Trader employee Joe says he was fired for asking for better COVID-19 protection

A former Trader Joe employee said he was fired for advocating for increased company security measures against COVID-19, in particular for asking that employees be given the ability to remove customers without hides stores.

New York resident Ben Bonnema tweeted on Friday that he had just been fired from his job as a crew member at Trader Joe’s 545 store on New York’s Upper West Side due to a letter that ‘he sent to the CEO of the company asking for additional safety measures in the workplace against the coronavirus. . He posted an image of the email in his tweet, which has gone viral and has been retweeted almost 40,000 times so far.

In the letter to company CEO Dan Bane sent earlier this month, Bonnema cited new studies on the dangers of aerosol transmission of the coronavirus and called for Trader Joe’s to adopt more practices to improve the filtration and air circulation, and also monitors CO2 levels in its stores.

Bonnema also called for new company policies to be enacted to allow employees to prevent anyone without a mask from being allowed into Trader Joe’s and to give employees the right to remove clients without a mask or those wearing masks incorrectly.

“I was recently yelled at and insulted by a customer who did not want to wear his mask over his nose, despite [Trader Joe’s employees] already asking him to do it. He was allowed to finish shopping and go. “

“The ADA demands that we provide them with reasonable accommodation, which we do by offering them to do their shopping. If they refuse, we should not let them in,” he wrote. He suggested adopting a “3 strike policy” to “remove uncooperative people from our stores”.

“These changes can only come with your approval,” he said. “We put our lives on the line every day by showing up at work. Please introduce yourself by adopting these policies.”

Trader Joe’s spokesperson Kenya Friend-Daniel refuted Bonnema’s claims that he was fired for his letter in a statement to BuzzFeed News, saying the company “[had] never and would never terminate the employment of a crew member for raising safety concerns.

“Nothing is more important at Trader Joe’s than the safety of our crew and customers,” she said. “During his short time at Trader Joe’s, this crew member’s suggestions were listened to and handled appropriately. The store management terminated the employment of this crew member due to the disrespect he showed towards our customers.

However, according to what appears to be a official notice of the dismissal that Bonnema posted on his Twitter account, it was his proposal to improve safety at work by requiring the wearing of a mask that led to his dismissal.

“In a recent email you suggested adopting a ‘3 warnings policy’ against clients and a policy requiring the same accommodations for every client with a medical condition that prevents them from wearing a mask. do not conform to our core values. Further, you state that Trader Joe’s does not “come forward for us” without adopting your policies. “

“It is clear that you do not understand our values. As a result, we are no longer comfortable making you work for Trader Joe’s.”

However, according to what appears to be an official performance review Bonnema posted on Twitter, in August he got perfect marks in the “customer performance” and “values” categories.

In particular, the review praised its customer service. “We appreciate the dedication and care you give to our customers every day, as you continue to have thoughtful interactions with them on the register and on the sales floor … It is an absolute pleasure to have you with us. . the good job. “

BuzzFeed News asked Trader Joe’s if the documents shared on Twitter are legitimate and for clarification on Bonnema’s tenure and performance.

Bonnema has retained a lawyer to fight his “retaliatory dismissal” and plans to present his case to the National Labor Relations Board, his lawyer Benjamin Dictor told BuzzFeed News in a statement on Sunday.

(Dictor is also a lawyer for the New York NewsGuild, which represents the editorial staff of BuzzFeed News.)

“Mr. Bonnema’s impeccable employment record with the company is just further evidence that the company’s decision to fire him was an illegal attempt to threaten, detain and coerce Mr. Bonnema and his colleagues to engage in a protected concerted activity, ”he said. . “Mr. Bonnema has the right, protected by the federal government, to defend the occupational safety of his colleagues. Firing him for doing this is wrong.

Salvador Hernandez, reporter for BuzzFeed News, contributed to this story.