I worked at a Smiths grocery store in Las Vegas in 2013. I just clocked into work, and my mother called me. My mom wouldn’t have called me knowing I was at work unless it was an emergency. I went outside and answered because I figured it was one. I was outside for no more than 10 minutes talking to my mom. She told me my dad was having some heart problems, potentially could have been a heart attack so they went to the hospital. Got called into the office the following day and they suspended me for “wasting company time”. I explained and maintained the phone call and why I went outside really quickly. I was still suspended and fired a few days later.
Here’s the best part: I tried to file for unemployment afterwards. And those bastards were so hellbent on making sure my life would suck, they sent the store manager to my in-person unemployment hearing and made me sit there with the corporate smiths office on the phone and listen to why I don’t deserve unemployment benefits. I provided proof of my dad’s hospital visit and everything. I was still denied benefits. They told me I was eligible to re-apply to the company 6 months later.
Smiths is a garbage company to work for. I'd assume Kroger as a whole operates the same way.