https://imgur.com/a/qfhtqL9 (click link if embed doesn't show)
I want to mention before going into this ridiculous firing that's going to negatively impact my life, by pointing out my business has a strict no pursuit policy by management. if someone is stealing, eating, or breaking (intentionally) anything in the store, not only can we not try to stop them, or be directly confrontational, but if they leave a mess we can't start cleaning it up until they leave the store to prevent confrontation as well.
Yet, this video of this women stealing personal belonging from a seniors cart is apparently according to my leading management team, my fault(??). because I was the 'team leader' on duty, a made up label they give when they trick you that you're getting promoted, but instead have more responsibility added on to your work day remaining a regular employee on paper. Notice in the video, there's only two people involved, yet the lead management team agreed together to blame me?
I was in the back doing the mandated inventory that had to be done quickly, I had one manager on the floor come for a store visit seeing me helping deal with some aggressive customers assisting fellow staff, and I was yelled at for wasting time. So not only where staff doing what top management were commanding, but I specifically who is “in charge” sortof of the store, but not really a management employee, was commanded to go do inventory. So everyone was doing what we were told, however because of this incident caught on camera I was blamed.
Because I “didn't do anything” or notice the problem “quick enough” despite no one knowing what happened until the lady reported her stuff was stolen prompting us to check the cameras, I was called an employee with “no integrity” and terminated effective immediately. All overtime which is to the discretion of top management I was told starting Friday to Sunday would be removed from my paycheck. My next paycheck will arrive on schedule next Friday, yes they pulled this crap in the middle of two pay periods, and I'm going to have a smaller check due to this termination. Oddly only me and another female employee were fired and no one else.
I contacted a few local workers groups who referred me to attorneys however I only ended up with one who will look into possible violations but won't be able to see me until Monday the 10th(July) to explore the “possibility” of taking action against them.
My biggest concern is that this garbage firing is poorly timed. it's in the middle of two pay periods meaning my next check is going to be small because I'm not going to be working at the company anymore, I can't shop in the store itself for a year after being fired (company policy) which means I cannot shop there for cheaper food and necessities (unless it's online which costs more than in store), and I needed money for a medical leg injury I had to address since my poor coverage wouldn't cover everything out of pocket of $80, which is interesting because now I'm fired I'm about to lose that crappy coverage and will soon have none because that's how most US insurance works. I will also need to prioritize rent so I won't have any money for food, necessities, or cellphone as I look for a new job. Luckily getting another grocery job isn't difficult but it usually takes 2 weeks between hire and the background stuff, and then you have to work until the first check.
This whole thing puts me in a situation where I now have to pick between money for rent, and food+communication and since I need something over me I picked rent so now I'm up shits creek for a couple weeks. Since I'm out the city there's not many services out here, there's one limited food pantry and they have insane requirements. Car is out of the question now because no money for gas until I get a new job.
The whole thing throws my life upside down. Heck, I'm about to not even have a phone for someone from a new job to call me, because my plans is about to shut off.
Again, I would like to stress that this incident on camera here isn't me, has nothing to do with me, and I was in the back doing what I was unpolitely commanded to do by top management, and then the same top management team fires me because I “didn't do anything” about an event no one saw until the victim came to us prompting us to check the camera?
If I can get a job outside the grocery/product industry I'm never going back. It just keeps getting worse and they clearly don't care about their employees, now I went from paycheck to paycheck somewhat stable, to wondering what I'm going to do tomorrow. Corporate America is poison. I have no idea how I'm going to make this work now, it's all depressing.