You likely all know this place as the “good store” when it comes to mainstream US department stores. I beg to differ. Ironically, they've just given us online “anti-racist” training this week while continuing to enable a racist, and have “Black History Month” merchandise for sale and decorations proudly proclaiming how much they value Black lives- and yet one of their employees has gotten away with being horrendously racist for an inexcusably long time. I refer to this corporation as red Walmart in the redactions below.
An email sent recently from me to everyone VP of stores and lower in my region:
Dear [RED WALMART] Team:
Hello, I am team member [REDACTED], [ME], Guest Advocate, from [REDACTED RED WALMART STORE]. I am writing about an abysmal and hostile work environment at my store that I and many others are fed up with.
One of our front end team members (49, Male, referred to as “[NAME REDACTED]”) has been witnessed doing the following:
RACISM
-Using racist and homophobic slurs toward guests, TMs, and third parties
-Racially profiling Black and Hispanic guests
-Getting in loud verbal arguments with Black and Hispanic guests
-Hiding and tampering with a Hispanic TM's personal belongings
PEDOPHILIC BEHAVIOR
-Flirting with and harassing underage TMs
-Writing 'love letters' to underage TMs
-Asking people when underage TMs would become legal age of consent
-Using derogatory insults toward another Hispanic TM that witnessed a 'love letter' being given
SEXISM
-Using sexist terminology and talking down to female TMs
-Calling guests “hookers”, “whores”, “easy”, and “sluts”
-Commenting on female guests' bodies
MISC
-Ranting about politics, vaccines, and mask mandates while on the clock
-Being generally rude to guests and having no guest service skills
-Pulling down the pride flags in the break room during pride month last year
-Coming into the store inebriated, while not scheduled, in order to harass an on-the-clock TM
According to OSHA guidelines, a hostile work environment can be described as an individual displaying any of the following actions, all of which have been seen from this employee:
-Discussing sexual activities
-Telling off-color jokes concerning protected classes
-Unnecessary touching, brushing, or flirting
-Commenting on physical attributes
-using demeaning or inappropriate terms or epithets
-using indecent gestures
-using crude language
-sabotaging the victim's work
-engaging in hostile verbal or physical conduct
I do not understand why this individual has persisted in their employment with [RED WALMART] when they are the antithesis of everything [RED WALMART] stands for. Many of us have complained over the span of six to twelve months, and yet this individual is still employed here. I do not feel safe here, and many of us feel the same way. This has become an issue concerning reporters and guests as well, as many guests have complained to HR about this employee. Many of our valuable associates have been lost due to the actions and words of this TM. By their constant display of inaction, direct management for [REDACTED] is telling us that they value a pedophilic racist over their hardworking and kind front end team.
This has been reported to Ethics three separate times at this point. I am seeking immediate action regarding this employee's termination, not an Ethics report.
Pursuant to A.R.S. Section 23-1502 (A), I am formally documenting my prior communications with you that described the actions and behaviors of [RED WALMART] employee “[NAME REDACTED]” at store [REDACTED]. His actions have created objectively difficult and unpleasant working conditions to the extent that a reasonable employee would feel compelled to resign. (Recent resignations due to this employee include but are not limited to: [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], [REDACTED], and [ME].)
The [RED WALMART] Corporation is exposing itself to potential liability by failing to immediately address this hostile working environment. “[I]t is well established that an employer can create a hostile work environment by failing to take immediate and corrective action in response to a coworker’s or third party’s sexual harassment or racial discrimination the employer knew or should have known about. All federal circuits are in accord on this point.” Fried v. Wynn Las Vegas, LLC, No. 20-15710 (9th Cir. Nov. 18, 2021) Sexual harassment covers actions taken against gay or transgendered persons. Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. ___ (2020)
Thank you,
[ME]
GSA [REDACTED]
Footnotes:
I formally resigned yesterday, and have no plans to ever support this company again. I advise all of you to think twice about whether the company you support is actually inclusive, or if it's just a PR stunt. Keep in mind, I adored every other part of this job, and that's why it took so long for me to leave. I truly believed things would change in the months that this person had been reported.
I and many others have constantly complained and gotten nowhere until I started threatening legal action subsequent to the aforementioned email.
There is apparently an “investigation” going on, but nobody is telling anyone any information that is even remotely quantifiable, and management refuses to give me any sort of written record of ANYTHING, regardless of the fact that I've asked multiple times. I have been told I would be contacted by someone conducting the investigation many days to weeks ago and on multiple occasions; I have received no contact whatsoever.
TLDR; everyone's jumping ship from my shithole of a store because management refuses to fire a disgusting sexual predator and racist dickhead
If you're being abused or feel uncomfortable because of (an) individual(s), please don't stick around and wait for it to get better. It won't. Corporations don't value you. They certainly didn't value any of us.
Thanks for reading. If anyone has some kind words, I'd appreciate them. I'm so frustrated.