Black shopper in Irvine wants damages from Albertsons b/c they assumed she was paying with EBT (coupon, price)
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Most cashiers I met don't ask for that though. As ebt holders account for a very small percentage of customers. Most only ask if people want a bag not disclosing they will be charged in most situations. I guess she had to guess whether they are likely to use an EBT card before making her selections. And maybe the store had complaints or lawsuits that they charged EBt card holders for bags therefore they asked their cashiers to be careful on this matter.
Though prop 67 as a whole is ridiculous. I can imagine how clerks needed to be suddenly extensively retrained on election day to make the change overnight. Essentially they only had hours to adopt the new policy of asking customers, inputting new codes into registers, learn the EBT exemption codes, and new packing methods into totally new bags. Originally they would had months of grace period to make the transition. Large grocers supported this though. I guess the executives were already prepared to do it overnight. They really didn't have to as the proposition did not officially take effect until all the ballots were ratified on December 16. Many smaller grocers such as northgate Gonzalas allowed their plastic bags to be depleted first before implementing allowing the cashiers some time to adjust.
The issue for this thread is whether the cashier in the OP is racist. All you are doing is providing supporting evidence that asking about EBT was not being racist.
There are probably so many people to come thru the line that pay with an EBT card, it's a time saver for the cashier to ask the customer if they are going to pay with an EBT card so they can enter the proper code or whatever into the computer. I don't blame the cashier. When I'm working, I'm all about saving time and working smart, not hard. It's not racial or personal. It's business. If somebody gets their panties all in a wad over that, that's just too darn bad. I say grow a thicker skin. Its not worth the worry and it's certainly not worthy of a law suit, in my opinion. Just more money for the lawyers.
But you're ASSUMING that there would be a plethora of people (in IRVINE of all places ) who use EBT cards coming through the line on a regular basis.
Usually grocery stores (or ANY types of stores I frequent) don't as how I'm paying, so why would this cashier ASSUME that this black woman was using an EBT card to pay if she didn't herself mention the fact that she had an EBT card? What made them think she even owned such a card???
THAT is where the issue is. And I highly doubt that this question is asked of EVERY shopper who steps foot into Albertsons. PLEASE.
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Originally Posted by buckeyechick
It's disrespectful to ask someone this. This type of disrespect happens to us all the time. Most of the time you brush it off. But sometimes you get so tired of the racist micro aggressions on a daily basis. That's what this is. I've worked as a cashier since EBT started. I never asked how a customer was going to pay. Next time I'm asked I'm going to play dumb. Ask what is and how do you get, ask a manager how do I get one, etc.
^^THANK YOU
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Originally Posted by Exitus Acta Probat
How do we know race was a principal factor in the first place? Poor people of all races pay with EBT, so perhaps the offended party simply looked like a pauper. Every day I judge people based on their personal appearance, and even when I see a White person who looks like a slob I maintain a certain degree of apprehension and I'll be like, "Get a haircut and try dressing like a proper gentleman, you slob. In the meantime, don't come anywhere near me." And I don't discriminate against any one race so I'm like that with all races of people whose appearance displeases me.
It's true that people DO judge you based on how you look. But it's never good to judge people based on how their outer appearances. Sometimes the most "poor"/plain-looking people have a LOT of money in the bank (take celebrities snapped out & about by pap pics for example).
It's NEVER good to treat someone differently just based on how they may be looking.
Also, you're kind of assuming that the woman looked disheveled or pauper-ish to begin with, and that might not even be the case. Unless they have shown video footage of what the woman looked like that day, I think it's pretty presumptuous to assume that she may have been looking like a bum and therefore somehow deserved the type of treatment she received.
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Originally Posted by sav858
I don't even get what your point is responding to my post, I was simply agreeing with someone's post.
Orange County has a racist reputation for a reason.
That's what I'm thinking....
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Originally Posted by ipaper
There shouldn't be a absolute need to ask that question in my view. I wouldn't ask anybody that question, I would just wait to see how they are going to be paying. I don't see what asking this question in advance does anyway. Do you ask people if they will be using be using coupons, paying by check, credit cards, or cash. I just wouldn't ask it.
EXACTLY!!
That question is kind of rude imo. And most cashiers don't ask that question.
Once you swipe your card, the machine terminal will ask you if you want to pay by credit or debit, but those two items don't assume that you are "poor" or need Govt assistance in order to pay for your items. There's a huge difference.
That's almost like telling someone point blank that they can't afford the items in the store, so they might as well leave. Very rude. It's happened to some people though. Usually happens to certain people however.
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Originally Posted by suzy_q2010
In the situation described in the OP there is a valid reason to ask, though. The cashier needs to know whether to charge for bags before the order is totalled.
Don't you think though that someone who actually owned an EBT card would TELL the cashier ahead of time that they are paying with that card so don't charge for bags??
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Originally Posted by pacific2
Apparently, you look like a senior, but you can't tell someone's income level by their race alone. That seems to be what started the whole issue.
