I was hired as a grocery clerk couple weeks ago at Kroger, the other day I was putting up stock in the Nutrition section and when it came time for me to go home I left the cart with some milk out on the floor as there was a guy helping me so I left it for him to finish, but what I didn't know was he had gone up front to bag groceries. The next day I was fired at the end of my shift, I personally believe the manager was wrong for firing me, it was a simple mistake. Do you guys think he was right to fire me?
You were still in your probationary period. They can fire you for sneezing if they want with no repercussions. Was it wrong? Probably, but they don't need a valid reason during your probationary period.
The guy that was helping you wasn't there when you left. You didn't tell him or anyone else the milk was out and you were leaving. You shouldn't have assumed he would come right back and stock it. You showed them that when it was time to leave, you were leaving, no matter what.
The guy that was helping you wasn't there when you left. You didn't tell him or anyone else the milk was out and you were leaving. You shouldn't have assumed he would come right back and stock it. You showed them that when it was time to leave, you were leaving, no matter what.
This.
OP, if you're seriously going to leave stuff behind left and right assuming that "the other guy" will take care of it, you're gonna have a hard time ANYWHERE you work. If you were working on it, you're responsible for putting it all away. If the milk still needed to be stocked, you put it back in the cooler and let the other guy know where you placed it.
Technically, at least the division where I worked, any dairy item left out in the open for an hour must be scanned as shrink/damaged. There's some managers that would look and see if it's warm or not, but they're in the right of enforcing those.
OP here looking back I get it I screwed up but I've never worked before, I just didn't want to get into trouble for working over. I still think its stupid for firing me, hell I even apologized to the manager for that mistake.
OP here looking back I get it I screwed up but I've never worked before, I just didn't want to get into trouble for working over. I still think its stupid for firing me, hell I even apologized to the manager for that mistake.
Welcome to the adult world. Learn your lesson and move on. When asked about it at your next job interview tell them that it was a summer job and when your probation was up they let you go... or similar. Don't tell them you made a mistake :)
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
OP here looking back I get it I screwed up but I've never worked before, I just didn't want to get into trouble for working over. I still think its stupid for firing me, hell I even apologized to the manager for that mistake.
The question is, did you apologize because you genuinely learned your lesson, or did you "apologize" in hopes of keeping your job and not getting in trouble? There's being sorry, and then being sorry you got caught.
Take it as a learning experience. In the future, if you're going to leave at the end of your shift and you're in the middle of working on something, let your PIC/Manager know BEFORE you clock out and leave. Don't just assume someone else will take care of it because, as you learned, that's not always the case. Hell, I've been working at Kroger for about 1.5 years, and I always let a PIC know when I'm clocking out and before I leave, just in case there's something extra they need or want me to do.
I was hired as a grocery clerk couple weeks ago at Kroger, the other day I was putting up stock in the Nutrition section and when it came time for me to go home I left the cart with some milk out on the floor as there was a guy helping me so I left it for him to finish, but what I didn't know was he had gone up front to bag groceries. The next day I was fired at the end of my shift, I personally believe the manager was wrong for firing me, it was a simple mistake. Do you guys think he was right to fire me?
Does not matter if it is justified or not. If under a probation period there does not need to be any reason. If you was not under probation then it is not called for and a grievance could be filed. Running a market, I have encountered many incidences like this. Clerks should have been terminated but not because they passed probation and had to go thru the writ-up process before any termination. Management needs to determine ( before the probation period ends) if this will be the norm ( forgetful and careless acts ) or just a one time incident. Most of the time a managed will look at a long term store history of acts like this and lost money or shrink. You could be an example made to others if this store has a shrink history or problem.
Was the guy still there helping you when you left or was he already gone? If he was still there, you could make your case.
Why should the other guy be held responsible for a task that OP was handling? The guy was just helping him. Then he was called to the front to bag. It's OP's responsibility to clean up after himself. You should know that bagging up front can get you held up there for as long as the rush is around.
You're honestly encouraging the OP to point fingers and avoid any form of responsibility? Dear God, I sure am glad I had no coworkers like that.
-- Edited by NutritionWhore on Sunday 19th of July 2015 11:34:31 PM
