Demotion

[jcblp21]

I work for Walmart stores Inc. in the LOSS PREVENTION division and last week I was terminated because I used a customer instead of Walmart associate as a witness to sit in with me on a shoplifter apprehension interview. The very next day I was rehired but written up and demoted. In Walmart policy it states that you must have a witness of the same gender that is apprehended in the office for the shoplifter interview. It does not say anywhere in the policy that it must be a Walmart associate. To me this is defamation of character. What do you think? And what should I do to get my position back?

 

[cbg]

This is not defamation of character - not by a long shot.

Barring a contract that specifically says otherwise, the company did not do anything illegal in firing you - it was your good fortune that they reconsidered and hired you back. They do not have to return you to the same position.

 

[Beth3]

You asked a CUSTOMER to sit in as a witness? Yowsa. Common sense dictates that the witness be another store employee, not a member of the general public who is likely to tell all and sundry about what an "interesting" experience she had at Walmart today: who was apprehended, why, what they stole, etc.

No, this is not defamation. Yes, they can terminate you. Yes, they can rehire and then demote you. No, there is no way you can force them to put you in your previous postion. They didn't even have to rehire you.

 

[freebird]

Defamation means that someone else communicated a false statement about you that causes you to suffer a loss of some sort. Here there is no false statement so it would not be defamation.

As someone else said, common sense should dictate that you should not use a customer to deal with company business! What did your boss say when you said that the policy doesn't say that the witness be a Walmart employee? Remember that it is never good policy to involve your own customers in these issues -- what are you going to do if the witness has to testify against the perpetrator? Require the customer to go down to court? This was not a good idea and perhaps you can look at the other side in that you are still employed and perhaps you can be reinstated quickly soon.

Originally posted by jcblp21
I work for Walmart stores Inc. in the LOSS PREVENTION division and last week I was terminated because I used a customer instead of Walmart associate as a witness to sit in with me on a shoplifter apprehension interview. The very next day I was rehired but written up and demoted. In Walmart policy it states that you must have a witness of the same gender that is apprehended in the office for the shoplifter interview. It does not say anywhere in the policy that it must be a Walmart associate. To me this is defamation of character. What do you think? And what should I do to get my position back?

 

[Ramtime]

Defamation Question

Would a supervisor under oath under cross examination admit that a charge against an employee that warrents termination is false be defined as defamation?.

 

[NYClex]

It depends where how why and when the charge was made by who.

If I understand your question correctly you say:

the supervisor made charges about an employee that led or could lead to his termination, and now in court, he testifies that the charges were false.

The employee might have a case, but it depends on the details, the answers to the questions I wrote above.

 

[Ramtime]

thanks

thanks for your responses.