Do You Think This Is Grounds For Termination?

[Charger]

Just another post to agree with the majority here.

As others have said, it's not the policy we're talking about here, (even though it's a bad one), it's your choice of words. Whether you were talking to one of the clerks, or one of your best buddies doesn't matter one bit, because you were ON DUTY.

As others have said before me, when you're on duty you are supposed to be a completely neutral, unbiased protector for everyone at the site. Making a comment like that shows the employees that you are FAR from unbiased, which makes you look unprofessional, (and reflects very poorly on your company and the rest of the security industry as a whole, I might add).

Whether you want to believe it, or listen to it or not, you ARE very lucky to still have a job. In the future, I would advise you to keep your freakin mouth shut until you're off the clock and out of uniform.

[bjohs]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinions whether others find them offensive or not. But the one mistake you made was having that opinion slip out of your mouth. Had you said it in your head and kept the thought to yourself, you would not find yourself in this position with your employer. In this day and age, what you said is extremely offensive and inexcusable. Employers in the most conservative states would not tolerate it and you would receive either immediate disciplinary action or termination.

[integrator97]

Here in the Bible belt, I would probably have fired you, at the very least reprimanded you in writing.

So the national consensus seems to be, you are one lucky dog, this time.

[Yardstick]

I can't wrap my head around why you wouldn't want a customer in the store...

Even if you disagree with his lifestyle choices why would you not want him in the store purchasing things?

[FederalSecurity]

Enforcer,

I really am glad to hear that you like your job and have a passion for security.

The thing is... you say that you've been in the security sector for seven

months. In my opinion, seven months isn't very long at all. I'm not saying

that my five years is very long, but at the career point that you're at now,

you still have quite alot to learn. One of the lessons to be learned is

the habit of holding yourself to higher standards. This goes for anything that

you do or say, especially when you are on duty. If you are really serious

about the security field, you'll do just fine if you're a little more careful from

now on.

[EMTGuard]

I bet if Jack Bauer walked into your store with his man bag slung across his shoulder you wouldn't have made him leave it at the desk.

[mjw064]

i am assuming that the leave the bag at the front rule is to cut down on shoplifting? do people really shoplift from a dollar store anyway?

[The Enforcer]

i am assuming that the leave the bag at the front rule is to cut down on shoplifting? do people really shoplift from a dollar store anyway?

That's exactly right and yes people steal from dollar stores all the time. Only one guard is assigned per store and it is difficult to watch everybody so measures such as leaving bags up front have to be implemented.

[souperdave]

Short & simple....the policy is discriminatory, and you are a bigoted profiler. My advice would be to take a little of each paycheck and put it towards pre-paid legal aid......you're gonna need it someday.

[The Lord of the Keys]

I just wanted to add my opinion to this matter. I am from the NE but what I personally find acceptable is closer to you. However your behavior was completely unprofessional and the comment that you made would get you fired at many companies. We all encounter many different people in our line of work. Some of these people we may find offensive for whatever reason, but we have to be professional and treat everyone the same as we go about our duties.
As for your stores policies, does it explicitly say only women may bring in a purse or are you reading "woman" into a policy that says purses and is this policy in writing?

[tanko]

The Enforcer,

Although you have only seven months in and only one late arrival, you are just as expendable as the next person. Don't think otherwise. Remember, we are security and we are expendable.

You need to learn how to use the store policy a way to justify your actions, and nothing more.

When you say terms that appear to be derogatory, they can then be used to justify someone's opinion that your are a bigot. Regardless of you being a bigot or not, people will perceive this and will try anything to justify their assumptions.

I have lots of people who I work with that think I'm intolerant of others on the sole basis that I grew up in small community in the countryside. Where I work tends to think they are 'tolerant' of others, with exception of people who they dislike. Because of this, I had to try harder than anyone else to never be in a conversation or situation that may appear I'm intolerant of others.

[psycosteve]

this is an issue of time and place

the reason for leanicy with you is that your boss realised that due to your inexperence with dealing with the public . I would say I am not guilty of having sometimes racist homophobic and generaly sexist thoughts . but I feel I am an EEOC asshole with the ability to hate everybody not on race or sexual creed but cause there assholes . with dealing with the public I have learned restraint. you may have been highered cause you were a warm body but remember they will keep you cause of your ability to do the job. when on site you have to be on your best behavior . think about this would you tell black jokes in the hood ? would you jewish jokes at a synagon ? if the answer is yes then security is not for you . chalk this up to a one time only pass and NEVER do it again .

[Curtis Baillie]

That's exactly right and yes people steal from dollar stores all the time. Only one guard is assigned per store and it is difficult to watch everybody so measures such as leaving bags up front have to be implemented.

I agree, shrink in "dollar" stores is higher that the averave for retailers in general. Employing guards in them is not commomplace. I suggest you were employed as a deterence - not to detect and detain thieves. If you actually detain shoplifters - I'm interested in hearing how much training you have had.

[Mr. Chaple]

If this is the first incident of this kind, and assuming that you have been a satisfactory employee in every other way, I don't happen to share the opinion that you should be terminated over this incident since the derogatory term was not voiced to the individual in question. However, you'd be given a "last chance" warning and would undergo some sensitivity training for sure.

I think I would just as soon get terminated.

[Badge714]

Well, here in Minnesota (not New England), I would have fired you too.... And, not only will I tell you where I am from, but I will show you who I am...

Especially in Minnesota! They don't call Minneapolis the "San Francisco of the Midwest" for nothing!

And, it's NOT a purse, it's a "man bag!"

I would have terminated on this offense also. I learned the hard way after keeping a guard on that made sexual comments to women at one of my accounts just because the client told me that he didn't want the guard fired, he just wanted him to knock it off. I gave the guard a written warning and 3 days off, with termination on the next offense.
Guess what? Yep, 3 days after he finished his suspension, a female employee complained to me about the guard making sexual comments. So I fired him. You would think that a guy who was a Deputy Sheriff in the Bay area of California for 7 years would know better.
The woman who complained to me directly told me exactly what this idiot was saying. If I knew the kinds of things he was saying on the first complaint, not only would I have fired him, I would have kicked his filthy a** all the way back to California!

I have learned that some people just have trouble controlling their mouth, and if they did it once they'll do it again. I won't get burned a second time.

P.S. After your year is up, find another job and start over. This stain will follow you within the company for years, trust me.