Season's Greeters from Meijers

[XLFD]

The one Supervisor told me my heart was in the right place but my brain wasn't"  So says David Bower, who recently lost his job at the Gaylord's Meijer's when he left his post as the store greeter to help a customer put out a fire that started in his truck.  Grabbing a fire extinguisher, David went outside to where the vehicle had an incipient fire going inside.  These often grow into big fires, and could have not only made the patron's truck a total loss, but spread through the parking lot before the emergency response team could make it there.  David Bower was roundly praised by the truck's owner, and believes Meijer has a great employee in him.

Except, David Bower finds himself now out of a job for violating Meijer protocols in leaving his post to do his heroics, Meijer officially saying:  ""The safety of our customers and team members is a top priority at Meijer. We have a very specific protocol in place for our team members to follow when emergencies occur and we can't allow any deviation from the policy that could put our customers or team members at risk." 

Hmmm, is the corporation's brain in the right place, but their heart isn't?  Bowers out of his job, just before Christmas, because he did a good Samaritan act to help a customer in an emergency.  Let me know your thoughts once you read the complete story and watch the news video:

 

 

OTSEGO CO. -- An Otsego County man says he was fired from his job after doing what he considered was the right thing to do during an emergency situation.

David Bowers was let go from the Meijer store in Gaylord last month.

He says he got in trouble because he left his post as a greeter to help a customer put out a fire in the parking lot.

Bowers knew that his actions were going against company policy, but he believed that in this instance the customers urgent need came first.

"When the guy came in and said his dashboard was on fire I grabbed the fire extinguisher and I followed him outside and sure enough his dashboard was on fire," Bowers said.

They quickly put out the fire and Bowers returned to his post.

He was later called into the store director's office where he was suspended for his actions.

"The one supervisor told me that my heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn't," Bowers said.

Later that week, he was fired from his job for not following company policy.

Meijer representatives say they cannot comment on personnel matters, but they did release this statement.

"The safety of our customers and team members is a top priority at Meijer. We have a very specific protocol in place for our team members to follow when emergencies occur and we can't allow any deviation from the policy that could put our customers or team members at risk," Meijer responded.

But for Ken Kuzon, who was the customer in need, he says without Bowers help, the situation would have been much worse.

"My truck would've been completely burned that fire was going," Kuzon said.

Kuzon says he doesn't understand why Bowers lost his job.

"I just think it's ridiculous why should you be penalized for being a good samaritan," Kuzon said.

Bowers did admit that he was suspended several years ago for leaving his post when he chased after a shoplifter, but he still does not understand how he could lose his job.

"I thought that was what we were supposed to do, you know you have somebody that is in need, don't you help them, but I guess not," Kuzon said.

Bowers says that he has been searching for a new job in the area, but has had no luck finding a new position.

 http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=982254#.UqtYNjx3vIX

[Dave]

I understand why the company has the policy as its a safety issue and all but I think these cases really need to be handled on a case by case basis. If the employee feels he/she can handle the situation then they should be allowed to do so. The company isn't seeing the big picture here either.. by this guy putting the fire out like he did, he likely prevented the car from being completely engulfed in flames which would of likely damaged vehicles around it so then its not only the customers car that is getting towed out of their but probably a few other cars.

This guy did the right thing... stupid to punish someone for doing the right thing yet it happens to often in this goofy world. I remember  a couple months ago where a high school student picked up a friend that had been drinking yet was kicked off her volleyball team I think it was and seems like she was suspended as well... even though she did the right thing so her friend wouldn't drive drunk.

[easymoney]

How can you be sure, what is the right thing to do?

[Dave]

This is why I think these cases need to be handled on a case by case basis. I mean its not like this sort of stuff happens every day... generally they are pretty rare occurrences. I'm sure if this guy had went out to the car and it was more toward being totally engulfed that he would of opted not to use the fire extinguisher like he did.

