First published: Thursday, May 4, 2006
ROTTERDAM -- A fired Wal-Mart security guard is suing her former employer for gender discrimination after her lawyer says she was let go for chasing a purse snatcher near the Altamont Avenue store.
In a written statement that her lawyer says she submitted to Wal-Mart after the April 10 incident, Shannon Kennedy, 32, describes how she called police and chased the robber in her car after he grabbed a 77-year-old woman's purse outside the store.
The purse was recovered behind a nearby drug store.
Three days later, the Waterford woman was fired after being told she violated company policy by pursuing the thief, said Kennedy's attorney, John Aretakis. He claims a male security guard was given an award by Wal-Mart for similar action about a year ago.
Aretakis said Kennedy was told that she was only supposed to protect company property.
A Wal-Mart spokesman, Kevin Gardner, said he could not comment on pending litigation and said he did not know the details of the policy in question.
In the lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court in Schenectady Wednesday, Kennedy is seeking $1 million.
ROTTERDAM -- A fired Wal-Mart security guard is suing her former employer for gender discrimination after her lawyer says she was let go for chasing a purse snatcher near the Altamont Avenue store.
In a written statement that her lawyer says she submitted to Wal-Mart after the April 10 incident, Shannon Kennedy, 32, describes how she called police and chased the robber in her car after he grabbed a 77-year-old woman's purse outside the store.
The purse was recovered behind a nearby drug store.
Three days later, the Waterford woman was fired after being told she violated company policy by pursuing the thief, said Kennedy's attorney, John Aretakis. He claims a male security guard was given an award by Wal-Mart for similar action about a year ago.
Aretakis said Kennedy was told that she was only supposed to protect company property.
A Wal-Mart spokesman, Kevin Gardner, said he could not comment on pending litigation and said he did not know the details of the policy in question.
In the lawsuit, filed in state Supreme Court in Schenectady Wednesday, Kennedy is seeking $1 million.
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