Don't feed the birds or you're FIRED!

I work for a Rite Aid Distribution Center in the Philadelphia area. We originally had a nice, level-headed CEO - he got promoted and has been replaced with a nut job who monitors everything we do - including on lunch and breaks where we are viewed on camera. If someone throws bread crusts to the birds - they are "counseled" and told if it happens again - they will be terminated. If someone is seen on camera feeding (or even petting) a stray cat - they are "counseled" and told they will be terminated if caught again.

Oddly enough, our CEO doesn't seem to mind if people dump trash everywhere during our (unpaid) lunches - as long as no birds or cats are around! There is tons of trash covering the whole outside lunch area and parking lot, that doesn't seem to affect him. Only the birds and cats. In fact there are often office memo's sent out advising supervisors to make sure employees understand that they will be terminated if caught feeding birds or cats.

He gets even weirder inside the building. Any employees walking anywhere must have papers in their hands if walking with another employee. Otherwise he will assume that the employee without something in his/her hands is "free loading" and you guessed it - termainated.

In fact, we are threatened with termination for so many things that most people are afraid to do anything. In this high heat we have been having (102 degrees) some employees have passed out at their stations rather than mention they were feeling faint - for fear they would be terminated if they sat down for a few minutes.

Somehow, I don't think these are the same conditions that other Rite Aid Distribution centers work under, at least I hope not. Our old CEO rarely used the word termination, never cared if we petted cats or fed birds, so somehow, I don't think it is really a Rite Aid policy but just our nutty CEO.

I would certainly think that the Rite Aid Corporation would have much bigger fish to fry than caring if someone is feeding birds or petting cats during their (unpaid) lunch time. And I certainly can't believe that they would approve of firing good workers simply because they threw a bread crust to a sparrow.

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labtech (07/14/2010) Whew....I'd send what you posted to your union, if you have one, and to the CEO of the corporation, anonymously. Sounds like you got a head-chopper at your store, he's determined to FIND reasons to fire people, or make them up if he can't find any. april (07/15/2010) Every company handbook or corporate company has contact information for employees that need to whistleblow or report upper managers, etc. There should be a corporate HR contact or something in your handbook. Find it, contact them, and urge everyone you work with to contact them. It's REALLY easy to get a manager fired this way. I've had it done before, and so can you. Rosie (07/30/2010) People have filed grievances with the Dept. of Labor for far milder situations. Expecially with the people passing out! I would do so pronto. This is beyond abusive. POST A COMMENT »