[Willy]

A car fire is a ticking bomb. If the fire reaches the gas tank there can be a serious explosion. Not only could the fire spread to other vehicles but flying shrapnel from an  explosion could have seriously injured or killed someone. I was witness to a fire in a single vehicle which quickly spread to over 30 adjacent cars in a parking lot. There were about 20 cars that exploded. If this would have happened at the Meijers parking lot the store would surely be closed for an extended period of time due to the damage to the building, melted asphalt, damaged vehicles and the many lawsuits that would have been filed due to Meijer's foolish policy. That employee prevented a potential disaster for the company and a possible myriad of lawsuits as well as a  monumental loss of property, money and possibly lives.

[dowland]

This man is a hero and Meijers is the Grinch who stole his Christmas.  Me and my family will never shop their again. Who do I call or e-mail to complain to .

[AQUAMAN]

Good thread and find Dave. A similar act occurred at a Michigan Wal-Mart too recently a few months back. Young male employee age 26 on lunch break, saw a female customer being assaulted and attempted robbery. He rushed to her aid, and the 2 thugs ran off. He also was fired for not following policy in that matter. If I find that link, I'll post it. Like you said Dave, on a case by case basis is the best way in these very seldom seen quirks. A local boycott and perhaps peaceful protest march in front of these stores might get mgmt. to reverse these bad decisions. When people do the right thing given a set of emergency circumstances, the last thing they need is punishment for a good deed.

[Willy]

I found a video about the Michigan Wal-Mart employee andI found another employee firing in a different State.

[XLFD]

I thought I recalled at least one Wal-mart incident that happened like this.  Thanks for the videos, Wal-mart took the same approach:  apply a generally vague policy in a way that defies common sense.  The legal team wins, but at a major cost to the brand name in situations like this. 

[Jane]

This is what happens when we live in a lawsuit crazy society. The company has to look after what is best for their own butt in the case of any incident, otherwise they could be open to lawsuit. Heck even the guy he helped in this case could turn and sue meijer and the employee claiming more damage was done my him.the extinguisher. The problem is that some people would do that type of lawsuit. still wrong to fire these people for being good humans.

[XLFD]

The corporate lawyers will always advise that no action by their representatives in such cases is the best course and leads to no liability, because it does leave the store up for more liability, but most states have Good Samaritan laws which protects the Samaritan (and any agency they represent) unless they act with gross negligence and get an unfavorable outcome thereof. 

The Meijer employee, if he did not act like he did in this case, would save Meijer from liability of any injury that might happen to him, any injury that might result to others in the area, any damage that the owner of the vehicle may later claim, etc.  By staying at his post and, if necessary, alerting other authorities, he is the perfect corporate employee.  But it's not in many people's nature to do so, and usually a better result happens.  As Dave says, it needs to be looked at on a case by case basis.

[Johnny]

I'm shocked you would post this Tom and disagree with Meijer. If its against their policy and he did this, then he should be let go, right?  Its kind of like the City Council, moving their meeting to the afternoon so Elementary kids can attend the meeting.  According to your views on it, if they never posted the move of the meeting, then it is against the open meetings act.  They moved the meeting so kids could attend it, I see nothing wrong with that.  Its not like they moved it and had all the doors locked so nobody could come. 

So Bower went against the Policy for leaving his greeting station at Meijer to help someone on in a special circumstance.  Ludington moves their City Council meeting for a special circumstance to let Elementary kids attend it. 

Jane, you bring up that this is the problem with the law suit crazy society.  Would anyone look at filing a law suit over a City Council meeting being moved so Elementary kids may attend at a decent time fall under the law suit crazy  society we live under now?

Tommy, you said it best, each case should be looked at case by case.....kind of like a city council meeting being moved....case by case basis...was it moved and NOBODY knew about it and they had all the doors locked in a secret location, OR was it moved so 10 year olds could attend at a responsible time of the day and there were still city residents there.

[Willy]

Murph

Your comparing apples and oranges. Your comparing a good deed done by an employee to help someone and possibly save others from injury to law breaking politicians who routinely ignore the ordinances and statutes of the City and State. The council disobeyed  the "law" not a policy and they weren't even fired. They could have had their meeting with the 3rd graders but refrained from doing Council business which would have violated the open meetings act. Also this was not the first time they have done this unlike the Miejer's worker who was, amazingly, fired instead of being reprimanded. Your looking at this upside down.