On Saturday, we went to a local grocery store. While we were there, we came across an employee stocking shelves with noise cancelling headphones on. We proceeded to walk around her.
While we were walking past a seaweed display, DS6 said, "Seaweed? Who eats that?" And I told him a lot of people do. He asked if it was healthy and I said it's healthier than some things.
It was then that the employee interjected herself "You'd better not be talking about my seaweed display, I just finished it!"
DS6 got shy and walked from beside the cart to right beside me and DH and I kind of chuckled it off and we kept walking. She then said:
"I'll shove some seaweed down your throat, boy."
A male employee immediately said, "Woah, hey!" And we walked to the next aisle and stopped. I think I was in shock.
I looked down at the cart and told DH we weren't buying a damned thing there and to take the kids out to the car. I walked to the register and told them what had happened. Though when I walked up, the one cashier said, what did she do now?, clearly talking about that employee.
I left my name and told them I expected a call from management as I was tempted to file a police report. She just randomly threatened a 6 year old.
When we got I the car - DS6 asked me, "Can we never go in there again?"
Saturday evening, I also emailed corporate.
I received an email from the owner today telling me that the employee was just attempting to joke with my son and hasn't had an issue the entire time she's worked there but she agreed it was inappropriate and offered me a $20 gift card.
What do I do here? That is clearly an insufficient response.
The
first comment, I would have brushed off as quirky or trying to joke, but not the second. I do agree the second was over-the-top.
As a few others said, my initial thought on the headphones was that they might be an accommodation for autism. The headphones would both protect the employee from loud noises and discourage customers from approaching them. - But if part of their accommodation is that they are just hired to stock, not help customers, then
they need to be instructed
not to initiate interaction with customers themselves, and to reply to inquiries with "Let me get someone who can help you."
It could be they are new, and still training, and they'll soon be able to do the job properly, or it could be that the rude comments continue, and they are eventually let go.
Are you looking for the employee to be fired immediately? (I don't think that will happen.) For them to personally apologize to your kid? (Also rather unlikely.) For mote details on the employee? (Not only unlikely, but probably illegal.)
You've complained (rightly so - they need to be able to document the issue) and they've answered. I would pick up the gift card (without any children along) and shop elsewhere for a couple of weeks. Then I'd go back by myself, use the gift card, and notice whether the employee was even still there.
Your kid may very well forget all about it. (A very wise older relative once told me "Never make a bigger deal out of an injury than they do.") But if they
do seem to be ruminating on it, remind them that sometimes people have a bad day and say something rude, but that
most of the time, employees at the store are nice. Then make a game of counting positive interactions on future outings until they feel better.