Just saw this article about a man, Kristopher Oswald, helping a woman whom was being assaulted in a Walmart parking lot.
He was fired from said location for violating "company policy".
Follow me over the fold as we explore what this says about Corporate America and their less than American values.
We know from Wiki, that Walmart employs over 1.4 million Americans. The average employee makes $8.81 an hour, translating to $15,556 a year at "full time" (34 hours a week).
Now Kristopher was a new hire, most likely only a holiday seasonal employee and was still within his 180 day probationary period. Walmart could have fired him for any reason, he was given paperwork stating:
“after a violation of company policy on his lunch break, it was determined to end his temporary assignment.”
So I must ask a few questions:
1. Was Walmart justified in firing an employee that saved a woman's life?
2. Is human life now less valuable than "corporate policy"?
3. What would you have done in this situation?
It's clear to me that Walmart had every legal right to fire Kristopher for a violation of their policies. They've been doing this for years. In fact, They fired a Store Manager of 10 yrs after he stopped an attack on an employee by her husband.
Hell, they fired four employees after they had detained a shoplifter:
4 Layton Walmart employees fired after disarming gunman caught shoplifting
LAYTON — The shoplifter smashed Gabriel Stewart up against a wall.
It didn't take him long to realize that pressure against his lower back was from a loaded gun held by a desperate man who didn't want to go to jail. The gunman had a firm grip on Stewart's shoulder, telling him and three of his Walmart co-workers, "Don't make me do this."
“Absolutely time stopped,” Stewart told KSL. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Instantly, Shawn Ray and Justin Richins kicked into gear, spinning the gunman around. Lori Poulsen ripped the gun away and secured it. They all held on to the man until police arrived minutes later.
So, it seems Walmart is keeping with
it's Corporate Policies, sort of:
Harassment and Inappropriate Conduct
Harassment of any type, whether directed at a co-worker, supplier, customer or anyone doing business with Wal-Mart, will not be tolerated. Harassment is broadly defined and includes conduct which negatively interferes with work performance, diminishes the dignity of any person or which creates an intimidating, hostile or otherwise offensive work environment.
Verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature is inappropriate in the work place and may be unlawful sexual harassment. Examples include:
• Sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, foul language, off-color jokes, remarks about a person’s body or sexual activities;
• Displaying sexually suggestive pictures or objects, suggestive looks or leering, or suggestive communication in any form; or
• Inappropriate touching.
Additionally, Wal-Mart will not tolerate violent acts or threats of violence on Wal-Mart property or while engaged in Wal-Mart business.
Things to Remember!
• Do not make insulting or offensive remarks. If one of your comments or jokes offends someone else, it may be seen as harassing.
• If you are upset by a person’s choice of words, speak up and tell that person. Explain why the comments offend you, and ask the person to stop.
• Avoid making jokes or comments or using nicknames if you question their appropriateness.
• Do not make sexual advances to another Associate or person with whom you work.
• Do not show favoritism on performance evaluations or in other actions based on personal relationships.
• Immediately report any act of Harassment or Inappropriate Conduct.
• For additional information refer to the Harassment/Inappropriate Conduct Policy, PD-19, and the Workplace Violence Policy, PD-48, or the corresponding national or local policies.
In life or death situations, Walmart's Corporate Policy demands you stand there and do nothing, even if it means someone will die:
Wal-Mart's pros & cons
Walmart focuses on protecting their properties rather their consumers. Walmart parking lot violence is a major issue in America. In the US alone within the last 10 years 200 people have died in the parking lots or have been victims in the parking lot and then taking elsewhere. Woman have been raped, people have been robbed and assaulted and WalMart with it's 100's of cameras and security guards are more focused on spying on employees than protecting their consumers.
I keep asking myself, how'd we get to this point in this nation? Where the good guy gets screwed?
Does Walmart's corporate policies violate our Good Samaritan Laws?
Here in New York, you can't be sued if you help someone, even if you don't know what you're doing:
The public policy behind the law is:
The furnishing of medical assistance in an emergency is a matter of vital concern affecting the public health, safety and welfare. Prehospital emergency medical care, the provision of prompt and effective communication among ambulances and hospitals[,] and safe and effective care and transportation of the sick and injured are essential public health services.
—N.Y. Public Health L. § 3000.
Or worse, our
Depraved Indifference laws?
To constitute depraved indifference, the defendant's conduct must be 'so wanton, so deficient in a moral sense of concern, so lacking in regard for the life or lives of others, and so blameworthy as to warrant the same criminal liability as that which the law imposes upon a person who intentionally causes a crime. Depraved indifference focuses on the risk created by the defendant’s conduct, not the injuries actually resulting.
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**UPDATE**
This just in, Walmart has decided to give Kristopher his job back! WE WIN!!!!
YAHOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wal-Mart returns job to worker who stopped attack
"We looked into the situation, reviewed the facts, talked to witnesses," Brooke Buchanan, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said Friday. "While Mr. Oswald broke a policy of ours — a policy put in place to protect our associates and our customers ... we realize Mr. Oswald's intentions were good."
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So I'll ask again: