under a different umbrella of management, so I don't answer to the same people as the hourly workers, and in many situations they really are treated badly.  It makes me ashamed to work for such a place.  I'm used to hearing the disgust from everyone, so every now and then I have to get on my soap box and ensure people that there are some of us there honestly trying to help and do the best we can.  :-)    Because of they way the hot shots run the company, I was really surprised to see those signs about the kids/animals on the doors- it's not very often that you see any sign of caring or compassion for anything by the company.  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Walmart really sucks and the only time I ever go in one is when there is no other choice.  They seem to hire good people but pay them peanuts and are very reluctant to promote women.