No more Home Depot for my homemade toys...

[Sir_Winston54]

This is the second time in the last few months I've seen this type of story, both involving Home Depot firing employees for stopping thieves. They get no more of my business, whether it's for materials for homemade toys, or tools or other materials for building things and/or making repairs around the house. There's a Lowe's less than a mile from the nearest HD store, and they've got my custom from here on out.

 

[Yang4yin]

What the - ?

 

[myinnerslut]

but he had a CROWBAR!!!

 

[WriterDom]

Get a thousand people to walk in and walk out with whatever they want to steal.

 

[Blushing Bottom]

Well Sir Winston I am sorry to say I disagree with your outrage. The policy they have in place is fairly universal and is designed to protect employees. "...but he had a crowbar?" MIS what if it was a gun and he decided to use it on his pursuer?

Suppose Sir that your submissive decided that she need not follow your rules and did as she or he thought best. How might you respond...punish/discipline?...or perhaps release her? Rules should be followed but I do say shame on whom ever decided that this whole thing deserved such noterity.

Just saying

 

[Softouch911]

This is the second time in the last few months I've seen this type of story, both involving Home Depot firing employees for stopping thieves. They get no more of my business, whether it's for materials for homemade toys, or tools or other materials for building things and/or making repairs around the house. There's a Lowe's less than a mile from the nearest HD store, and they've got my custom from here on out.

Sorry to hear this happened again.

Lowe's has a similar policy though ... thought you should know. No, I don't work for them. My connection is via a relative who was dismissed -- such a case was part of the issue for dismissal. Also talked with a "loss prevention" person who had several stores under him and he told several stories of dismissal. Otoh, there are very very specific guidelines for employees on when/how to approach and detain suspected thieves. Especially when the thieves are other employees.

It's a weird world, isn't it?

ST

 

[WriterDom]

Actually it makes good legal sense in today's environment. You might as well stop shopping at any corporate store if you are boycotting them. Someone may steal a $100 saw, but a 10 million dollar lawsuit from an employee is what you might be facing on the other end of the deal.

 

[Netzach]

You know what, it makes sense. People who act heroic get shot sometimes over an armful of ryobi saw and spackle, and then we'd all be saying "how tragic" and it's entirely likely, and in fact, in my mind justifiable for a family to sue a store for encouraging low-level employees to shoulder the kind of risk that someone in loss prevention is responsible for - hell even the people in LP aren't supposed to run after them, I think. I worked in retail with stuff worth stealing. The hell I was going to be shot over a 10,000 dollar coat. It's nice to live in a totally moral universe where good deeds aren't puinished, but honestly, endangering yourself over replaceable goods to the tune of seven bucks an hour isn't really um, the wisest choice. Encouraging that kind of behavior via giving this kid employee of the month suggests to everyone else there that well, we tell you not to chase, but if you do we really really like it. We secretly love that you're willing to be crowbarred to protect the Benjamin Moore swatches, and we are glad you'd be bummed if OSHA came around here, rah rah Home Depot.

If you owned a small store and you had a good employee, wouldn't you tell her to empty the register and give them whatever they wanted if held up?

 

[Quint]

...........

 

[Chicklet]

I think firing him was pretty harsh. I have to wonder if there was some further confrontation after the incident that no one shared with the press. Maybe he protested a write-up or other disciplinary action and that caused his firing? Maybe he already HAD other write-ups and this was the last straw.

I worked in a grocery store that had a very similar policy. The above posts about the lawsuits are quite right. Some stores don't even allow their security people to RUN after a thief, only pursue in a brisk walk. Not only do they face law suits from the thief (how ironic is that) the employee can also turn around and sue for being injured on the job.

There really isn't much someone can steal worth more than the negative publicity from a law suit in addition to the money.

It's shitty, it sucks, I don't agree with them FIRING him for the action. I don't believe it's worth boycotting the store, though. It'd involve boycotting a lot of other stores for the same thing.

 

[Sir_Winston54]

My outrage is not over the policy - I understand and appreciate the liability issues, etc. My outrage is over the fact that a recent Employee of the Year and a manager were fired for a single violation of policy. Yes, the manager probably should have been severely penalized (suspension for x days without pay, etc., or some similar penalty), because he should know the policy (since he's management) - but fired? Yes, the employee should receive at least a letter of warning and counseling about the policy - but fired? Probably no, and no.

After reading the article and opening the thread last night, I had to be in the neighborhood of my nearest HD this morning, so I stopped in and asked three employees in various areas of the store if they were aware that they would be fired - no warnings - if they attempted to stop a thief. No, no, and no. Someone in HD management - and it seems to be fairly widespread - is not getting this policy out to employees.

 

[the captians wench]

My outrage is not over the policy - I understand and appreciate the liability issues, etc. My outrage is over the fact that a recent Employee of the Year and a manager were fired for a single violation of policy. Yes, the manager probably should have been severely penalized (suspension for x days without pay, etc., or some similar penalty), because he should know the policy (since he's management) - but fired? Yes, the employee should receive at least a letter of warning and counseling about the policy - but fired? Probably no, and no.

