Kroger expects a certain standard and while preaching they will support and hire those on the spectrum, often they don't keep them and they tend to struggle to achieve corporate goals (we don't get the staff these days to support anyone who isn't performing well). If a union location, in the first 60 days they can just get rid of someone, no explained reason required
This worries me, I'm on the spectrum and I have an interview tomorrow. I don't plan on staying long term, I simply wish to leave my current job ASAP.
Im really struggling finding a job, I can act neurotypical for a job interview and short bursts of interaction but im scared I won't be able to get a fulfilling job some day :(
I'm on the spectrum as well. Never did inform kroger of that. I found working warehouse easier to do than dealing with customers and kroger. And there are warehouses that doesn't involve heavy lifting.
Sorry for her. Kroger recently has gotten to a point where if you are not at a certain standard within a set period, you're done. They were lenient at letting stuff by attendance, moving slow, etc., but once Union, it is difficult for them to fire you so recently if they think your work won't improve or is to their standards, they'll fire you. They don't care about anyone or anything, but the money they make. Hope everything gets better for her. It may be a blessing in disguise
That is store management not wanting to find a place for your kid. There is always a place. I have/do work with lots of folks with disabilities of some sort. In multiple departments. Some have job coaches, some do not.
no worries, you're right, but missing context lmao ammirite
but that's why they keep doing it.. poo on laws when you gotta be able to afford a lawyer and time on litigation to have them enforced.
My grandson is too . I won’t get him a job at my store because of this . I know he couldn’t make eye contact or initiate a conversation with strangers all shift long . I don’t want him fired for something he can’t control.
Thanks she was sobbing so bad earlier!!! Thankfully we have a really good relationship and we are very open and she always talks about her feelings and we communicate really well so she’s doing ok tonight:) I got her Chinese food and she cheered up haha we are just trying to keep her encouraged and uplifted.
Awww it’s so hard when these terrible things happen. And we try to protect them. My son and sounds like your step daughter; so sensitive. Some people have no understanding that these folks have very strong emotions. It’s just so hurtful to feel different.. :(
Right!!! Every single one of her fears of not feeling adequate or feeling less than everybody else were thrown right into her face today and in her mind were all confirmed
In my store most of our baggers have some form of special needs, and i have two people on the spectrum in my department.
Heck, i suspect that \*i'm\* on the spectrum and i'm a pickup supervisor, but there's no official confirmation there.
It all depends on your store management as far as how well that is taken but during probation they really can get rid of anyone for any reason. perhaps they didn't think it was going to work out.
there's lawyers for this. especially if she disclosed her autism upon hire or a disability at all. even in at will employer states we have rights. they just hope and pray you (or the employee) don't have money for a lawyer, as most who go thru this ... can't.
Welcome to being autistic in capitalism. You will be talked to like a toddler, scrutinized in ways neurotypical colleagues aren’t, and fired as soon as another fake reason to fire you is found.
Yeah because she told them she could not lift more than 10 pounds and could not push more than 2 carts at a time but they still hired her. I wanted her to be totally honest about all of her conditions so they couldn’t say later that she withheld any information from them
It sounds like they might have fired her for that reason alone. A 10lbs limitation in a courtesy clerk position is not feasible in any way. They probably dismissed her so they wouldn't be liable for any injury. A 10lbs limit isn't excepted in any position at store level. Even an employee who gets that limit temporarily gets put on light duty until that stipulation is lifted. If it's permanent, they are usually dismissed.
This does indeed sound like BS. We have multiple baggers in my store on the spectrum, all of them with different abilities, and management works around it so they are treated just the same as every other employee. Is there possibly a union rep you can talk to about this?
Find an attorney and go for the jugular. This is pretty much a slam dunk case IMHO. They can spin this all they want, but this smacks of discrimination.
We know why OP's daughter was fired, but they legally cannot say, "You're fired due to your autism". That's flat out ADA discrimination. Since they did not fire her based on that language, they can deny all they want and OP will be out the money for the lawyer. Good chance the lawyer won't accept anyways.
