An employee of Joe’s dealer said he was fired for asking the grocery store chain’s CEO to improve coronavirus precautions.
Ben Bonnema, who worked at one of the stores in New York City, tweeted a copy of a letter to Dan Bane, addressed to the CEO, on Friday. the company’s values. i think a safer workplace is not an industry value? ‘
In the letter, Bonnema asked Bane to require masks for all customers, improve air filtration in the store, limit capacity based on carbon dioxide levels and a ‘three strike’ policy for non-compliant customers.
dealer Joe just fired me for sending this letter to the CEO saying I did not share the company’s values. i think a safer workplace is not an industry value. pic.twitter.com/3TKi5B8HSJ
– Ben Bonnema (@BenBonnema) 26 February 2021
For customers who medically cannot wear a mask, Bonnema recommended that Trader Joe’s employees shop for those customers. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that accommodation be made for certain customers.
In his letter, Bonnema quoted a recent article from The Journal of Hospital Infection as calling “adequate and effective ventilation” to prevent the transmission of the virus indoors.
Bonnema also drafted its termination notice, which cited its recommendation for a three-strike policy, which the company called ‘not in line with our core values’. “
here is the letter they gave me pic.twitter.com/BeYmopbmJ3
– Ben Bonnema (@BenBonnema) 26 February 2021
Kenya Friend-Daniel, a spokesman for Trader Joe’s, told The Washington Post that Bonnema had been fired for “the contempt he shows towards our clients”.
Bonnema tweeted a performance appraisal from August praising him for ‘dedication and care’ in customer service.
which is wild, i got perfect marks on my last review lol pic.twitter.com/EJL0VO5G5e
– Ben Bonnema (@BenBonnema) 27 February 2021
The Hill released Trader Joe’s for comment.
Benjamin Dictor, a lawyer detained by Bonnema, said his client’s dismissal was illegal retaliation.
“Mr Bonnema has a federally protected right to work for the safety of his colleagues in the workplace,” he told the Post. thereafter to obtain an order from the National Labor Relations Council which will order its immediate reinstatement. ”