They don't want to offend the jews and/or muslims and/or atheists. Or even christians, for that matter. We live in a weird society nowdays.

Yes, but if they broke the WalMart rules which could have stated that you have to say "Happy Holidays," then they aren't firing them for freedom of speech, but for breaking the rules.

no thats not fair at all, so many walmart ads are about christmas and yet they fire an employ just for saying merry christmas, thats sad

I do believe, if i were you, that i would be locating me a good civil attorney in your hometown. Someone has to make a mockery out of WalMart and it might as well be you. Are your pockets empty? is your bank account overdrawn? Make the call.

Yes. Freedom of speech is a constitutional right - CONGRESS shall not pass a law infringing it. However, for a private entity - including a corporation - to take action infringing on that right is not illegal. Morally questionable, perhaps, but not illegal. Suppose someone came into your house and started cursing or otherwise causing offense to the inhabitants of your house. Would you be in your rights to ask that person to leave? What about freedom of speech in that instance? Now I don't see where wishing someone Merry Christmas would be offensive, but Wal-Mart is entirely within its rights to make that judgment for itself.

I refuse to go to walmart and that is one more reason why I will not spend a dime there.

We're talking about Wal-mart here, first and foremost. They're notorious for treating their workforce terribly. That's your answer.

I am very Conservative. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior. I believe the reason for the season, is Jesus and reflection. * Having said that... * I could not agree with Austinius more. * The rules are the rules. If you wish to say Merry Christmas (and I hope you do), you need to work somewhere that allows that. He needs to get over it, period.

What year was this? 2005? http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/walmart.asp And how do you know it was for "saying 'Merry Christmas'" and not because their work was not good (bad timing)? Walmart did that for ONE year. By the next year, they'd changed their policy: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/walmart-brings-back-christmas-marketing.html and for a more "news" site, see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15639425/ And, from: http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47358 (posted 11/2005) "Wal-Mart says it will not change its policy of encouraging employees to say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," Donohue noted." NOTE: "Encouraging" is not the same as "ordering". All that said, if this is true, and someone was fired for saying "Merry Christmas", that store must have made it a hard, fast rule. If the employee then broke that rule, time and again, they SHOULD be fired. As much as I believe in Christmas, as much as I think anyone should be able to say whatever they want to say in greeting (if they're not name-calling or cussing them out), when you work for someone, you follow their rules. If you break them, YOU have a problem. If it was just ONE time, without any warning, etc., the ex-employee may have a case. They should talk to a lawyer, but should also make sure there's NO other reason for their firing.

2nd Answer. Here is the way i see this situation. Lets do some comparisons. there is the Federal Government, State Government and Local Government. the Federal Government mandates laws for all the state and local governments. think of this as a pyramid. The local and state government cannot pass a law that violates federal law or comes in direct conflict with it. Although WalMart may be a private entity, it still has to abide by the laws of the land, whether its on the local, state or federal level. in this case, WalMart has violated a federal law and The Constitution of The United States.....freedom of speech. WalMarts problems lie within the Federal Government and not an employee just wishing Merry Christmas to Walmarts customers. Just because WalMart does not agree with or believes it will be liable if its employees to say Merry Christmas to its customers, is not a problem with the public at-large. its a problem with the Federal Government and The Constitution. WalMart is apparently afraid of being sued or liable, if Merry Christmas is said to its customers. This is WalMarts problem. Remember this, people saying Merry Christmas to each other has been around for so long, so long before WalMart was ever though of. WalMart can make this rule and order or ask its employee to abide it, but its illegal and i believe Walmart knows it. I would love to be a juror hearing this case. This case deserves a challenge, even to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Could you source that please? Because such for excellent ammunition for those of us who detest Wally World.

No fan of Wal mart myself. Having said that, freedom of speech only means that the government can not restrict speech. An employer can set standards of behavior for employees, and if the employees do not like it they can quit.

Don't be ridiculous. You've never had freedom of speech. Also, I get the feeling it was probably a store rule. Also, also, I get the feeling this is old news.

The freedom of speech is guaranteed by the government, not from your employer. If your employer has a particular policy in place and you choose to ignore you can be fired. I agree with the sentiment of your question, however, and I think that people place way too much emphasis on politically correctness and that it is ridiculous for a person to lose their job over this but my guess would be that this employee's issues went deeper than an unauthorized seasonal salutation.

Wal-mart is bullshit. Disallowing anybody to say Merry Christmas is terrible, I'm guessing he had to say Happy Holidays so that we can be sensitive to all of the immigrants who come to America who expect US to conform to them. . Merry fucking Christmas.

is that all you know about this employee, is this coming from walmart or the employee? he/she is probably not telling you everything involved, I wouldnt get worked up over one side of the story.

we have the freedom to pursue happiness. if i worked for walmart and wanted to wear shorts and a halter i would be told no. they have a dress code to follow and i would be expected to honor that dress code. this was a rule, short, simple, and sweet. the person does not like the rules they could have pursued happiness elsewhere and quit their job. +

While you're under "Wally's" employment, you need to honor THEIR feelings about THEIR customers! But when you're OUTSIDE their employment. . . . .a.k.a. your "off" time. . . . . .extend your holiday "wishes" whatever way you please! Your employer has the right to expect of you what THEY want; so long as it is LEGAL!

Freedom of speech what? I think it's hilarious that people are so overly sensitive! hahahahaaarrrhaha...freedom of speech!!! But know one listens.