Lachopperchick
DeLand,#2Author of original report
Mon, October 08, 2007
I was not allowed to attend the 4-month Manager Trainee Program. There is a portion of the trainee program that requires you to climb latters, set up large displays and hang signs. I have 3 ruptured discs, 5 degerating discs & advanced osteoporosis (I am 56 years old), & that was the reason it was determined I NOT be allowed to attend the manager tranee program. The heaviest thing I had to lift in the Vision Center was large boxes of contact lenses which do not weigh very much and I was also allowed to sit and/or stand whenever I needed. As I stated earlier, I NEVER received any type of manager training as promised at the time I was offered the management position. To my knowledge, I did not have any type of access to any company policies regarding the ordering of "free" trial contact lenses, though I did at one time attempt to locate such a policy through the company's in house "WIRE" program. In response to the other rebuttals, I do, in deed, regret that I mentioned any of my former co-workers names & I do apologize for that. The only point I was trying to make at the time was that what I had done had simply been done before & by naming names I was attempting to be as honest as I possibly could be about the circumstances. I apologize if my actions or words have hurt anyone else because it was never my intent to do so. I have decided against taking any legal action and simply to learn from my mistakes and move on. This has been an extremely painful experience for me and in the interest of my own mental health and continued sobriety I do not feel it is advisable for me to dwell on this matter any longer than necessary. I am hopeful I will be able to find employment with a Christian based company or individual or at the least a company with like-minded values and one that would allow someone to learn from their mistakes in order to become a better employee. I have since learned that another Vision Center Mgr. has been fired for the same reasons I was terminated and additionally, Wal-Mart is now on a so-called "witch hunt." Perhaps I should have known what I was doing was wrong, but at the time, I did not see the coorelation between being asked to throw out trial lenses and accepting them from the doctor and I still do not agree with that. I have accepted free medications from many doctors in the past as I am sure most people have. In regards to the "Wild Eyes" display contact lenses I was asked to throw out, let me be perfectly clear that at NO time did these EVER leave the store. I simply set them aside and I returned them to the doctor the very next day. In retrospect I agree I should not have ordered the trial contact lenses for my friend, but let me just say that this "friend" is someone who takes otherwise homeless individuals into her home, has just recently had cancer surgery and is the type of person who literally goes without in order to help others. The order was NOT placed to help someone who could afford, at that time, to purchase the contact lenses herself. I agree, however, I should not have ordered six pairs for her, but again, if it is wrong it is wrong and ordering a lesser amount would have been wrong as well. I did know Wal-Mart was NEVER charged for any of the free trial contact lenses so I wrongfully assumed that no one, including Wal-Mart, would be hurt by my actions. If I had it to do it over again, I would have just purchased them for her. I also would have, if given the opportunity to do so, paid for the amount the trial lenses would have cost her. I have since been in contact with the Regional Manager over all Vision Center employees and she explained to me all the reasons I was wrong and specifically why I should have known better and I very honestly agreed with her. I do understand at this point in time how my actions could be construed as "theft" and I am deeply sorry for this. Up until the day of my termination, however, I had received several evaluations with "exceeds expectations" comments noted on all of them. I went from $6.80/hr. to $9.80 in less than one year and was promoted to a department manager position in less than two years. Not the type of employment history of someone who didn't care about her job. My late father was an optometrist and my late uncle was an opthalmologist so I had a very personal reason for wanting to succeed in this profession. I honestly cared a good deal for the work I was doing and attempted each and every day to do my best as well as find ways to improve sales, customer service and every other aspect of the Vision Center. I regret that in the end I fell very short of my own standards, but it was never intentional. Finally, I would once again like to apologize to those individuals who have been hurt by my statements. My former boss, "L.B." (Larry Becker) in particular is a man I greatly admire and respect. He was one of the kindest persons I have ever worked for and am very sorry I chose to "name names" in the interest of being completely honest. I also apologize to anyone else I may have unintentionally hurt and I hope that will find it in their hearts to forgive me. Let this be the end of this.
