by Tondoteottotote on December 5th, 2005

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Why does Wal-Mart fire employees for really small things, like stealing a single sandwich?

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by gondola on December 6th, 2005
Because theft of a sandwich is still theft. If someone can't be trusted with a $2 item, how can they be trusted with anything else? By only getting fired for stealing a sandwich, that individual is lucky. Many places will prosecute for such acts.
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- My original ? added on "...while other companies would generally be more forgiving?" (Poor WM workers need to feed families)
  
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  by Tondoteottotote on March 10th, 2006
- Uh-oh. Schultz, You know good and well he can't read your mind, lol. He didn't see that question, he answered this one.
  
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  by Jodie44 on December 9th, 2005
- yes let's up this rating
  
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  by LynfromNM on January 27th, 2006
- Great answer! How true this is! If they're willing to steal a sandwich, who knows what they might steal next? Maybe THE SIGN?
  
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  by Answers101 on March 4th, 2006
- Egao, you don't feed a family by stealing a sandwich from your employer. You feed them by doing a good job and getting promoted.
  
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  by Glenn Blaylock on November 9th, 2007
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by Jeff Saxton on December 9th, 2005
Larger companies generally have more uniform policies regarding employee misbehavior because they have more liability (and more lawyers.)

Firing someone for any and all thefts solves a problem for them, namely: Deciding what is a fireable offense, and what should be the corresponding punishment? And what happens if employee A is treated differently than employee B? It prevents one punished employee from making a legal claim that he was treated differently than another. In workplace law, equal treatment is a very prominent principle. Most suits are filed on the basis of some theory of unequal treatment among employees, including wrongful discharge suits.

If the rules and penalties are clearly communicated when a person is hired, it's difficult to argue with the result if the employee breaks the rules!
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- Shades of 'Les Mis�rables.'
  
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  by Grandma Roses - my avatar is my real dog on January 25th, 2006
- Anyone caught stealing ANYTHING should be fired. GO WAL-MART! WHOO WHOO!
  
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  by Answers101 on March 4th, 2006
- Great points, Jeff.
  
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  by Penny The Wise on November 10th, 2007
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by Spunts.answered 67 questions in 1 hour. on November 9th, 2007
it is a crime to steal a penny or a million pennies.
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by Sheriff Raff -Answerhag on November 9th, 2007
They believe in the scripture "he that is faithful in least is also faithful in what is much". A sandwich today, tomorrow a stereo system.
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by Galeanda on September 5th, 2007
Theft isn't a small thing. It is one of the leading problems for businesses whether it is from customers or employees. It's a matter of trust. How can you trust someone that steals from you. They are supposed to be on your side, work hard for you, part of your team. A teammate doesn't steal from you, no matter how small an item.
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by Anonymous on April 2nd, 2007
Because

a) stealing is against the law. If I were a store-owner I wouldn't want someone around who steals my stock - and someone who steals one thing is 'more likely' to steal another. Why, if I was such a large company with multi-millions, would I care about a sandwich? Because if every employee did it I would be bankrupt.

b) If you were an employee, I assume you would stop a customer shop-lifting. What makes this any different?

c) there are plenty of other people who are available and more honest or hard-working that could take that job.
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by Cynstriss on September 5th, 2007
Having worked at Wal-Mart, I can tell you not all employees are treated the same. We had an assistant manager that sexually harassed several employees at our store and it took them three years to get rid of him. They really didn't get rid of him, they just transferred him. Other employees were terminated for things that others said they did, even though many of us were there and knew it wasn't true. Our store manager also got busted for selling drugs from the back of the store and he was transferred too. And one other assistant manager used to have sex with one of the female employees in the cash office. It was caught on tape, and they did nothing.
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- I don't know who gave you negative points for your question, but it is a valid question. I gave you all that I could give, but it is not enough to bring you up to positive.
  
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  by Cynstriss on September 5th, 2007
- Perhaps their higher-ups were relatives and/or longtime friends? These kinds of connections will mitigate those circumstances.
  
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  by Tondoteottotote on September 5th, 2007
- You may be right, it's hard to say.
  
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  by Cynstriss on September 6th, 2007
- They transferred the sex pervert? Are you sure that Wal-Mart and the Catholic Church aren't run by the same folks?
  
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  by Sheriff Raff -Answerhag on November 9th, 2007
- LOL! Wouldn't surprise me if they are connected!
  
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  by Cynstriss on November 10th, 2007
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by sir_scutter on April 2nd, 2007
Because it's stealing and they don't want a thief? Just a guess.
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by Jeffers on November 10th, 2007
A small thing is being late returning from lunch, stealing ANYTHING is grounds for immediate termination in retail. You don't have a "right" to anything for free simply because you want it - even a single sandwich.

