Fired for telling customer she was rude

[lysimo]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oregon

I worked for this company for 4 1/2 years. I was an excellent employee with near perfect reviews. Never had any write ups or warnings during my employment.

I told the customer she was being rude because she had come up to my returns desk 3 times and came to the front of the line each time. She was very rude to me and the customers in line. When she left she turned to the customers in line and said some very negative things about me. It was at that time I told her she was being very rude.

I realize that I was wrong to tell her that and I admitted to management that I had told her she was rude.

I expected to get my first write up but I was terminated.

Other employees have been much more verbal with customers and nothing has happened except for being written up.

I feel I was singled out because for 4 months I had been asking the store manager for adequate shelter at the check stands for employees out in garden during the winter months. All we were given was a small heater that was not working correctly. Asked for one that worked and told no. The wind and rain is so unbearable during the cold months but yet we are expected to stand there for 2 hours and not go more than 10 feet from our check stand.

I really feel this is the real reason I was terminated. Do I have any recourse to appeal this termination?

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by lysimo

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Oregon

I worked for this company for 4 1/2 years. I was an excellent employee with near perfect reviews. Never had any write ups or warnings during my employment.

I told the customer she was being rude because she had come up to my returns desk 3 times and came to the front of the line each time. She was very rude to me and the customers in line. When she left she turned to the customers in line and said some very negative things about me. It was at that time I told her she was being very rude.

I realize that I was wrong to tell her that and I admitted to management that I had told her she was rude.

I expected to get my first write up but I was terminated.

Other employees have been much more verbal with customers and nothing has happened except for being written up.

I feel I was singled out because for 4 months I had been asking the store manager for adequate shelter at the check stands for employees out in garden during the winter months. All we were given was a small heater that was not working correctly. Asked for one that worked and told no. The wind and rain is so unbearable during the cold months but yet we are expected to stand there for 2 hours and not go more than 10 feet from our check stand.

I really feel this is the real reason I was terminated. Do I have any recourse to appeal this termination?

No, you were fired because your behaviour with a customer was intolerable.

[ecmst12]

I personally would not want to work for a company that allows customers to be rude to employees and expects the employees to just take it. But that's just me.

[Hot Topic]

Couldn't you have called a manager to deal with the customer?

She had the right to tell the people in line that she thought you were rude. They had the right to agree with her or to feel sorry for you for having to deal with her.

Your "feelings" about the "real" reason you were terminated are irrelevant. Even if you're right, terminating you was not illegal.

And it's a llittle hard to believe that you have an outdoor garden department in Oregon during the winter.

[justalayman]

the employer did nothing wrong. If you believe you were retaliated against for requesting a legally required situation (heat in wherever you worked), then speak with the labor board in your state.

In reality, they had every reason to terminate you for being rude so I would not expect much to come of any complaint whether it is legit or not.

Even you admit to being rude so you really have no claim they acted in retaliation.

[quincy]

Just a comment to Hot Topic:

Michigan has outdoor "garden" centers in the winter, too, at places like Home Depot and Meijer's and Frank's Nursery. They sell snow blowers and Christmas trees and holly bushes and snow shovels. The workers are often out in the cold wintry weather all day. Some of the places now have outdoor sheds with heaters set up, to allow their workers to warm up a bit between customers. Working without such a heated shed would be unbearable, I would think.

[justalayman]

I agree with quincy but I hate to tell you guys, I, as a construction worker, am exposed to sometimes seemingly unbearable conditions, simply tell those working in those situations to dress appropriately and if it is too hot in the kitchen, or too cold in the shed, to find other employment.

they sell electrically heated gloves, socks, jackets, coats, overalls, boots, and hats so if need be, buy the appropriate clothing and smile as the boss walks by.

[ecmst12]

I bet they even sell those little hand warming packets at that very store!

[lysimo]

Yes they do, but be careful of wearing any unauthorized pins!