After reading the article and opening the thread last night, I had to be in the neighborhood of my nearest HD this morning, so I stopped in and asked three employees in various areas of the store if they were aware that they would be fired - no warnings - if they attempted to stop a thief. No, no, and no. Someone in HD management - and it seems to be fairly widespread - is not getting this policy out to employees.

At mc d's the quickest way for a manager to get fired is to violate a security/safty policy. that's what this manager did here. You can be fired at mc d's, and I've known good people who got fired, for simply opening a window for a walk up customer after the lobby is locked. The fact of the matter is when it comes to the safty of the crew mc d's is a little over protective.

But heaven forbid we call the fire dpt when there's a fire. (as a manager they expect me to shew every one out and then pull out the extinguisher and try to put it out myself. fuck that shit! that's what this big guys go to that fancy training for!)

 

[agibean]

You know what, it makes sense. People who act heroic get shot sometimes over an armful of ryobi saw and spackle, and then we'd all be saying "how tragic" and it's entirely likely, and in fact, in my mind justifiable for a family to sue a store for encouraging low-level employees to shoulder the kind of risk that someone in loss prevention is responsible for - hell even the people in LP aren't supposed to run after them, I think. I worked in retail with stuff worth stealing. The hell I was going to be shot over a 10,000 dollar coat. It's nice to live in a totally moral universe where good deeds aren't puinished, but honestly, endangering yourself over replaceable goods to the tune of seven bucks an hour isn't really um, the wisest choice. Encouraging that kind of behavior via giving this kid employee of the month suggests to everyone else there that well, we tell you not to chase, but if you do we really really like it. We secretly love that you're willing to be crowbarred to protect the Benjamin Moore swatches, and we are glad you'd be bummed if OSHA came around here, rah rah Home Depot.

If you owned a small store and you had a good employee, wouldn't you tell her to empty the register and give them whatever they wanted if held up?

I agree. My father DID own a small store (a neighbord pharmacy) and that IS what his employees were told (including me). We were lucky enough that we were only robbed at night after closing, but we always knew it was possible for it to happen in broad daylight.

No store item is worth your life-period.

 

[Netzach]

My outrage is not over the policy - I understand and appreciate the liability issues, etc. My outrage is over the fact that a recent Employee of the Year and a manager were fired for a single violation of policy. Yes, the manager probably should have been severely penalized (suspension for x days without pay, etc., or some similar penalty), because he should know the policy (since he's management) - but fired? Yes, the employee should receive at least a letter of warning and counseling about the policy - but fired? Probably no, and no.

After reading the article and opening the thread last night, I had to be in the neighborhood of my nearest HD this morning, so I stopped in and asked three employees in various areas of the store if they were aware that they would be fired - no warnings - if they attempted to stop a thief. No, no, and no. Someone in HD management - and it seems to be fairly widespread - is not getting this policy out to employees.

It seems to me that a note and a "come to Jesus" lecture would be due dilligence, yeah.

 

[Softouch911]

It seems to me that a note and a "come to Jesus" lecture would be due dilligence, yeah.

Alert: cynicism ahead --

... unless of course with the current difficulty in turning a profit in the construction biz there is a desire to "cut costs" via payroll.

Accounting always makes sense of hiring and firing. No time at the moment, but do a quick google of "Circuit City" from a few months ago -- recall how all of the highest paid sales workers were dismissed?

This is probably an OT comment. Apologies for the hijack.

ST

 

[Chicklet]

My outrage is over the fact that a recent Employee of the Year and a manager were fired for a single violation of policy.

In jobs I've had, there were a lot of instances where employees would be really disliked by management. All sorts of different reasons. Had one woman who worked with me in a grocery store who just wouldn't smile. Ever. Management hated her! Employee of the month or the year awards have never seemed to be very difficult for a popular person to get in some companies. What I wonder is whether or not the store managers were just waiting for an excuse to fire these people. And do we know for sure that there weren't any previous offenses?

A friend of mine, who I shared this story with, was absolutely shocked at my response and said "You're actually siding with the corporation?" I want to clarify that we just don't know the whole story. My friend is the kind of nut, though, that once I've opened the argument with him, he's asking a friend of his who manages some regional HD stores in SF. heh. he's a nut.

 

[graceanne]

I haven't read any responses, but frankly the rule on not stopping theives or whoever is there for a reason. What if they have a gun? What if the guy with the crowbar had decided to take the crowbar upside the hero's head? A lot of good a hero is if he's dead or a vegatable.

My sister and best friend are both bartenders. Number one rule? Someone comes in and demands all the money, GIVE IT TO THEM! No amount of money is worth someone's life.

 

[Netzach]

Alert: cynicism ahead --

... unless of course with the current difficulty in turning a profit in the construction biz there is a desire to "cut costs" via payroll.

Accounting always makes sense of hiring and firing. No time at the moment, but do a quick google of "Circuit City" from a few months ago -- recall how all of the highest paid sales workers were dismissed?

This is probably an OT comment. Apologies for the hijack.

ST

I'm a pinko labor freak, of course I think you're right!

/hijack

 

[ms.read]

yessssss.................