Goodwill's firing down syndrome employee, justified?

[Mr Janny]

Firing of Goodwill worker with Down syndrome raises questions | lancastereaglegazette.com | Lancaster Eagle Gazette

The worker was fired for violating Goodwill's policy forbidding employees from purchasing merchandise while on the clock. The violation? His mother bought him a $3 shirt.

Too harsh or justified?

 

[jsmith86]

Way too harsh. Did he buy the shirt? No. His mother did. This is ridiculous.

 

[Trainer]

Thats rather sad, and ******.

 

[CycloneErik]

Unless there was a serious documented record, this is way too harsh.

 

[chuckd4735]

The fact that he has downs syndrome does not even matter, it just makes it worse. It is not justified, and still wouldn't be if the employee was perfectly normal.

 

[ISUChippewa]

The worker was fired for violating Goodwill's policy forbidding employees from purchasing merchandise while on the clock. The violation? His mother bought him a $3 shirt.

Too harsh or justified?

I currently work with adults with developmental disabilities, including those with Down Syndrome.

Way, way, way, way too harsh, and also just plain mean-spirited and dumb. I predict and hope that public opinion will absolutely bury Goodwill in this case. Shame on them.

 

[simply1]

Can't imagine what they were thinking.

 

[CycloneErik]

Can't imagine what they were thinking.

They couldn't have been. As Chippewa said, this comes off mean-spirited and dumb.

Unless they were desperate to cut payroll, I can't really fathom how one could even pretend like this was a justified deal. There's no call to be that crazy about that rule.

 

[cyclonedave25]

This is bull****. I hope they get hit hard by this. Whoever fired him needs to take a good, long look in the mirror and ask him/herself if what they did was right.
This line really makes me mad.

Dustin's earnings at Goodwill and another part-time job have let him live semi-independently

Way to take away a job from a disabled person who seems to have found something that has made him happy. He was pretty much making a living by himself, and they fired him for a $3 shirt that his mom bought??? What a load of BS.

 

[CycloneErik]

This is bull****. I hope they get hit hard by this. Whoever fired him needs to take a good, long look in the mirror and ask him/herself if what they did was right.
This line really makes me mad.

Way to take away a job from a disabled person who seems to have found something that has made him happy. He was pretty much making a living by himself, and they fired him for a $3 shirt that his mom bought??? What a load of BS.

Basically, what he was doing with his life is the whole point of hiring by Goodwill, and they dump him because his mom bought him a shirt. Is that really the kind of behavior that we want to discourage? Moms can't give their kids a shirt?

This is the kind of case that makes it so easy to see that there's such a thing as taking rules too literally. Way too literally.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

Any lawyers looking for some pro-Bono work, good karma and free publicity? Seems like this firing would have a hard time holding up in court. Your Mom buying you a shirt does not seem to justify firing an employee of 12 years. C'mon Goodwill do the right thing and hire him back.

 

[jsmith86]

Any lawyers looking for some pro-Bono work, good karma and free publicity? Seems like this firing would have a hard time holding up in court. Your Mom buying you a shirt does not seem to justify firing an employee of 12 years. C'mon Goodwill do the right thing and hire him back.

If anything, fire or at least give a good talking to the guy who fired him.

 

[BCforISU]

What a bunch of idiots, absolutely wrong and hope they get what is coming!

 

[isutoad]

Firing of Goodwill worker with Down syndrome raises questions | lancastereaglegazette.com | Lancaster Eagle Gazette

The worker was fired for violating Goodwill's policy forbidding employees from purchasing merchandise while on the clock. The violation? His mother bought him a $3 shirt.

Too harsh or justified?

If all is true he may own Goodwill when the lawyers get done.

 

[Nycclone]

Wierd, I grew up with this kid. His brother was a year ahead of me in school, haven't really seen any of them in over ten years. Honestly, this does sound like something that would happen in Washington, IA. Not to pile on but yeah this is completely ridiculous.

 

[Mr Janny]

If all is true he may own Goodwill when the lawyers get done.

It's a sad story, and it was a stupid thing for Goodwill to do, but I doubt a lawsuit is coming. Iowa is an at will employment state, and even though their policy is terrible, Goodwill had the legal right to do what they did.

 

[ThatllDoCy]

It's a sad story, and it was a stupid thing for Goodwill to do, but I doubt a lawsuit is coming. Iowa is an at will employment state, and even though their policy is terrible, Goodwill had the legal right to do what they did.

At will State or not, whether they had cause is up to the judge. After 12 years as an employee he does have rights. On top of that he is a protected category under the American Disabilties Act.

 

[simply1]

It's a sad story, and it was a stupid thing for Goodwill to do, but I doubt a lawsuit is coming. Iowa is an at will employment state, and even though their policy is terrible, Goodwill had the legal right to do what they did.

Assuming no Ada problems

 

[Mr Janny]

Assuming no Ada problems

good point. I wasn't thinking of his disability.

 

[Cyclonepride]

I hate judging stuff like this without knowing all the facts. If he had repeated incidents conflicting with company policies and conduct, it could be justified. If not, someone in management needed to grow a pair and let it slide.