Feel lucky that is their approach... some retailers have a policy where they let you steal, and document it with cameras, until you've stolen enough to be prosecuted as a felony... then they fire you and arrest you and you end up in jail... and court.
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by Penny The Wise on November 10th, 2007
Theft is theft. It's dishonest, and who's to say that once the associate gets away with taking the sandwich they don't start taking other things too? Also, who's to say that it was their first time. Sure, it's a $4 sandwich, but it's the dishonesty involved. I wouldn't want someone stealing from my business, no matter how small it is. It all adds up.
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by Patti jo on November 9th, 2007
Well stealing is stealing and if someone steals a sandwich they'll steal other things
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by Melissa 'Mel' Bucholz on November 9th, 2007
Theft is theft
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by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on September 5th, 2007
I agree that stealing is wrong and where ever I worked it was cause for dismissal with no recourse. That said, I have often read that Wal-Mart treats its employees abominably.
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- Abominably, eh? Maybe during my interviews there, they saw enough into me to ascertain that I was a timid guy-- too timid for the rigors of, well, being treated that way.
  
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  by Tondoteottotote on September 5th, 2007
- well I've read newspaper reports where wal-marts were sued by employees becsuse they locked them in the store and managers wouldn't let them leave until they had cleaned the store--with no overtime paid. And a few other incidents..I wouldn't call that a first class employer...
  
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  by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on September 5th, 2007
- You know, there have been a number of attempts to unionize Wal-mart stores. So far, all attempts to do so have failed because the employees have voted to NOT unionize. If Wal-Mart is such an abusive employer, then why would the employees be so reluctant to avail themselves of the protection that a union would provide?
  
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  by Glenn Blaylock on November 9th, 2007
- there are many ways a company can do that...and many companies do it every day. They basically intimidate their employees and/or outright lie to them about what their legal rights are. Many employees are desperate to keep their jobs no matter what..and managements can get pretty ugly with non unionized people.
  
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  by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on November 9th, 2007
- And the unions do a pretty good job of informing their member/potential members of informing them what their legal rights are and what they will do for them. Sorry, but that argument does not hold water.
  
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  by Glenn Blaylock on November 10th, 2007
- Unions are a powerful tool to keep companies in check. But a company like Walmart can easily terrorize it's staff. Many of them are not hireable in other places. A restauranteer in Vancouver Umberto Menghi recently simply closed his restaurant--unemploying his whole staff because they were trying to unionize. There is a reason for unions!!But companies will fight to keep them out..intimidating a worker who has to work at a place like Walmart would not be that difficult to accomplish. There are a million tricks a company can play on them..promising them better working conditions/higher pay..until they vote not to accept a union and then the offers disappear. I have seen this happen many times.
  
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  by DA BEN DAN yanggui zi on November 10th, 2007
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by brewscrew on September 5th, 2007
A thief is a thief is a thief is a thief is a thief............
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by Cyndi Ninja on November 10th, 2007
Stealing is stealing as many people have already stated.
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by Snowman on November 9th, 2007
It's their company so they get to make the rules. If you don't like it then work somewhere else I guess.
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by Soccerkeeper101 on April 2nd, 2007
to keep a reputation
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by -O-uknow on November 10th, 2007
Crimes of oppurtunity are indicative of "base character" and should be viewed as a red flag to anyone wishing to further employ or advance a person guilty of, to more sensitive positions.
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by iwnit on November 10th, 2007
God fired Adam and Eve and all their offspring for stealing a single apple...
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by KaToNaStIck on January 12th, 2008
Last I checked, theft was theft. A lie is a lie. Good policy in my opinion! Next time, bring a PBandJ!
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by Halskiisaklink on November 11th, 2007
Profits are everything to these greedy corporate bastards. Fight the power!
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by kickinkc on January 11th, 2010
Theft is theft. I work at Walmart and have seen several associates fired/arrested for theft. When our Ap guys catch a Shoplifter they take them out the back door. When an associate is caught stealing, they are lead out through the store in Handcuffs for everyone to see. Dont Do the Crime if you Cant do the Time :)
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by slothmister on November 10th, 2007
Stealing is stealing is stealing! Does not matter if its a sandwich or a million dollars the punishment should be the same!
If someone stole from me I would fire them no problems at all.
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- "No problems at all?" Eh, maybe they'd sue you or even go postal on you in retaliation. (Just got back from a night on the town not too long ago, in case my comment doesn't fit my character.)
  
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  by Tondoteottotote on November 10th, 2007
- Let them sue! They stole, not only is that a form of fraud (and as such grounds for immediate dismissal) it is also against the law! If they even tried to sue for wrongful dismissal ect then I would INSIST on them being arrested and charged with theft!
  
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  by slothmister on November 10th, 2007
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Why does Wal-Mart fire employees for really small things, like stealing a single sandwich?

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