Complaint Review: White Hen Pantry - Richton Park Illinois

The WHITE says it all. In Texas, you can come here and get all sorts of assistance with a nursing degree. They are going to even offer programs that will help you get into medical science classes in shorter times. AND NOBODY WHO NEEDS A NURSE WILL CARE WHAT ETHNICITY OR COLOR THEY ARE HERE BECAUSE THEY ARE NEEDED SO BAD. Excuse me, but the name of the place said WHITE hen. Maybe there is a clue there. I commend you for wanting to be nurses. God bless you.

I have known MANY truely racist people and Diane LaBrec is NOT one of them. She does not even have a hint of racism within her. I know Diane very well. The area in which Diane's White Hen was located, in Richton Park, was a very nice neighborhood when she aquired it. At at certain point, I believe Section 8 infultrated the area, the clientele of the White Hen went from honest, hard working community people into a dark mass of theives, loudness, rudeness and stealing employees. (You can only hire who is applying to the store, right?) After working for Diane and knowing her for years, she has only fired employees who deserve it. As Diane said in her rebuttal, which I KNOW to be true, she has NEVER had to pay unemployment to an employee she has terminated. Which means: The unemployment office, upon request from a former employee after termination, has REFUSED to give unemployment benefits (money) to the former employee because there was video evidence of theft and/or blatent documented insubordination and/or tardiness. The unemployment office is VERY STRICT on the owners and very lienient with the former employees. There are unemployment hearings and the owner needs to provide solid proof of why the employee was terminated. It is very easy for a former employee to receive unemployment benefits--the burden of proof lies on the owner, which Diane is very careful to keep. It is obvious that these girls were denied unemployment benefits, so now they are angry and throwing around the word "racist". Additionally, I would like to remark about what was said regarding "You both are young, have kids so you undoubtedly receive benefits. Therefore you should be able to get educational assistance". This is an obvious statement of guardianship, NOT racism. If the girls were looking to get into nursing school, (which Diane went to nursing school too, btw) they would need government help to do so. Unwed, Young mothers are definately entitled to educational assistance (pell grants and subsidized loans) from the government and Diane was just trying to help them out. What a way to twist a thoughful gesture into a a "racist" comment. I am sure the comment was not so "racist" until these girls were fired. I bet they ran home to their computers to look up how to get Pell grants. Girls, quit blaming your shortcomings on your race, it is offensive to the rest of us. I have only ever seen Diane being a great human being to all people of color so for you to call her a "racist pig" reflects poorly on yourselves. You seem to have nothing better to say since you were undoubtely terminated for all the right reasons. The reasons these girls were scared to work the overnight shift (as Diane's two sons did as well) is understandable...the area turned into a ghetto, unsafe crap town since the arrival of the bus loads of trash from the inner city, BUT I know Diane extended every courtesy to the local police so that they would be present during the overnight shifts. (ALL convenience stores do this, it is smart, and Diane is smart) I have worked PLENTY of overnight shifts for White Hen and other convenience stores. If you want a job, you will do it, but the case here is that these girls did not quit so that was not the issue so I do not know why they bring it up. So, without knowing these girls but having a long history with convenience stores and management of them, I have a sneaking suspicion that they began acting out, stealing and allowing their "ghetto" friends to lurk around the store (pocketing anything they wish without the girls stopping them) and loitering outside. I will bet no work got done on their shifts which is a performance issue, because they did not like the shifts that were scheduled. Eventually, the girls probably began "calling off" for their shifts and working when it suited them. It is very common for all of these behaviors to start at one time. I would have fired you too. These many years later, I sincerely hope you have learned to reflect upon yourselves instead of blaming your race or others of racism. This is a true case of feeling sorry for yourselves and, in turn, not taking responsibility for your own actions. I hope you have grown up and learned not to throw the race card in everyone's face. I am now in my last year of school for my PharmD (pharmacist, which is 8 years of school), a single black woman with one child. Do you think I rested on my laurels? Do you think I got where I am by throwing my color against every disagreement or trouble I have had to overcome? If the girls come across this, I expect you have thought about apologizing for your harsh words against Diane and I hope you will decide to post an apology here today. I hope these words have shown the truth to those who may stumble upon this forum. Racism is still prevelant today, but it is VERY rare, I have found. People may seem "racist" because they walk on the other side of the street when they see a gangbanger-type walking too close behind. This is an instinct EVERYONE should follow. People get hurt because they are afraid of being called "racist". RUN to the other side of the street if your gut says "Run". It may save your life, I don't care what color the person is.