Can my husband actually get in trouble for this????

[cillybean83]

My hubby was at work the other day, he works in retail as a supervisor and he had some guy come into the store wanting to return a computer that was obviously damaged. The guy had a gun on him, it was totally visible right in the back of his pants. Obviously my husband couldn't give this guy the refund because the computer was broken, but he was totally freaked out by the fact that the guy was carrying a weapon so he called the manager on duty to come handle the situation and went back to his department.

So a few minutes later his direct boss calls him into the office and starts yelling at him about how what he did was wrong, it is totally legal to carry a weapon in our state, and that the manager on duty was a girl and while is his life more important than hers.

My husband had no idea that the manager on duty was a girl, there are 3-4 managers in the store most times, and he would have gotten in trouble anyway if he would have specifically asked for a male manager because that would have been discrimination. My hubby explained to his boss that where we are from (we moved to tennessee last year from chicago) it is illegal to carry weapons on you unless your a cop, my husband has a fear of guns because his friend was shot to death my her uncle and I myself was mugged at gun point a few years ago, and because my husband has worked in banking most of his life, he has been conditioned to think the worst of someone comes walking in with a gun.

He thinks his boss is going to suspend him for 3 days for discriminating against a customer. I think it's BS because the guy wasn't discriminated against at all, my husband said "i'm not authorized to handle this issue, i'll get the manager" and that was it. I thought companies had an obligation to keep their employees safe and to accomodate their needs if they were uncomfortable. If a 16 year old girl was working the counter and a known pedophile came up to her for help, would she be discriminating against a customer too if she asked someone else to take care of the customer?? I'm just really heated right now!

 

[shaunanicole]

Your OH's boss sounds like an idiot! I don't see how this is discrimination in any way, shape, or form. I hope the situation sizzles down soon and everything gets better.

 

[Tricks26]

Oh my god, im soooo glad I live in england!!! no offence lol, but taking your whole story in to account I would say that it was perfectly right for your other half to do what he did, if he wasnt authorised to give refunds then it wouldnt have mattered if the customer had a gun or not he still would have had to call a manager, can he not go above the bosses head in this case place and pled his case, why should any one have their life put in jepordy, your other half is just as important as any member of staff!!!

 

[bekkie]

oh my gosh... I couldn't live somewhere where anyone could walk around with a gun - suspending him because he was in an uncomfortable situation can't be okay - hope everything calms down!

 

[QTPie]

Oh boy... living in the US seems tough sometimes (guns and so anti-discrimation... yes discrimnation is wrong, but it doesn't sound to me that your husband was discriminating in this case, he was just unsure of how to proceed).

Personally I think that your husband was correct - I would have done the same: IF he is uncertain of a situation, then he needs to "escalate it up the chain of command" (i.e. to the duty manager). The duty manager should not be protected "just because she is a woman" (THAT is discrimination!): if the duty manager is not up to taking this type of situation, then she shouldn't be a duty manager

Has your husband asked WHAT he should have done in this situation? In this country (can't believe that the US is much different) there is always a policy to usually co-operate if threatened with violence: if you think that your life is in danger, then you shouldn't do anything to risk it. If your husband felt threatened, then he had three alternatives: give the guy the refund (the shop might not have been happy with that), raise the theft/security alarm (sounds liek the shop and the customer would have been pretty peeved at that) OR escalate it to a Manager to make the appropriate decision (seems like the sensible choice and it what your husband did!)

IF the shop has some other policy (for handling this sort of incident), then what is it? Did your husband know about it and not implement it?

Hard to know about employment rights in the US. IF he is disciplined (whether by suspension OR something on his record), then - if I was him - I would pursue it with both the company's HR (to check that he really was "in the wrong" and to confirm what he SHOULD have done - if they can't give him a firm answer, then he can't be in the wrong ) and secondly any independent employment advice tou have available (union, some for of citizens' advice, any independent employment arbitration etc).

Sounds very unpleasant - hope that your husband is ok (must have been very shaken up ).

QT

 

[Kittee]

Your husbands supervisor is WAAAY off.

As you said he had no way of knowing that his supervisor was a woman that day and plus if they don't think she can handle the job, why is she there?

And the biggest reason of all, I don't gave a damn what state I'm in, someone comes at me with a gun in their pants and they aren't a cop?? I'm going to freak out too.

Your husband should take this to his HR department.

 

[ChubbyBunny]

I have to say I agree with the manager (sorry!). If carrying a concealed weapon is legal in the state and the guy with the return wasn't being threatening with it, there is really no reason to panic. I guess I understand to an extent that people are afraid of guns but cars kill more people than firearms do per year.

 

[Zeri]

Wow, that was a scary situation. I would've reacted the same way. Who knows how the customer would've taken it if his refund had been declined? Your husband didn't know the customer's background. Supposed the customer intended the gun to be some kind of veiled threat? I just think situations can be very volatile when guns and other weapons are so easily accessible. I wouldn't have wanted to be in that situation at all.

