Wal-Mart cashier: I was fired for joking
ALMONT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A former Wal-Mart cashier says he was fired for joking on his MySpace page that the average IQ would increase if a bomb were dropped on the company's stores.
David Noordewier said he was fired Feb. 27 for posting the message, which he said was a joke and not a threat.
"I told them that this was crazy," Noordewier told The Flint Journal. "It's not like I have a fighter jet in my backyard to drop a bomb with. Then they escorted me out to the parking lot." [...]
As for what he said, it sounds pretty tame to me and the story makes it sound like he did show up on time and stuff. His bigger problem? Thinking he's a) smart, and b) funny. The last sentence is particularly whiny:
[...] "If you have a MySpace site, you better act like you're a politician," he said. "Be politically correct and don't try to be funny."
Cry me a river, ace. I've said it before, I'll say it again--the problem isn't stupid people, it's people who think they're smart. Next time, try to remember, dying is easy. Comedy is hard. Posted by Terry Oglesby at May 31, 2007 09:24 AMI've been reading all these articles and the following comments about myself. 95% or so of the comments seem to be written by enlightened citizens with a sense of humor and vision (in my favor...lol) It was a blessing in disguise, I have a great job now with really cool bosses and co-workers. The plant manager and my direct supervisor invited me out for 18 holes of golf after work today. I've been there less than 2 weeks and already have been promoted and started training for the new position. 3 day weekends, plenty of overtime available...but the change from a hostile work environment to a pleasant one is the best part of all. To anyone who works for Walmart and feels like they are surrounded by morons and are just unhappy with their job...do yourself a favor and quit and get yourself a better job. Don't get complacent like I did and stay there way longer than necessary. There are WAY better jobs available, and if the only job you can get is at Walmart, I feel kinda sorry for you.
I told my (ex)boss that I didn’t agree that it was a threat like it said on my termination papers, he said that signing it didn’t mean that I agreed with the reasoning, only that I knew why I was being terminated and that I had to sign it in order to receive my last paycheck. I've appealed the determination and the RE-determination from the unemployment insurance agency, my next step is to appeal my redetermination to the Administrative Law Judge. I’m hoping one of the lawyers that have seen this will take the case and get me the unemployment $$$ Walmart owes me. Thanks for all the support everyone has given me, and thanks to all the media people who have helped spread the story and cast shame onto Walmart.
Thank you for setting the record straight, and illustrating my point far more eloquently than I ever could have. And, although he long ago went on to his eternal reward, I know that somewhere one Samuel Clemens reads your words and smiles, as yet another person proves the truth of one of his more famous aphorisms.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at June 4, 2007 09:25 AM