Lost my job at Target (employee, credit card, apply, collecting)
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I am writing here because I need some guidance. I lost my job at Target after working there for about a year. I got fired because I rang myself for gum during break.
I honestly did not know it was wrong when I did it. I thought that it would be no big deal since they got their money. But anyways, I walked into work last week and they called me to the office and told me I was fired for ringing myself up to the total of around $320 dollars.
The thing is I only rang myself up for gum couple times. I never rang up stuff up to $300 dollars. I only bought gum. I offered to show them my credit card statement (I never carry cash) to prove I never rang up $300 dollars worth of stuff. She said "It is against company policy...you must leave."
I told her "I am sorry..it will never happen again. I honestly did not know." The boss told me I had to go anyways. I got really confused because:
1) I have NEVER been written up before at Target for the whole year I worked there. I was never disciplined even once.
2) I was a top performance worker. They grade you at the register and my score was ALWAYS 100 percent
3) I got people to sign up for their Target Credit Card more than other people in the store
4) I was cross trained in all departments
5) I know I was not a bad worker. I was getting 30ish hours.
I fail to understand why they could not have given me a warning. I have NEVER created any problems for them. I was always happy to assist guests. I called off only ONCE in the year I worked for them. I came in on days when I very sick and they even had to send me home and thanked me for coming in even though I was sick. I was hardly ever late. I have never been over 10 minutes late although I always was on time.
I am sorry for getting all ventful on here but this is the first time I got fired. I have been working since I was 15 and now I am 21. I am a hard worker and have never been fired. In fact when I quit my previous jobs, the managers have always told me I can go back whenever. There was always a spot for me. I have awards from Burger King and Target (Places I worked).
I also want to talk about the fact that other coworkers I know have been written up at least 1 or 2 times before they were fired. I remember one coworker Michelle** told me she had a feeling she was going to be fired. She was written up 4 or 5 times. I did not even have ONE write up.
I asked if I am would be able to get unemployment benefits. They said "maybe" but if I got fired, I don't think I get it, right? I feel so terrible. I am a college student who used this money for lunch and gas to get to school.
Also, my coworker called me and told me that everyone at Target now knows I was fired. I thought management was supposed to keep it quiet? I thought I was guaranteed confidentiality?
Can someone PLEASE explain to this girl?!?!?
Last edited by Theliberalvoice; 07-12-2009 at 12:37 PM..
I am sorry to hear you lost your job. This does sound very unfair!
I would ask for documentation showing the $320 that you allegedly had wrung up. There really isn't anything you can do about your job, but if your employer is being untruthful or is mistaken about why you are being fired, you might want to be able to document that, given that this might affect unemployment benefits and your ability to get another job. It sounds like there might be something else going on here, if you really have not reached anywhere close to the $320 you are in trouble for. Maybe management screwed up but doesn't want to own up to it? If it were me, I would want proof.
I'm so sorry you lost your job, but the absolute bottom line is that when you're working as a cashier, it's an absolute no-no to ring in anything that you purchase yourself. If you received a copy of an employee manual when you were hired, there might well have been a clause in there to that effect. I don't know what to tell you about the fact that the rung-in amount came out to over $300 but large retail stores as well as many smaller stores come down VERY heavily on cashiers who do what you did. I realize that it may seem something small to you but it really is a major offense from management's standpoint.
Good luck to you in finding other employment soon. You could certainly plead your case and ask for a hearing, ask to see the register tapes to see why the amount came out incorrectly but, in all honesty, you really did make a big mistake and one which in most cases doesn't warrant a warning but dismissal.
I am sorry to hear you lost your job. This does sound very unfair!
I would ask for documentation showing the $320 that you allegedly had wrung up. There really isn't anything you can do about your job, but if your employer is being untruthful or is mistaken about why you are being fired, you might want to be able to document that, given that this might affect unemployment benefits and your ability to get another job. It sounds like there might be something else going on here, if you really have not reached anywhere close to the $320 you are in trouble for. Maybe management screwed up but doesn't want to own up to it? If it were me, I would want proof.
Right on! I admit I was wrong. I should not have rung up the gum but why not just a warning?
So if another employer calls Target, can Target technically tell them I got fired?
And my father suggested I call Employee relations tomorrow. I think I will and ask them what is going on with that $320 dollars.
So if another employer calls Target, can Target technically tell them I got fired?
I believe technically they can only verify that you worked there. However, who is to say that is what is really going to happen. You never know.
Also, a lot of employers ask if you've ever been fired from a position. I suppose you could always lie, but I don't think that is necessarily the best idea. That is why I would want to know if I were be fired for something that isn't exactly true. They must be getting this $320.00 figure somewhere. That much more than a few packs of gum, and the figure may have played a part in why you were not given a warning. I am glad to hear you are following up on this!
It's always been my understanding that you qualify for unemployment if you lose your job but not if you quit.
The employer may fight it if you were canned for "cause" but you'll have a chance to give your side if they do file and try to prevent you from collecting benefits. It doesn't hurt to try.
Sorry for your bad luck. I was never a cashier and really don't understand why this is such an offense but apparently from what others have written, it is.
Why would they give it to me if I got fired though?
No, you don't get UE benefits if you got fired for violating company policy. No they don't have to warn you, verbally or written, if they feel that the violation of company policy is flagrant enought to warrant termination then that is the company and the store manager's perogative.
This is the way the real world works:
1. They gave you a job and the opportunity to do it, and get paid while doing it.
2. Every company has a handbook, policies and procedures, you're in college, therefore you are adult and mature enough to take responsibility for reading the rules, if you didn't, well, once again, this is the real world
(that defense never gets you out of a speeding ticket, "Officer, I didn't know the speed limit was 40 mph, I thought it was 60 mph, so can you give me a warning?"
3. The reason they believe it to be flagrant is as you've stated, you did it many times, ergo, you didn't care about company policy, so they believe you will continue to breach company policy until someone catches you and tells you its wrong. (you are responsible for knowing what is right and wrong, it is not your supervisor's responsibility to baby you thru and tell you that if you do that you will get it trouble, this is your first warning etc.)
4. Your credit card receipts will prove nothing, except what you claim them to, whether the item purchased was really the item you took out of the store is another question, could have been a $200 IPOD instead of gum, no one can disprove it, and neither can you prove it wasn't. Thats the reason for the policy.
Ignorance of the law, rules, is no excuse, frankly, it is your fault and responsibility for not doing your job and taking it seriously.
So, now you have to buck up, try and get another job, with bad history under your belt. Good luck.
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