Also, store clerks in Irvine don't ask if people are paying with food stamps. It seems the clerk was just being a smarta**:
Deirdre Harris, 42, who filed the lawsuit, said the incident occurred Jan. 27 at the Albertsons at Alton Avenue and Culver Street. Harris said she was trying to pull out a debit card from her phone case to pay for the items, when the checkout clerk asked her if she wanted to use her EBT card.
“What exactly did you say?” Harris asked the clerk.
Don't you think though that someone who actually owned an EBT card would TELL the cashier ahead of time that they are paying with that card so don't charge for bags??
A preventable loss if the cashier asks about EBT before finishing the order.
I don't think that question should be asked. That's like asking someone who "looks" like he/she is "old" whether or not they will be using their "senior citizen discount". Or like asking someone: "will you be using coupons today?" If that person doesn't "Remember" that they have coupons or that they are eligible for a senior citizen's discount, well then too bad!
I just think that's a very rude question to ask someone. It's very presumptuous. Unless the woman showed the cashier an EBT card, why assume she was going to use one???
The question was NOT: "Do you have an EBT card?" (even though that's bad in itself), but more so: "Do you want to use your EBT card?" (VERY presumptuous and rude imo).
I don't think that question should be asked. That's like asking someone who "looks" like he/she is "old" whether or not they will be using their "senior citizen discount". Or like asking someone: "will you be using coupons today?" If that person doesn't "Remember" that they have coupons or that they are eligible for a senior citizen's discount, well then too bad!
I just think that's a very rude question to ask someone. It's very presumptuous. Unless the woman showed the cashier an EBT card, why assume she was going to use one???
The question was NOT: "Do you have an EBT card?" (even though that's bad in itself), but more so: "Do you want to use your EBT card?" (VERY presumptuous and rude imo).
If the cashier assumed the shopper was using an EBT card she would not have asked. She would just have rung up the order without charging for the bags. The very fact that she asked means she was not making any assumptions.
I would be very happy if someone asked me if I wanted to use the senior discount or reminded me about coupons I might have forgotten to use. It saves me money.
I have been on the receiving end of the question about the senior discount when I actually was not eligible for it. My hair grayed early and I have never colored it. The result was embarrassment for the cashier and amusement on my part, not anger.
What we have in the OP is the shopper's version of what the cashier said. Did the cashier literally say "your EBT" or is that the shopper's understanding of what she assumed the cashier meant?
To me, it boils down to knowing whether the cashiers in the store ask every shopper about EBT in order to charge or not charge for bags. If they do, then there is no discrimination or rudeness at all.
Presumption and rudeness should not justify a lawsuit, either.
If the cashier assumed the shopper was using an EBT card she would not have asked. She would just have rung up the order without charging for the bags. The very fact that she asked means she was not making any assumptions.
NOT when you ask in the way that the cashier asked.
It's one thing to ask: "Do you own a Honda?" Vs. "Do you enjoy using your Honda?" One is inquiring if you own something or not... The other is ASSUMING you own something that you may not even own.
See the difference??
And MY argument is that asking someone whether they even own an EBT card or not is NOT something that needs to be asked in the first place. And definitely doesn't need to be asked of EVERY single customer that comes into the store.
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I would be very happy if someone asked me if I wanted to use the senior discount or reminded me about coupons I might have forgotten to use. It saves me money.
I have been on the receiving end of the question about the senior discount when I actually was not eligible for it. My hair grayed early and I have never colored it. The result was embarrassment for the cashier and amusement on my part, not anger.
What we have in the OP is the shopper's version of what the cashier said. Did the cashier literally say "your EBT" or is that the shopper's understanding of what she assumed the cashier meant?
THIS was what was stated in a previous quote:
Quote:
Deirdre Harris, 42, who filed the lawsuit, said the incident occurred Jan. 27 at the Albertsons at Alton Avenue and Culver Street. Harris said she was trying to pull out a debit card from her phone case to pay for the items, when the checkout clerk asked her if she wanted to use her EBT card.
“What exactly did you say?” Harris asked the clerk.
The clerk repeated her question and asked if she wanted to use food stamp.
Irvine woman sues Albertsons after clerk wrongly assumes she’s on food stamps– Orange County Register
Don't you see the difference??
You don't see an issue with this??
Quote:
To me, it boils down to knowing whether the cashiers in the store ask every shopper about EBT in order to charge or not charge for bags. If they do, then there is no discrimination or rudeness at all.
Presumption and rudeness should not justify a lawsuit, either.
Well of course. That would be the best thing to find out. I'm trying to figure out though why an Albertson's in IRVINE (of all places) would even assume that most of their customers need to be asked that question in the first place?? To the point where you have to ask EVERY single customer?? Yea riiiiiight.....
Or could it be that they ASSUMED that a black woman shopping in Irvine MUST be on food stamps?? That is presumptuous and that is more than likely what probably happened...hence the reason why the shopper got offended. Plus, the shopper could have probably realized that the person in front of her didn't get asked the very same question. So why did SHE get asked?? Just some things to think about.
And re: the lawsuit: Well, I'm not going to judge what someone should sue for or not (that's one's own personal business), but people have sued for rudeness/presumptuousness/harassment/and unruly behavior before (and actually won), so this isn't anything new.
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) who use EBT cards coming through the line on a regular basis. 
