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View Full Version : fired for innocent, honest mistake???


GreenwithEnvy
11-10-2006, 11:35 AM
I work(ed) at Kohl's department store for a little over a year. During my time there as a cashier, I have never had any problems with anyone or anything. I've never been reprimanded (sp?) or questioned of suspected of anything.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, we were having this sale in which if a customer used their Kohl's charge on a purchase of $50.00 or more, they'd get a $10.00 good for the following week.
So I waited on a woman who received a coupon. I explained it to her and told her when she could use it and handed it to her. She looked at it and said something like, "I'm not going to be back by that date and I don't need anything anyway, so you can keep it."
I asked her if she was sure and she said yes, so I shrugged, put the coupon to the side and forgot about it for the rest of the day.
At the end of my shift, I looked at the coupon and asked a few employees if we were allowed to use coupons that customers didn't want. They all seemed to think it was no problem.
So I used the coupon, like, three days later. I bought, like 5 little things and used the coupon and my employee discount (which is permitted) and ended up paying under $5.00 for this total purchase. The employee who rung me up was like, "Oh, it's a shame you had to spend $50.00 to get this $10.00 thought." and I told her that a customer had given it to me and she laughed and said, "Oh, cool."
No problem, right?

Well, yesterday, the manager calls me into the office and there's this smug looking asshole there from security. They sit me down and start asking me to explain the associate discount policy (which I did, correctly...saying NOTHING a/b coupons) and starting asking me if it was permissable to accept cash tips. I said no it wasn't and that I would never do that.
Then he whips out the coupon and starts accusing me of stealing it from the customer and saying that it was not within the store's policy for me to use that and it's a huge violation and what not.
He made me fill out this three page report and all the while is asking me these ridiculous questions like what are my parents' names, do I have any siblings, what kind of car do I drive, etc...and I'm like WTF the whole time b/c I was flabbergasted that this was happening.
So after I filled out the report, the asshole security guy told me that he has to forward the report to corporate and they'll look at the incident and decide what course of action to take. I'll either get a verbal or written warning or get fired.
Then he told me that I was suspended until further notice. I just sort of sat there in shock. Then he had the nerve to ask me if I was okay. I was like "NO." Then I asked, on a scale of 1-10, how serious this was and he goes, "an 8 or a 9."
My mouth dropped open. I was so shocked. Speechless. I could not (and still can not) believe this.
I mean, a few months ago, some kid was caught stealing hundreds of dollars in cash from the register, and he got fired.
So I'm in the same category as him???
WTF?!?!
So the fate of my one and only job is in the hands of corporate people who have never seen me, talked to me, and don't know that I'm one of the best and strongest cashiers there (words from my supervisors, not mine).
I feel so completely humilated. I mean, I was treated like a common criminal. This guy was so smug and arrogant...he seemed to think that I did this sort of thing all the time.
I mean, my God, I've never even had a parking ticket. I had detention ONCE in my entire school career. I've never touched a cigarette, I've never stolen ANYTHING from ANYONE EVER.
This is ridiculous.

Does anyone agree with me and what the HELL am I going to do?

I mean even if I don't get fired, I sure as hell don't want to work there anymore with those assholes.
But how am I supposed to get another job if I DO get fired? Once I write 'fired' on an application, no one is going to want to call me. And I can't lie. What if they find out? I mean what am I supposed to write on an application in that little box that says, "Reason for leaving" ??

This is so EFFED UP!!!!

pisces2473
11-10-2006, 11:43 AM
Appeal it. Good luck!

WorkInProgress
11-10-2006, 11:48 AM
Yeah, it sounds like something you should definitely be able to appeal. Have you checked your employee manual yet to see what rules it has outlined? You'd think that if it were a major infraction, everyone who knew about it would have said something to you before this all happened.

If it would help anything, can you return the item/give back whatever the savings was? It doesn't seem like you should have to, and you clearly weren't stealing, but some places have weird rules.

So you've seen the report and know that the incident as described in the report is accurate, right?

CityGal
11-10-2006, 01:00 PM
Yes, appeal it. Does the coupon have the customer info? Maybe you can contact the customer and ask them to explain.

winneythepooh7
11-10-2006, 01:07 PM
You should be able to file a response to this in writing. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Retail & the restaurant business seems to have F*ed up stuff like this happen to get rid of people.

shimma
11-10-2006, 01:12 PM
You should be able to file a response to this in writing. This doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Retail & the restaurant business seems to have F*ed up stuff like this happen to get rid of people.

Ditto. It sounds like someone wanted to get rid of you.

winneythepooh7
11-10-2006, 01:16 PM
I also think it would be in your best interest to start applying in other places. Also make sure you get your references in order as well, just in case. What type of work would you be interested in doing?

mishl982
11-10-2006, 02:03 PM
Wow, this is ridiculous! Good luck with everything!

GreenwithEnvy
11-11-2006, 03:10 PM
I'd really like to get out of retail in general, but I don't have a lot of experience for anything else. I'm interested in an entry level receptionist position or data entry, but those positions hard to come by. I've been thinking a/b taking some computer classes at community college to get more skills so I can be more qualified, but I can't afford it. Therefore, I need to keep working retail to get money for those classes.

Unfortunately, I can't find a job in retail that pays enough that will allow me to do that.

I don't know what to put on any applications as to why I left my job at Kohl's. Should I be honest?

