Black Friday isn’t what it used to be. Each year, there seems to be more and more violence in the news that often outshine the stories about cheap deals and sales. One such story came to light this week after the Tampa Bay Times wrote a gripping profile of a 73-year-old woman who was fired from Walmart last year just days after a Black Friday incident.
Black Friday Ruined Jan Sullivan’s Life
Photo Courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times
It was late on Black Friday evening, and Jan Sullivan was told by a manager she was in charge of guarding an entrance to the Walmart where she worked as a greeter. He told her it was to be used only as an entrance only, not an exit, and Sullivan takes her job seriously after over 22 years working with the company. She called them “her Walmart family”.
A woman who Sullivan describes as around 40-years-old, wearing jeans and a baggy sweater demanded to leave through the entrance Sullivan was protecting. After their brief disagreement, the woman pushed Sullivan and as she felt she was falling, grabbed onto the woman’s sweater. This incident was caught on tape and Sullivan was immediately reprimanded an hour later and told she was suspended. Three days later she was fired.
After filing for unemployment, she was dealt another blow when she was denied because she was fired for “misconduct.” She was forced to sell her house and succumb to credit card debt to support herself. Today, Sullivan is living in a mobile home and struggling to make ends meet without a job. She has trouble finding work because of her age.
Walmart, with over 2 million employees worldwide, has said it needs to protect consumers as well as workers. “Regardless of her intentions, her actions put her own safety and possibly the safety of a customer in jeopardy,” a Walmart spokesperson told the Times.
Who’s side are you on? Did Walmart need to stick to their guns? Or does Jan Sullivan deserve unemployment benefits from her wrongful termination? Let us know in the comments below!
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Walmart should have backed her up, if they told her not to let anyone out that door, that was thier mistake. This woman need to file a suite against the woman who asalted her and Walmart for them firing her.
Thanks for the comment Joyce! While researching this article, it sounds like most people agree with you.
Jan should not have been fired. If the store had the incident recorded on tape they should have seen the other person push her and Jan grab her sweater as a reaction. The suspension should have been enough.
It is natural to grab at closest thing to keep from falling. Wal-Mart is in the wrong. She should not have been even suspended unless it was with complete pay with all benefits plus bonuses. She should file a lawsuit against her attacker and then against Wal-Mart. This shows one that Wal-Mart is not the place to work!!!
[...] week we told you about how Black Friday 2011 meant the end of life as she knew it for a 73-year-old Walmart greeter. Across the country as people heard about Jan Sullivan’s story, many were touched. On the eve [...]
[...] by another shopper. Another famous incident in 2011 was the firing of 73 year-old Walmart greeter Jan Sullivan. Sullivan was shoved by a shopper when trying to block her front entering an employee-only section. [...]
[...] of employees is notoriously strict, from allegations of retaliation against activist employees to firing an elderly greeter who instinctively grabbed onto the clothing of a customer who pushed her as she [...]
[...] By Tessa McLean – July 5, 2012 (July 5, 2012). “Black Friday Meant the End of Life as She Knew It for a 73-Year-Old Walmart Greeter”. blackfriday.bradsdeals.com. Retrieved [...]
[...] another Walmart in the Tampa area, 73-year-old greeter Jan Sullivan was shoved by a shopper who was trying to exit through doors not available for this purpose. As she fell, she grabbed onto [...]
I think the person who told her to guard the door and not let anyone exit should be fired as well. She was only following instructions from “upper management” and should not be fired for doing her job. As far as the allegation she put a “customer” in harms way, I think it only shows who Walmart is truly concerned about and it’s not their employees. It’s the fear of being sued by someone who definitely was in the wrong, as seen on surveillance tape.
How sad. They had it on tape – the woman PUSHED her. She was assaulted. Walmart is insane. If you truly believe Ms. Sullivan was mistreated, contact Walmart and tell them so and refuse to shop there until they change their policies – and STICK TO IT.
She should have gotten her unemployment. I know of someone else who had been fired by Walmart for accidently touching some horrid customer trouble maker. This person I know is now working for another retailer and alot happier.
Hard decision my butt about firing her! I know it was decided in a heartbeat and those 3 days were spent running it passed HR to make sure she had no leg to stand on. I bet Sulivan was marked for termination and if this was some young cute thing on the door with that incident they’d overlook it. I hope someone out there gives her a job. I bet that store is kissing some seriouse booty in that town since she can’t find an attorney. Ugh!
Someone needs to give those managers a shove and dare them to not grab them by pure reflex!