Read it and weep, my friends...
Weep for our country!
Jackie R. Whiton of Antrim had been a six-year employee
at the Big Apple convenience store in Peterborough, NH., until a single
transaction sent her job up in smoke.
The store clerk was fired after she refused to take a
customer’s Electronic Balance Transfer card to pay for cigarettes.
Whiton said a young man came in to the store to buy two
packs of cigarettes on May 29. When she asked him for his ID, he handed her his
EBT card.
EBT cards are used for both food and cash assistance
programs. There are two types of cards: one can only be used for food. The
other can be spent on anything and used just like a debit card.
Whiton said she did not think EBT cards could be used to
purchase cigarettes and refused to sell to him. The two “had a little
go-around” as the line got longer behind him, said Whiton.
“I made the statement, ‘do you think myself, that lady
and that gentlemen should pay for your cigarettes?’ and he responded ‘yes,’ ”
Whiton said.
The next day Whiton said the customer’s foster mother
came to the store to complain. Whiton received a call later that day from the
company’s home office in Maine, telling her it had received a complaint about
her and reprimanded her.
“I said I would bow out gracefully and give my notice
because I didn’t want to be a part of it. I’m 65 years old, you know?” Whiton
said.
Charles E. Wilkins, the general manager of the C.N. Brown
Co. that runs the stores, said the EBT cards in the cash phase could be used
for any items, including alcohol, tobacco and gambling.
Wilkins said the company gave Whiton the option of
staying but she said she would not accept the cards anymore.
“She didn’t think it was right and just wasn’t going to
sell to people in that program anymore,” Wilkins said.
Whiton said when she came to work the next day, her
manager asked her how much notice she was giving. When she responded “a week,”
she was told the home office had just called and fired her.
Wilkins said she would have had to accept the cards
within that week.
Whiton said she was not looking for another job.
Whiton said she does not object to using the programs for
food assistance, but does not think a person should be able to use public funds
to buy cigarettes.
“They can’t even buy toilet paper with the EBT grocery
cards but they can buy beer and cigarettes with the EBT cash cards,” Whiton
said, “Go figure.”
9 comments:
I just want to say that I know Jackie and I know the situation. It was not the store manager's decision to fire her. She was in turmoil over losing Jackie. She was following orders from corporate. People (I don't mean you)are making Jackie's former boss look like an ogre. She's NOT! I was present when they were talking on the phone today, and I can assure you there are no hard feelings.
Thanks for posting, Noni.
Yeah. I "got" that from the article.
I need no convincing that the manager of this chain store was only doing his job. I hope he's not unfairly maligned because he shouldn't be.
HIS CORPORATE SUPERIORS HOWEVER...
Where are our American business leaders on issues such as this?
Where are the responsible retail outlets and local, state, and national chambers of commerce and such representatives of traditional American values such as COMMON FRIGGIN' SENSE when it comes to an issue such as this?
I'm as capitalistic and money hungry as the next guy, but you know what I'd be doing if I were the head honcho of Big Apple? I'd be hollering from the rooftops... calling press conferences... DEMANDING that the politicians put a stop to a policy that allows those on welfare - MY MONEY AND YOURS - to buy cigarettes, beer, booze, wine, and indeed any "luxuries" at all!
What ever happened to patriotism... to taking a stand for what's right... to showing the same courage that your friend Jackie did?
We - Jackie... me... you - can't do it on our own. Where are the rich, powerful, and influential with the guts to put their money and reputations on the line showing some OUTRAGE about this insanity?!
All I can do - besides my initial post and this response to you - is to hope that your Governor and your legislature put a stop to such shenanigans now that this incident has come to light.
Do me a favor... give Jackie a BIG hug from "Bill in New York."
God Bless (What's Left Of) America!
Yea Jackie!!! If there were only more common sense Americans like you in the House of Reps and Senate we would have a bright future in USA
big hug from John in Jupiter FL!
there should be like a text to give this lady $10 dollar thing, she deserves to be commended for this action instead of punished. Hopefully this will open up some people eyes to this travesty. Someone I know works for a company where she has to be in convenience stores all the time and sees many people pay for their chips and sodas with their EBT card and then pull out a wad of cash to buy cigarettes, alcohol, and lotto tickets. This is terrible and why our country is so far in debt.
I heard on Fox that she was starting a petition -- is that true, would love to sign it!
Jackie thanks for standing for what is right and true.
jackie r. whiton...the rosa parks of our time!
@ Ann: Yes, Jackie is working on a petition to send to Gov. John Lynch. As far as I know, because it is going to go to the governor of NH, you must be a citizen of this state. If you live here in NH, leave a message here for me so we can connect. If not, sorry. But who knows? Maybe there will be a nationwide petition in the future.
I just thought I'd let everyone know that there is now a facebook page for Jackie. If you support her, go ahead and "like" her on fb!
I wasn't aware of this page until now. Thanks for your support of Jackie Whiton and the issue at hand. She met with Speaker O'Bryan before the election and he was receptive to her. There were other representatives at that meeting as well. The is a petition, for NH residents/tax payers, which can still be signed.
Find Jackie at www.facebook.com/jackiewhiton
There hasn't been much activity since Governor Hassen took office but Jackie is still hoping that change will happen.
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