 

[MissRhead]

Im sorry but i would of done the same thing as your hubby did! Infact i wouldnt have thought twice about it. I wouldnt care if it was in his pocket or pointing in my face. My life is worth alot more than a job. But tbh i would have walked out of the shop and ran home lmao! Hope hes ok xx

 

[Bam]

Oh the joys of TN! While I'm all for the right to bear arms and the right to carry concealed, I can understand your hubby's anxiety, given your personal history. And sure, like someone said, a lot of people are afraid of cars but if you're in a serious car wreck, you're a little more apprehensive than most (like me).

One thing everyone seems to be overlooking though: The manager is quite obviously practicing gender discrimination, himself, just by claiming that a male's life is less important than a female's life and given a violent situation with an armed assailant, the male should be the one to be involved.

I don't think they can legally punish your husband for this but if they do, pay VERY close attention exactly WHAT the reasoning is behind it. Then file counter complaints with HR and the labor board for gender discrimination and make note of what the supervisor said to your husband. It could turn into a big nasty mess but if you just let it go then the supervisor will continue being a discriminatory asshole to others.

 

[QTPie]

One thing everyone seems to be overlooking though: The manager is quite obviously practicing gender discrimination, himself, just by claiming that a male's life is less important than a female's life and given a violent situation with an armed assailant, the male should be the one to be involved.

Nope

Personally I think that your husband was correct - I would have done the same: IF he is uncertain of a situation, then he needs to "escalate it up the chain of command" (i.e. to the duty manager). The duty manager should not be protected "just because she is a woman" (THAT is discrimination!): if the duty manager is not up to taking this type of situation, then she shouldn't be a duty manager

 

[cillybean83]

i can see all sides of the gun issue, and i told my husband that while i support him and i understand his fear, I don't really share it. I have my concealed carry license, I go to shooting ranges, and I own a gun. I believe 100% in my right to bear arms and I exercise that right. What I would *never* do is wear my weapon where it could be visibly seen while trying to return an obviously damaged product. Whether or not the guy planned on using the gun only he knows that for sure, but I feel that it is very, very obvious that the gun was in that noticable place for intimidation purposes, which is not cool at all, regardless of the legality of having the gun with you or not.

I can understand the girls concern of "why is your life more important than mine" but that is obviously not what my husband was trying to do, he didn't really know what to do, he didn't even know that it was legal for the guy to have the gun, so he got his superior involved, who just so happened to be a woman, and if the other manager doesn't like the fact that it was a woman who was involved, they should consider not hiring women in the future.

I'm just aggravated by the fact that his job apparently doesn't care if their staff is safe or not.

 

[Cattia]

OMG I can't imagine what would happen in this country if someone came into a shop with a gun! How scary! No offence to anyone who holds different views but I think I am glad of the anti-gun laws we have in the UK!

 

[Lullaby2010]

If I was him I'd have done the same. He can't be disciplined for it as Managers are trained to deal with situations involving firearms etc anyway, regardless of whether they are male or female. On top of this, his reasons for referring the customer onto a Manager are fully justified considering his past encounters with guns. It is unreasonable of them to react in this way.

Good luck, hope he's okay x

 

[Naya69]

omg i think its dissgusting how you are allowed to carry a gun in the first place

 

[letia659]

my take on this is that it is always the managers responsibility if there is or might be a problem so he shouldnt be in any trouble and it shouldnt matter if its a girl or boy she took that position and she should handle it and go on or she shouldnt be a manager! Ive worked retail before and would have done the same thing most likely if they try to do something to him he needs to seek legal advice as I dont think its legal for them to do that to him.

 

[puppycat]

Sounds like a big fat mess but I'm sure if your OH was worried about the guy then the right thing to do was to consult a manager.

US laws are different from here and differ from state to state also, definitely confusing for anyone. His work should ensure he knows all the laws for futurereference and just what is expected of him when someone has a weapon.

 

[daisyfairy]

OMG i just cant even imagin this being from the UK, thumbs up for your husband tho. eeesh...who the hell goes shopping with a gun??? it would be just too tempting on some of my shopping trips! (only joking) x

 

[Cara x]

My and OH both work in retail. We have both worked on the customer service desk, handling returns, in a pretty dodgy area. OHs now a supervisor on another department, but he was ridiculously good on the customer service desk, so I often come home and ask his advice about tricky situations.
Unfortunately I'm in the UK so things are a bit different here with regards to guns etc. But if it was me, I would have pressed my panic button. But again thats because carrying a gun is a really serious thing over here.
I wouldn't blame your hubby at all for calling for a manager. Aside from the gun thing, its a high value return which is obviously damaged. Also, he should never be punished because the manager is female. It is her job, she shouldn't have any more rights than the male collegues, and if she is her husbands superior it is her job to back up him on any matter, and that includes protecting his safety.
Sorry can't be of more help but if he is seriously penalised for it I would appeal, either through your companys grievance procedures, union, or by your own lawyer.