Veteran says he was fired for giving a corn muffin to a homeless man - Polidicks

[QUOTE](CNN) -A 73-year-old Veteran says he was fired from a Cracker Barrel restaurant for giving a needy man a few condiment packets and a corn muffing. He admits it was against the restaurant’s rules, but he says he thinks it was the right thing to do. For the past three years, Joe Koblenzer has put on his brown and yellow Cracker Barrel apron and greeted those who come into the Venice, Florida location. “It’s a fun job. A job really suited to me,” said Koblenzer. Two weeks ago, he says a man who looked like he might be homeless came through the doors. “He looked a little needy. He asked I had any mayonnaise and some tarter sauce. He said he was going to cook a fish.” Koblenzer says he obliged and put a corn muffin in. That gesture apparently cost him his job.[/QUOTE] [url]http://fox2now.com/2014/06/27/veteran-says-he-was-fired-for-giving-a-corn-muffin-to-a-homeless-man/[/url]

That's just sad to hear. Best wishes to this man.

He should sue, and split some of the money with the homeless man.

[QUOTE=Demolitions2;45304790]He should sue, and split some of the money with the homeless man.[/QUOTE] sadly, he most likely cannot sue by his contract. I'm sure it has something against giving away free food. Waiters/waitresses often give away things at restaraunts but I can almost guarantee they are techinically obligated not to.

Why fire him? If nothing else just take it out of his paycheck if that miniscule amount of money means [I]that[/I]much to you for crying out loud...

You would think the managers would have used some discretion here instead of following procedure by the letter.

[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;45304854]You would think the managers would have used some discretion here instead of following procedure by the letter.[/QUOTE] it is florida, they're like the New Jersey of the south

[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;45304854]You would think the managers would have used some discretion here instead of following procedure by the letter.[/QUOTE] They might've wanted to fire him for some other reason, and breaking this rule allowed them to do it publicly.

If you get fired at a corporate place like this then it probably means you've accumulated a bunch of write ups for a bunch of fuck ups over time. It even states in the article that the guy has been giving out free food in the past. Sucks the guy lost his job but he should have known better.

"Veteran feeds homeless man, is rewarded by no longer having to work at Cracker Barrel"

[QUOTE=Alice3173;45304849]Why fire him? If nothing else just take it out of his paycheck if that miniscule amount of money means [I]that[/I]much to you for crying out loud...[/QUOTE] They don't do it for the costs, they do it because they don't want homeless people coming back and begging for the scraps. These policies are almost as bad as putting spikes outside to prevent them from sleeping around your building.

[QUOTE] and a corn muffing[/QUOTE] Well he got fired because he gave him a muff (v.) [I]infml[/I] - To fail to catch a ball instead of a muffin

whoever handled this should be reprimanded i saw a homeless dude while i was doing errands with my mom. i totally would have bought him a cold sandwich or a hamburger w/ whatever he wanted to go with it but my mom was insistent with continuing on. i feel awful for not giving him something to eat

[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;45304953]If you get fired at a corporate place like this then it probably means you've accumulated a bunch of write ups for a bunch of fuck ups over time. It even states in the article that the guy has been giving out free food in the past. Sucks the guy lost his job but he should have known better.[/QUOTE] Actually no, I was fired from a job [a big name home improvement store, and i'll let you figure it out] once because I "stole" a gift card for $0.88. In reality a customer [who was my friend] gave it to me since he didn't care for it. I used it to pay fro part of a soda for me to drink on my break about a year later, and I was instantly terminated. I had no write-ups, or warning, and was frequently called the hardest worker with the best attitude by multiple managers. 3 other people were fired for the same thing that day, and we were all the highest paid employees hourly, in our respective departments within the store. They replaced all of us with old people making barely over minimum wage. I was actually able to get money from the company for it, beyond UI benefits. For this case here, I guarantee you a section stating "do not give free food" in the employee handbook is the smallest portion of the whole book, and is barely mentioned at all.

Sort of a stupid thing to do. This is exactly the sort of thing that gets into the news and creates a PR disaster.

[QUOTE=Demolitions2;45305320]Actually no, I was fired from a job [a big name home improvement store, and i'll let you figure it out] once because I "stole" a gift card for $0.88. In reality a customer [who was my friend] gave it to me since he didn't care for it. I used it to pay fro part of a soda for me to drink on my break about a year later, and I was instantly terminated. I had no write-ups, or warning, and was frequently called the hardest worker with the best attitude by multiple managers. 3 other people were fired for the same thing that day, and we were all the highest paid employees hourly, in our respective departments within the store. They replaced all of us with old people making barely over minimum wage. I was actually able to get money from the company for it, beyond UI benefits. For this case here, I guarantee you a section stating "do not give free food" in the employee handbook is the smallest portion of the whole book, and is barely mentioned at all.[/QUOTE] Was it true value? Home Depot and Lowe's both pay well over minimum wage for new associates.

[QUOTE=Propane Addict;45305472]Was it true value? Home Depot and Lowe's both pay well over minimum wage for new associates.[/QUOTE] Sounds more like Menards to me

[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;45304953]If you get fired at a corporate place like this then it probably means you've accumulated a bunch of write ups for a bunch of fuck ups over time. It even states in the article that the guy has been giving out free food in the past. Sucks the guy lost his job but he should have known better.[/QUOTE] Frankly, if we're living in a world where it's going to cost you your job giving away a bit of free food now and then, I think we really have lost sight of what compassion is. Rules are rules, as you say, but too many rules only make more criminals out of people.

