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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWoman fired for being homeless
Written by Emily Le Coz
A Tupelo woman hired earlier this month by a KFC was fired Monday after the franchise owner discovered shes homeless.
Eunice Jasica has been staying at the Salvation Army lodge since early December after losing her job, her car and her home.
The nonprofit organization requires its residents to seek employment daily and, upon finding it, to pay for lodging and start saving for a place of their own. Jasica said she had been job hunting for months and was relieved to find work on March 11 at the KFC on North Gloster Street.
A document signed by that locations general manager on March 12 confirms Jasica had been hired to perform prep work and would receive a paycheck every two weeks.
But when Jasica reported for duty Monday, franchise owner Chesley Ruff withdrew the job offer upon learning she lived at the Salvation Army.
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On Thursday, though, Ruff said hed only used the homeless excuse to protect Jasica from the real reason he declined her services: She has no prior food-prep experience and seemed too elderly to lift the 40-pound boxes involved in kitchen work.
Jasica is 59 years old and had worked 27 years as a bus driver and also did security for Bloomingdales. She attends classes at Itawamba Community College when shes not job hunting.
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Mississippi is an at-will employment state. That means the employer or employee can terminate the relationship at any time for any reason as long as it doesnt violate anti-discrimination statutes based on factors like race, age, color, religion, sex, national origin or disability.
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Ruff said he never terminated Jasica, though, because she hadnt yet been hired. The document signed by the stores general manager says otherwise. The general manager would not comment.
Although he refused to employ Jasica, Ruff has hired homeless people in the past. Among them was Scott Kohlman, a felon who came to Tupelo after his release from prison.
full: http://www.clarionledger.com/article/20130322/NEWS01/303220029/Woman-fired-being-homeless
found via http://www.blackenterprise.com/small-business/woman-kfc-fired-homeless/
LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)Oh wait, you're fired!
Boycott this prick's KFC, and please someone offer her a better job.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)I have for nearly a decade. Their suppliers have terrible records when it comes to their treatment of animals.
tblue
(16,350 posts)But I will make sure everyone I know knows.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)She's homeless because she doesn't have a job, but she can't get a job because she's homeless.
Tell me more about that so-called "American Dream"
Javaman
(62,504 posts)damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I truly despise this little puke at that KFC.
I only wish on him that one day he feels the crushing pain of poverty and knows the emptiness of being homeless if only for a moment in his life.
damn him.
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)BainsBane
(53,016 posts)NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)Oh wait...I guess we're not.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)"She has no prior food-prep experience and seemed too elderly to lift the 40-pound boxes involved in kitchen work."
Here's hoping Ms. Jasica finds a good lawyer to take her case.
Demo_Chris
(6,234 posts)Sherman A1
(38,958 posts)That is exactly what he did. I too hope that a good lawyer will come forward and take the case.
Le Taz Hot
(22,271 posts)My guess is on the application somewhere, it asks something like, "From time to time, this position requires you to lift up to 50 lbs. Will you be able to achieve this task?" If she answered, "yes" and she's given no indication that she CAN'T lift 40 lbs., the manager is in jeopardy of a discrimination suit.
Just as an aside, I'm signed up to continue to do work for the census (field interviews for surveys) and the federal government has deemed that you can't work for them if you owe the government any money. It doesn't even matter that you're on some kind of repayment plan and that you're current, if you show a balance with the feds, no job.
2ndAmForComputers
(3,527 posts)BainsBane
(53,016 posts)What difference could it make as long as she turns up presentable and does her work?
Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)And why the heck is he naming the "felon" he hired. What a swell guy.
Hope she sues the heck out of him.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)"Ruff has hired Salvation Army lodge residents before on multiple occasions, and said he has even used money out of his own pocket to equip them with non-slip shoes and other items."
Yeah, he's playing the I love the homeless card. It wouldn't surprise me if he changes his tune in a couple of days and say this was all a misunderstanding and that he hopes she will still accept the job offer. This has to be really bad (and well-deserved) publicity.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)I hope this gets as much coverage as possible.
ReRe
(10,597 posts).... for Medicare and Social Security benefits, not increased as is being discussed by the DINOs and their Republican comrades in the Senate. I hope the community boycotts that KFC right out of town and the lady gets some pro bono help from a lawyer. This is definitely an EEOC case.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)Lower the retirement age - more people retire, more jobs open up.
If this gets to the EEOC, I think there will be a quick settlement. Not only does this Ruff guy keep sticking his foot in his mouth, the publicity is going to make him the proverbial turd in a punch bowl.
Don't be surprised if KFC "suggests" that he sell his franchise.