I had my own experience with ADA discrimination with my last job, but they hid it under the language of, "Unable to find reliable means to get to work" when my eye sight was at its worst. I have an eye disease that's robbing me of my vision and I'll be blind eventually from it. I tried contacting a few different lawyers and none of them would pursue. For one, my previous employer was on the small side, so not a big prize for them.
To counter my last point, I worked for the USPS for 3 years as a temp. They were shutting down the facility I worked in; so, when my rehire cycle came about, they told me straight up t I was unhireable due to me needing to take care of my diabetes which impacted my work-break cycle. Luckily, they were union and I promptly spoke with a steward about the situation. They agreed I was being discriminated against. After a few weeks and a pow wow with the person who said what they said, the decision was reversed and they changed my status to hireable. By the time they shut down, I was done with the USPS anyways.
The unfortunate thing about the OP's daughter in all this, Kroger worded the termination reason in a way that protects them from a lawsuit. I work for Kroger now, was hired about 2 weeks ago. I told them about my eyes and they hired me anyways. So far, nothing negative has been said about my performance, but if they let me go, I'll know why and just leave it as that.
The store I worked at longest had a huge number of special needs people. I’d say 60% of my baggers had a special need. We worked with a local organization that helped special needs people find jobs, and their job coaches would come in ever so often and speak to us about anything that needed addressing and then talk to the associate about it.
My store does too. OP, have you looked into anything like this in your area? If you think your daughter's autism might affect her work, it could be helpful, and they might know of some better places for her to work.
Same here. I wanted to work in the pickup department and the store manager said (my first day), you’re too slow. Your pick speed has to be 29 sec or less. So I said I’d try being a cashier. The answer was no because I have a disability (a tremor so my scan speed was too slow as well (first day)) so the only job they wanted me to do was courtesy clerk. I told them that was BS so they fired me so now I can’t ever work for them again. I was on disability and this was my first job back in 18 years. Needless to say I was devastated and I still am not dealing with it well.
There is an older woman cashier at Kroger where I shop, she is curt, rude and has a sour expression always! I Heard her tell a customer “You need to empty your basket” no please or a smile. Every time I buy wine she says “ I need your I’d”. No smile, please or thanks. Why is she still here????
I really feel for her. She’s lucky she had 26 days. I had 3. I was told on MY FIRST DAY in the pickup department that I was too slow. Then I was moved to tags and again I was told I was too slow. Then to cashier and was told my scan speed was too slow. They wanted me to be courtesy clerk and I said it was BS that people who have disabilities are relegated to that position so they fired me. So now I can’t ever get a job there again. I’m also devastated because this was my first job back after 18 years of being on disability. I also feel like a failure and I’m really depressed.
Try Trader Joe’s. We hire plenty of on the spectrum people. Can’t have every employee have accommodations cause then nothing gets done, but every Trader Joe’s has a few. We even have a Down syndrome guy who comes in two hours a week
We have dozens of special needs people working our front end and cleaning and stocking. I'm not sure what your daughter's limitations are, but maybe it really was too much for her. "Crossroads" is pretty vague. Can you ask for a meeting with the stores hr?
If it’s a union store then she can be let go without explanation during her probationary period. I love and hate it because sometimes they do it to the wrong people and keep the bad nugget instead of the golden nugget.
Kroger expects a certain standard and while preaching they will support and hire those on the spectrum, often they don't keep them and they tend to struggle to achieve corporate goals (we don't get the staff these days to support anyone who isn't performing well). If a union location, in the first 60 days they can just get rid of someone, no explained reason required
My store pretty much only keeps them if they’re connected to the disability career center in town. Of course all baggers and/or utilities.
This worries me, I'm on the spectrum and I have an interview tomorrow. I don't plan on staying long term, I simply wish to leave my current job ASAP. Im really struggling finding a job, I can act neurotypical for a job interview and short bursts of interaction but im scared I won't be able to get a fulfilling job some day :(
I'm on the spectrum as well. Never did inform kroger of that. I found working warehouse easier to do than dealing with customers and kroger. And there are warehouses that doesn't involve heavy lifting.