Tallulah-phoebe
Beverly Hills,#3Consumer Comment
Mon, October 08, 2007
I find it interesting how you claim lack of information and "not knowing the rules" ... yet voluntarily skipped the required managerial meetings when you accepted the position, supposedly due to your back troubles. I am curious why a bad back made it impossible for you to attend these meetings, yet allowed you to work without difficulty in the optical center day after day? I am also curious why you feel entitled to claim lack of information about stated policies and rules when you were offered the chance to learn said policies at these meetings, yet voluntarily refused to go? Please explain.
Tim
Valparaiso,#4Consumer Suggestion
Sun, October 07, 2007
Piper, I feel for ya. It really sounds like you were a victim of horrible circumstances, assuming that everything you say is correct and complete. You brought up the wrongful termination issue: "I feel this situation is a case 'wrongful termination' based upon the lack of training, the lack of any warnings or coachings regarding these matters, & the fact that I based my actions entirely on 'what had been done before', which is the ONLY thing I had to go on." Wrongful termination is indeed a legal claim. In your case, as in most cases, proving wrongful termination can be extremely difficult. This is because you were, most likely, an "at-will" employee. The default proposition for at-will employees is that they can be fired at any time for any reason. To show wrongful termination, you basically have to show that you fit into an exception to that general rule. Discrimination is probably the most widely used exception to the at-will principle. Outside of a discrimination case, you cannot show wrongful termination unless you can show that SOMETHING makes it so that, even though you don't have a contract specifiying a tem of employment, you nonetheless had reasonable expectations of continued employment. Absent an actual contract, you pretty much need to point to something in company policies or in your employee handbook that would lead you to believe that you could only be terminated for cause. Showing that you had a reasonable expectation that you could only be terminated for cause is the first hurdle you'll have to overcome. Discussion of any other aspect of wrongful termination if you can't show this. As such, for the purpose of further analysis, could you tell us what policies, procedures, rules, or whatever, do you believe substantiate a belief that you could only be terminated for cause?
Tallulah-phoebe
Beverly Hills,#5Consumer Comment
Sun, October 07, 2007
You were informed that keeping "free trial" offers as a Walmart employee is against the rules. (One would assume that this constitutes a "coaching" or a "verbal" as you describe.) You then decided to keep a "free trial" offer. Whether or not said item was given to you by the doctor is irregardless. How do you know that what the doctor instructed you to take was indeed "free"? Why do you assume that the doctor's word supercedes that of a huge multimillion dollar conglomerate such as Walmart? You were clearly in the wrong here. Walmart was totally justified in firing you, as you did not abide by the policies which you WERE aware of according to your report. It sounds like you are just trying to smooth things over so you can pretend you didn't know, now that you have lost your job over your irresponsible behavior.
John
Williamsburg,#6Consumer Comment
Sun, October 07, 2007
Piper, I'm sorry to say this, but it appears as though you have admitted to stealing. If I am not mistaken there is something that states that possession is 9/10 of the law. I don't know the entire situation, just what you have stated, but being devils advocate here, do you think Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, doesn't have it in writing somewhere that you would have had access to the rules, regulations, policies and procedures purtaining to 1~ your position, and 2~ that they did not allow for you to order free items for friends who couldn't afford to pay for the real items??? And just curious do you realize that you were terminated for stealing and yet you VERY willingly have given us the names and place of employments of a few of your fellow Walmart co workers who have also stolen. So you essentially have just told the world, including any other Walmart employees including management, that those Walmart employees steal. How very friendly of you. YOU TRY YOUR BEST TO BE A GOOD PERSON......It doesn't appear that way to me. How do you know that with what you have stated here that these people will not also lose their jobs?
Kathy
Florissant,#7Consumer Comment
Sun, September 30, 2007
Piper, Seek the help of a lawyer. Sounds like you are being used as a scapegoat. Duane, breathe in....breathe out....you don't have to hold your breath while reading.
Duane
Monroe,#8Consumer Comment
Fri, September 28, 2007
reading part way into your extremely long one paragraph post......couldn't read it the rest of the way. When posting....please use spaces between paragraphs.