I am between a rock and a hard place and it sucks. A lot.

winneythepooh7
11-11-2006, 03:20 PM
I'd really like to get out of retail in general, but I don't have a lot of experience for anything else. I'm interested in an entry level receptionist position or data entry, but those positions hard to come by. I've been thinking a/b taking some computer classes at community college to get more skills so I can be more qualified, but I can't afford it. Therefore, I need to keep working retail to get money for those classes.

Unfortunately, I can't find a job in retail that pays enough that will allow me to do that.

I don't know what to put on any applications as to why I left my job at Kohl's. Should I be honest?

I am between a rock and a hard place and it sucks. A lot.


I was in Kohl's this morning and while they have great bargains, none of the people who work there look really happy. I think most employers will understand your want to get out of retail. Are you eligible for loans for school? That seems like a good way to go. Check the Sunday paper classifieds, and even those job magazines they leave outside of diners and CVS/Riteaid and grocery stores. A lot of places advertised are entry-level and seem better then retail IMO.

NewMrs.
11-11-2006, 05:21 PM
I worked several retail jobs during and shortly after college, and I also spent a summer working at Wendy's. Every time I filled out a job application that asked for a reason I left each job, I would answer with something vague such as "left to concentrate on college studies" , etc. During interviews, I never had to explain in very much detail why I left each previous retail and / or fast food job.

It has also been my experience that in jobs such as these, there is a very high turnover in store management. For example, my sister worked at the same Wendy's that I did two years after I quit, and she had a completely different set of store managers than I did. (All of the managers I had got fired after some kind of drug incident.) When I listed these jobs as previous employers, even when I provided contact info for reference checks, it was sometimes hard for the new prospective employer to get hold of somebody at the old place who had previously been my supervisor.

Goldeneye
11-12-2006, 02:48 PM
I worked in retail and restaurant positions for a while after college, and believe me, I am avoiding them like the plague ever again, since I now have a much better position with much better pay/bennies and environment.

There was only one thing that I actually like about it, though, but I am not indicating it here on my reply.

The only time I may take a retail position ever again in the situation I am in now is a temporary part time position (about 7-10 hours a week or so).

The environment in retail/restaurant positions is very cut-throat as well as the turnover is very high, as cited in replies in this thread. Rules and policies change like crazy, which is also a big negative. I won't even start mentioning about pay.

Office politics get very crazy if you are working in the restaurant/retail fields full time. Working part time takes most of that out of the equation, but don't be surprised if you see a major personnel shuffle after your last shift a week or so ago.

As a foot note, of course, I have learned that please treat your workers at retail and restaurant workers with a lot of respect. Some customers who have been in my position before do understand that, as they have been there before.

leoisillon
11-14-2006, 05:46 AM
That's really terrible. I'm so sorry! That's a pretty strong accusation that they are making against you! Stealing from a customer! Do they have proof? Can't they play back the survelience camera? That's so messed up.

Fashionista
11-14-2006, 06:17 AM
WOW, I am sorry this is happening to you.

But I am wondering the following:
Did they see you on camera the customer that gave you the coupon?
Did they talked to the cashier that rang you up and accepted the coupon?
The paperwork that you filled out-what did it say exactly? I am real concerned about this because a few people I know who have been in this situation was handed paperwork to sign and fill out, the paperwork implied guilt and they were intimidated into filing it out. It seems to me that you didn't do anything wrong but at the same token I have seen things like this happen all the time and good people get burned at the end.

Is there a way you can call coporate or HR to pead your case?

GreenwithEnvy
11-14-2006, 10:33 AM
well, I did get fired...and I am extremely angry...and so is my dad...we are fighting this big time...I spent all day yesterday on the phone and finally got to talk to some guy in human resources last night...he seemed flabbergasted at the whole thing...so...I don't know...I guess I'll have to just see what happens...and find another job...sigh...

Nelzie
11-14-2006, 10:51 AM
Wow, that sucks. I am so sorry this happened to you

pisces2473
11-14-2006, 11:24 AM
I'm glad you got through to someone in HR, even if you did get fired. Keep fighting the good fight!

MrNCG23
11-15-2006, 12:07 AM
That is messed up. Unbelievable. Try your best to talk to the manager - this is really messed up.

Call it karma. Maybe this will turn out to be a good thing. Here's wishing you the best.

winneythepooh7
11-15-2006, 07:29 AM
That sucks. Keep us posted and what happens. Maybe if you are lucky and can get this straightened out, how you get there can help someone else.

jrwilheim
11-15-2006, 09:53 AM
I'm really sorry this happened. It sucks.

The only thing I could say is that maybe you should have checked with a manager before using the coupon. But this also seems like a minor thing to me and NOT worth firing someone over. I tend to think that in work situations where people are this assholish, the assholishness was bound to show up sooner or later.

sparky88
11-16-2006, 02:44 PM
wow that totally sucks, I'm so sorry! I'm sure you were a great employee and the whole thing is a mistake- hopefully you will find a way to defend yourself and put it in the past. As you look for a new job just remember that you WERE a good honest employee (who deserved better treatment) and STILL are a good candidate, regardless of this misunderstanding.

Also, I used to work for Ann Taylor Loft and all my co-workers were super religious (they would say stuff like "why don't you go to chuch", "you're living with your boyfriend, omg thats soo wrong", etc). Anyways, it's like they assumed that because I was not a chuch-goer I was automatically not a moral person, and kept a 'careful watch' on me (more-so then the other employees). I was accused of stealing 3 times! Of course, I never stole a thing. I began to question everything about myself (did I really seem like a shady character...was it my personality, clothes, hairstyle??). I ended up quitting because I just felt so intimidated everytime I went to work. It was just awful! I totally feel for you!