We are writing this letter to share our recent harassment and unprofessionalism with a cashier employee at the Vons 45 E. Horizon Ridge store in Henderson, NV. For several years now, we have been working under several different grocery shopping apps, including one where we are able to obtain our own clients and set our own rates. We have shopped thousands of orders at Vons and Albertsons with no previous issue.
Over the past few months, we have noticed an employee who has been making a blatant and conscious effort to run to our self checkout to stand right next to it to watch us while invading our personal space. Too close for COVID. Mind you, at the time there are many other customers checking out and in need of help, but she is intent at staring at our cart and screen. As items are rung up with the hand scanner, she watches back and forth for each item in the cart, then on the screen. She even stands there long enough to make sure we pay for the items. This happens every single time without fail. She would even do it while we were shopping for ourselves. On the first few times, we would laugh and joke about it and wonder if maybe they were told to make sure that grocery shoppers were not making mistakes. As time went on and we did not once see her do this once to any other shoppers or customers and it started to feel like we were singled out. She also did not engage in any type of greeting or conversation with us, which we do not need her to do to do our job, but it shows the different treatment we have received from day one. There were a few times we tried to say "Thank you," to her, but it didn't help and she would never respond, so we gave up.
The time previous to the incident on 3/10/22, it was very, very uncomfortable because of her urgency and how close she had gotten and ignoring other customers. Since the self-checkout registers have been moved it's become even more obvious as we'd gravitate to the first or last registers. She will do a run/walk to get there.
This were getting progressively worse and more blatant. Most recently, the dates we worked were 3/5, 3/7, 3/8, 3/9, and 3/10 we worked this store this week after 5:00 p.m. Still, we brushed it off without saying anything to anyone not even her. 3/5/22, was an especially bad time.
On 3/10/22, at 4:50 p.m. we received an order from Vons for four items. There was another person working in the self checkout. We saw this employee run from her checkout stand, number six, to tell the employee that she needs to "watch us" and pointed to us. The other employee says, "Who?" and she points to us again. This now shows that she is specifically targeting us. We then deliver our order and came back to the store to speak to the supervisor. As we walked through the door headed to the customer service desk she then made a comment to the self checkout employee right in front of us that we were back again trying to "warn" her that we were there to watch us and that "Wow, they look familiar," while laughing.
We spoke to the supervisor hoping this would be the end of it. We received another order at 6:15 p.m. and as soon as we walk to the checkout she comes right up to us trying to talk to us saying she had been talked to by the Store Director, Joe and that she "didn't realize she was doing that." She told us we didn't need to talk to him. I had no intention of speaking to her unless I needed some help with the checkout and I did not expect her to speak to me either. She tried to manipulate and intimidate us by telling us that she had already been talked to implying there is nothing that is going to be done.
She's trying to force us into the checkout when I told her I'm waiting for a few seconds for the customer to respond. She keeps talking and talking so I ask her, "Why, why are you doing this to us? What's the problem? What are we doing that makes you think that you need to do that to us? Do you think we're stealing? Do you realize we get paid for each item we ring up as well as a percentage? We miss something and we lose money." She says that she didn't know she was doing it. I'm wondering what we are doing that makes her think we are doing something wrong. I ask her to tell me so I know and depending on what it is I could make changes. She could not answer. "Well, unless you can give me another reason, any reason, the only conclusion I can come to is that you are racially profiling my husband and you are a racist."
Even though it's the same company, walking into the Albertson's just down the street is a more culturally competent store. Was diversity and inclusivity training not provided at this store? Shopping while black is a civil rights issue and are terms all your employees should be familiar with. Do better, Vons. read more