[QUOTE=Demolitions2;45305320]Actually no, I was fired from a job [a big name home improvement store, and i'll let you figure it out] once because I "stole" a gift card for $0.88. In reality a customer [who was my friend] gave it to me since he didn't care for it. I used it to pay fro part of a soda for me to drink on my break about a year later, and I was instantly terminated. I had no write-ups, or warning, and was frequently called the hardest worker with the best attitude by multiple managers. 3 other people were fired for the same thing that day, and we were all the highest paid employees hourly, in our respective departments within the store. They replaced all of us with old people making barely over minimum wage. I was actually able to get money from the company for it, beyond UI benefits. For this case here, I guarantee you a section stating "do not give free food" in the employee handbook is the smallest portion of the whole book, and is barely mentioned at all.[/QUOTE] Corporate places have a instant-termination policy against theft. whodathunk. I'd be at risk of losing my job if I even think about accepting tips at the corporate megastore I work at. It's nothing new or extraordinary. [QUOTE=Zonesylvania;45305526]Frankly, if we're living in a world where it's going to cost you your job giving away a bit of free food now and then, I think we really have lost sight of what compassion is. Rules are rules, as you say, but too many rules only make more criminals out of people.[/QUOTE] If the guy wanted the give the homeless guy a muffin, he should have bought it with his own money. They don't let people give out free food because it's shrink. They're giving out product without any return profit and thats pretty bad for business, even if it's small. Sucks the guy lost his job over it buy corporate places take shit like that pretty seriously because shrink decreases efficiency, and as soon as a location becomes entirely inefficient, it closes.

[QUOTE=Demolitions2;45305320]Actually no, I was fired from a job [a big name home improvement store, and i'll let you figure it out] once because I "stole" a gift card for $0.88. In reality a customer [who was my friend] gave it to me since he didn't care for it. I used it to pay fro part of a soda for me to drink on my break about a year later, and I was instantly terminated. I had no write-ups, or warning, and was frequently called the hardest worker with the best attitude by multiple managers. 3 other people were fired for the same thing that day, and we were all the highest paid employees hourly, in our respective departments within the store. They replaced all of us with old people making barely over minimum wage. I was actually able to get money from the company for it, beyond UI benefits. For this case here, I guarantee you a section stating "do not give free food" in the employee handbook is the smallest portion of the whole book, and is barely mentioned at all.[/QUOTE] Wait, so did you get fired for using a store gift card at your store? If so, remind me never to work anywhere I care about...

Couldn't the guy giving the muffin just have said "I bought it for him"?

[QUOTE=booster;45306682]Couldn't the guy giving the muffin just have said "I bought it for him"?[/QUOTE] Seriously How much does a muffin cost? like not even .20 cents? You can buy a package that makes a dozen or more for like 99 cents.

Cracker Barrel cornbread isn't even that good. At all.

Emotional article is blatantly emotional. An elderly veteran gave away a muffin. Unsurprisingly he was fired. Few points I have- the fact that he is elderly and a veteran are irrelevant. The fact that it was only a muffin is only relevant if they (cracker barrel) pressed charges- cost amounts affect the type of theft he can be charged with. No mention of charges and I doubt they bothered. Simply put- it's not charity to give other peoples property away. If he wants to feed the poor he can- on his own time and using his own money.

Yeah, stealing from people isn't cool. If the muffin was an insignificant price, then he should have bought one himself. You don't get to choose who deserves somebody else's property.

I used to work in a restaurant, and seriously everyone who worked there would chow down on the bread even though technically we weren't supposed to. Hell, they'd eat the soup, too. The owners knew and nobody was ever disciplined for it. I guess because CB is a chain it's more corporate or whatever, but it doesn't seem all too different than an employee sneaking the occasional snack. Firing him seems to have been a step over the line.

[QUOTE=Propane Addict;45305472]Was it true value? Home Depot and Lowe's both pay well over minimum wage for new associates.[/QUOTE] Lowes. I started at $11 an hour for cashier there. I was replaced by an old lady who never did her job properly, and never showed up for her shifts. [QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;45306215]Corporate places have a instant-termination policy against theft. whodathunk. I'd be at risk of losing my job if I even think about accepting tips at the corporate megastore I work at. It's nothing new or extraordinary. [/QUOTE] Yes but one of the head cashiers was a good friend of mine, and told me that a month later someone else got caught doing the same thing, and only got a writeup, and they used more than double the amount of card value that I did. That's why i was able to get money from them. Well that and the fact that they made me pay them $9 in restitution, over 9 times what I "stole". [QUOTE=woolio1;45306269]Wait, so did you get fired for using a store gift card at your store? If so, remind me never to work anywhere I care about...[/QUOTE] Yes. If i had turned the card in, the company would have destroyed it, throwing away the money anyways.

[QUOTE=Demolitions2;45309726]Lowes. I started at $11 an hour for cashier there. I was replaced by an old lady who never did her job properly, and never showed up for her shifts. Yes but one of the head cashiers was a good friend of mine, and told me that a month later someone else got caught doing the same thing, and only got a writeup, and they used more than double the amount of card value that I did. That's why i was able to get money from them. Well that and the fact that they made me pay them $9 in restitution, over 9 times what I "stole". Yes. If i had turned the card in, the company would have destroyed it, throwing away the money anyways.[/QUOTE] So am I correct in thinking you can't use a gift card for the shop you work for, regardless of how you got it? Because that's pants-on-head retarded, full-stop.

food producers and food sellers should be feeding the homeless. They have excess. It's ridiculous how much food we fucking throw away so why not just help them out anyways?

The muffin does not belong to him, it's not his to give away, neither are the packets of condiments. It's theft, I'm sure that's why they fired him. Considering how old he is, and him being a veteran, it'll all probably work out for him in time. It has nothing to do with doing the 'right' thing. Do what you think is the right thing with YOUR money and possessions, not someone else's.