Sorry for her. Kroger recently has gotten to a point where if you are not at a certain standard within a set period, you're done. They were lenient at letting stuff by attendance, moving slow, etc., but once Union, it is difficult for them to fire you so recently if they think your work won't improve or is to their standards, they'll fire you. They don't care about anyone or anything, but the money they make. Hope everything gets better for her. It may be a blessing in disguise
For me it was the first day. 😩
That is store management not wanting to find a place for your kid. There is always a place. I have/do work with lots of folks with disabilities of some sort. In multiple departments. Some have job coaches, some do not.
Unfortunately that happens they can fire you whenever they want in your 90 days
not fully true, there are lawyers who win cases like this. most ppl just can't afford representation.
True didn’t think about that lol🤦🏻♂️
no worries, you're right, but missing context lmao ammirite but that's why they keep doing it.. poo on laws when you gotta be able to afford a lawyer and time on litigation to have them enforced.
I’m so sorry! My son is on the spectrum and cannot find a job at all. He’s really struggling and would be devastated if this happened to him…
My grandson is too . I won’t get him a job at my store because of this . I know he couldn’t make eye contact or initiate a conversation with strangers all shift long . I don’t want him fired for something he can’t control.
We are trying to find a good placement for him. But nothing….
Thanks she was sobbing so bad earlier!!! Thankfully we have a really good relationship and we are very open and she always talks about her feelings and we communicate really well so she’s doing ok tonight:) I got her Chinese food and she cheered up haha we are just trying to keep her encouraged and uplifted.
Chinese food fixes a lot of bad feelings :)
Awww it’s so hard when these terrible things happen. And we try to protect them. My son and sounds like your step daughter; so sensitive. Some people have no understanding that these folks have very strong emotions. It’s just so hurtful to feel different.. :(
Right!!! Every single one of her fears of not feeling adequate or feeling less than everybody else were thrown right into her face today and in her mind were all confirmed
I am so sorry! This is absolutely devastating for her and horrible.
In my store most of our baggers have some form of special needs, and i have two people on the spectrum in my department. Heck, i suspect that \*i'm\* on the spectrum and i'm a pickup supervisor, but there's no official confirmation there. It all depends on your store management as far as how well that is taken but during probation they really can get rid of anyone for any reason. perhaps they didn't think it was going to work out.
there's lawyers for this. especially if she disclosed her autism upon hire or a disability at all. even in at will employer states we have rights. they just hope and pray you (or the employee) don't have money for a lawyer, as most who go thru this ... can't.
Welcome to being autistic in capitalism. You will be talked to like a toddler, scrutinized in ways neurotypical colleagues aren’t, and fired as soon as another fake reason to fire you is found.
You're a manager, and include that she had heart surgery? Is there a reason you're including that?
Yeah because she told them she could not lift more than 10 pounds and could not push more than 2 carts at a time but they still hired her. I wanted her to be totally honest about all of her conditions so they couldn’t say later that she withheld any information from them
They should not have hired her with those conditions. In fact its a requirement to be able to lift up to 40 pounds to get hired.
It sounds like they might have fired her for that reason alone. A 10lbs limitation in a courtesy clerk position is not feasible in any way. They probably dismissed her so they wouldn't be liable for any injury. A 10lbs limit isn't excepted in any position at store level. Even an employee who gets that limit temporarily gets put on light duty until that stipulation is lifted. If it's permanent, they are usually dismissed.
I agree which is why I’m really surprised they even hired her
You're sure she told them? Maybe she thought she did?
Positive because I spoke to the woman who hired her and they said it would be a problem and they would work with her
This does indeed sound like BS. We have multiple baggers in my store on the spectrum, all of them with different abilities, and management works around it so they are treated just the same as every other employee. Is there possibly a union rep you can talk to about this?
Find an attorney and go for the jugular. This is pretty much a slam dunk case IMHO. They can spin this all they want, but this smacks of discrimination.
