My wife worked at Evans Drug Stores in Alma and ST. Louis Michigan from June 28, 2006 until June 26, 2007. On June 22, 2007 she witnessed the store manager talking to another female employee when he told the employee "you need to button your top button because I can't concentrate" While being engrossed in this girl's breasts, the manager did not see my wife until she cleared her throat, he then left the building quickly. My wife then walked up to this girl and ask her if she had heard the manager correctly and the girl confirmed she did.
When she returned to work on 6/26/2007,she was told to report to the managers office, which she did. When she got there, she was instructed to go to the conference room where she found the manager and book keeper waiting. She was then told that she was caught on tape eating items that she had not paid for and was shown the footage on a laptop. She responded that she had indeed not paid for them because she was the only worker that day, was not allowed to take a break even though the company employee handbook stated that breaks are to be taken, and not allowed to "ring" herself up. She told them that she had placed her wrappers by the cash register as they always do, (A fact that was backed up by two co-workers who had seen them there the day before she was fired) and was told by the manager they were not there. They then walked to the other building and found the wrappers gone. She was told that she was being terminated at that time.
When I went to pick her up, I talked to the store owner and was told she was indeed fired, another worker who overheard us talking told the owner that she had done the exact same thing the night before that my wife had done, and ask if she was being fired also, the owner stated that it was "Chucks decision to fire her" we then left. We believe that my wife was terminated because of seeing the manager sexually harass the other worker.
By firing my wife and not the other workers, we believe that my wife received Differential Treatment and have filed a civil rights complaint against the store for that, 3RD party Sexual Harassment, and Retaliation.
When I called Chuck, the majority owner of the store to talk to him, he told me after I told him that we planned to get a lawyer, "Your starting to piss me off, and you won't like me pissed off" I told him I was not afraid of him and the (in my personal opinion) chicken s**t hung up the phone. I then called him back and ask why the hell he hung up and he told me it was his phone.
I sent him a letter explaining my displeasure with him and telling him that after my experience in the military as an EOD/IED specialist, I was not afraid of him. I also saw the manager at a sub shop and told him to "Ring The Bell, Navy Boy" referring to his failed try at Navy Seal School. I also went to the business on June 27, 2007 to ask about the status of my job.
While I was over waiting to talk to the manager, the part owner Wayne, who was the on-duty pharmacist, left the pharmacy building in violation of state law, walked the 75-100 feet to the building I was in and stayed there the 20 minutes I was in the building, leaving the pharmacy techs to dispense prescriptions on their owned without a pharmacist there to verify the medication and safeguard against possible drug interactions.
I asked Wayne and the manager what the status of my employment was and if I was still laid off from work, (I worked part-time 15 hours a week on average as an on call ebay clerk who would fill in for the regular ebay clerk when needed) I was told that yes, I was still laid off.
On Aug 15, 2007 or close to that date, I drove by and witnessed the former ebay clerk going into the office building and I called Wayne and asked him if I had been fired because I seen the former clerk there and knew that the regular clerk was on vacation. I was told that he had no idea what I was talking about. I told him that I would be making a civil rights complaint against him and hung up.
On Aug 21, 2007, I received a letter from the Miller Johnson law office stating " On behalf of Evans Drug Stores, Charles Lippert and Wayne Brooks, I am writing to insist that you stop the willful course of harassing conduct that you have engaged in toward them".
"In recent weeks, you have written a harassing and threatening letter to Chuck Lippert that contained references to your skill with explosives, and you have contacted Wayne Brooks by telephone to harass him during his working hours at his place of business" The lawyer then went on to tell me " Please be advised that you are not welcome on the property of Evans Drug Stores or the individuals named above" and that if I follow, approach, appear at their homes, phone, mail or deliver objects to them, they will pursue all available legal recourse.
Well, I would like to know who died and made this lawyer a judge? Here is Evans with at least 5 counts of Civil Rights infractions and they want to make me out as the bad guy? They even went as far as to reference Michigan Law MCL 750.411h which deals with stalking, yet no where did they mention the FEDERAL LAWS they broke.
As far as them taking my military experience as being a threat, I don't see where they got that, Wayne and the manager both knew what I did, we even joked about it, but here we go again with Chuck wanting to show how rich and powerful he is by sicking his lawyer after me. I took my copy of the letter I sent to Chuck down to the police station and they could not see any kind of threat. As far as going on their property, I won't do it, I might step into one of them if you know what I mean, and I don't want to get my shoes dirty. But, I do plan on picketing their store which I have every legal right to do.
If anyone wants to contact me on this or provide me with legal assistance, please contact me.
Paul
Alma, Michigan
U.S.A.