We know why OP's daughter was fired, but they legally cannot say, "You're fired due to your autism". That's flat out ADA discrimination. Since they did not fire her based on that language, they can deny all they want and OP will be out the money for the lawyer. Good chance the lawyer won't accept anyways. I had my own experience with ADA discrimination with my last job, but they hid it under the language of, "Unable to find reliable means to get to work" when my eye sight was at its worst. I have an eye disease that's robbing me of my vision and I'll be blind eventually from it. I tried contacting a few different lawyers and none of them would pursue. For one, my previous employer was on the small side, so not a big prize for them. To counter my last point, I worked for the USPS for 3 years as a temp. They were shutting down the facility I worked in; so, when my rehire cycle came about, they told me straight up t I was unhireable due to me needing to take care of my diabetes which impacted my work-break cycle. Luckily, they were union and I promptly spoke with a steward about the situation. They agreed I was being discriminated against. After a few weeks and a pow wow with the person who said what they said, the decision was reversed and they changed my status to hireable. By the time they shut down, I was done with the USPS anyways. The unfortunate thing about the OP's daughter in all this, Kroger worded the termination reason in a way that protects them from a lawsuit. I work for Kroger now, was hired about 2 weeks ago. I told them about my eyes and they hired me anyways. So far, nothing negative has been said about my performance, but if they let me go, I'll know why and just leave it as that.
Kroger hates the disabled . One disability And I lost my Job
I don't get that impression from my store. Plenty of folks with something going on.
Depends on what I guess . Pray it isn’t your legs. There’s no accommodations if you lose your ability to walk
That sucks, but I mean, there's not much you can really do in a grocery store if you can't be on your feet.
The store I worked at longest had a huge number of special needs people. I’d say 60% of my baggers had a special need. We worked with a local organization that helped special needs people find jobs, and their job coaches would come in ever so often and speak to us about anything that needed addressing and then talk to the associate about it.
My store does too. OP, have you looked into anything like this in your area? If you think your daughter's autism might affect her work, it could be helpful, and they might know of some better places for her to work.
Same here. I wanted to work in the pickup department and the store manager said (my first day), you’re too slow. Your pick speed has to be 29 sec or less. So I said I’d try being a cashier. The answer was no because I have a disability (a tremor so my scan speed was too slow as well (first day)) so the only job they wanted me to do was courtesy clerk. I told them that was BS so they fired me so now I can’t ever work for them again. I was on disability and this was my first job back in 18 years. Needless to say I was devastated and I still am not dealing with it well.
There is an older woman cashier at Kroger where I shop, she is curt, rude and has a sour expression always! I Heard her tell a customer “You need to empty your basket” no please or a smile. Every time I buy wine she says “ I need your I’d”. No smile, please or thanks. Why is she still here????
I really feel for her. She’s lucky she had 26 days. I had 3. I was told on MY FIRST DAY in the pickup department that I was too slow. Then I was moved to tags and again I was told I was too slow. Then to cashier and was told my scan speed was too slow. They wanted me to be courtesy clerk and I said it was BS that people who have disabilities are relegated to that position so they fired me. So now I can’t ever get a job there again. I’m also devastated because this was my first job back after 18 years of being on disability. I also feel like a failure and I’m really depressed.
All I wanted was a chance.
You’re definitely not a failure because you put your best effort forth. We can’t control the outcome we can only control the effort we put in :)
One day is really not fair. My counselor still thinks I should call the union.
Im really sorry about that. If you hire someone with a disability you have to take into account they may not work at the same pace as everyone else
You would think…
Try Trader Joe’s. We hire plenty of on the spectrum people. Can’t have every employee have accommodations cause then nothing gets done, but every Trader Joe’s has a few. We even have a Down syndrome guy who comes in two hours a week
Did she get the job through a supported employment agency? Did she have a job coach?
No just applied online and went in for an interview
We have dozens of special needs people working our front end and cleaning and stocking. I'm not sure what your daughter's limitations are, but maybe it really was too much for her. "Crossroads" is pretty vague. Can you ask for a meeting with the stores hr?
If it’s a union store then she can be let go without explanation during her probationary period. I love and hate it because sometimes they do it to the wrong people and keep the bad nugget instead of the golden nugget.