Well this is a good look for Milwaukee...

[77ncaachamps]

It may have been said before, but I take it the owner isn't a Bucks (or NBA) fan.

[Skatastrophy]

Has this happened?

What would be the grounds for firing?

It's an at will employment state. The employee's actions alienated customers, though, and I'd imagine that customer service is a part of their core responsibilities.

[warriorchick]

It's an at will employment state. The employee's actions alienated customers, though, and I'd imagine that customer service is a part of their core responsibilities.

Yeah, Chicos, it's not California, where you basically can't fire anyone for any reason.

[mu_hilltopper]

Chicos asks the proper question, though. 

The employees did a few actions out of the usual practice of being sales people:

1. They were instructed by police to call the police if the red Tahoe showed up.  One would surmise the owner was on-board with this directive.  Tahoe shows up, they followed this directive.

2. The employees retreated and locked themselves in the back room fearing robbery.  This is also likely what the owner would want them to do, if they feared a robbery.   Let the place be robbed, but keep yourself safe.

3. Of interest, after this experience, an employee was in a state of mind to request that the police stay a bit longer while Henson shopped.   This is as close to anything that the owner could be unhappy with, as it opened the episode up to potentially being a race based issue.

So .. do you fire an employee who asks the police to stay?  Never going to happen unless someone needs to be sacrificed.

[Pakuni]

So .. do you fire an employee who asks the police to stay?  Never going to happen unless someone needs to be sacrificed.

Or maybe you fire an employee who sullies your business' name and reputation on a national level, and drives off at least one customer - and perhaps several customers - willing to spend thousands at your establishment.
At the very best, this was an atrocious example of customer service.

I don't care one way or the other what happens to this employee (or the business for that matter), but you really are minimizing the negative perception this has caused for this business.

[ChicosBailBonds]

It's an at will employment state. The employee's actions alienated customers, though, and I'd imagine that customer service is a part of their core responsibilities.

Were they fired? I don't know, I'm asking.

Sounds to me like the acted in the directions they were asked to do.  If they were fired, I would suspect an interesting lawsuit would be filed.

[brandx]

Eleven posts in the thread and our poster is still unable to say Henson did nothing wrong. But, post after post defending the business.


Character revealed.

[mu_hilltopper]

I don't care one way or the other what happens to this employee (or the business for that matter), but you really are minimizing the negative perception this has caused for this business.

That this has caused a tremendously disruptive negative view of the business is an understatement.

The owner himself would have done items #1 and #2, zero doubt.   Maybe 3 too, we'll never know.  It's tough to fire employees for taking actions that you would likely take, trying to protect your store.   Not unless you want to sacrifice someone for the sake of appeasing the masses .. (Which could be your point.)

[mu03eng]

FYI, heard some audio of the 911 calls this morning on the news.....I think we can remove the nervous grandma from the barrel of excuses.  If the woman on the call was older than 45 I'd be shocked.

[mu_hilltopper]

I'd tend to agree.

The 911 call should put to rest any notion that they were being racially profiled out on the street. 

[rocket surgeon]

I'd tend to agree.

The 911 call should put to rest any notion that they were being racially profiled out on the street.

i would agree, the caller seemed hesitant to even mention race. when she finally did, it came out like she was uncomfortable revealing it.  i can just imagine how a racist would have sounded here

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yeah, Chicos, it's not California, where you basically can't fire anyone for any reason.

Private sector here you can....public sector, LOL...that's a different story.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'd tend to agree.

The 911 call should put to rest any notion that they were being racially profiled out on the street.

Unfortunately it won't....there's an agenda at play with this stuff.   Sad.  Toxic.   But hey, it works...say the R word and people just run to it to support the cause, even if it isn't there.

[mu_hilltopper]

Unfortunately it won't....there's an agenda at play with this stuff.   Sad.  Toxic.   But hey, it works...say the R word and people just run to it to support the cause, even if it isn't there.

Totally correct.  .. They did an segment on the 911 tapes on talk radio 620 today, but neglected to play the first 14 seconds which exonerated the employee (nearly her first words were "the police told us if the car came back, we're supposed to call again") .. instead the host played other clips that were out of context and tried to show she was profiling.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

This is what I mean by toxic, bring race into everything.

So glad these two sportscasters destroyed this line of thinking for once.


http://newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/bruce-bookter/2015/10/23/espn-race-huckster-gets-slammed-perfectly-local-dc-sports

[GGGG]

I'd tend to agree.

The 911 call should put to rest any notion that they were being racially profiled out on the street. 

Hold on.  Here is a news report on the incident.

http://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/911-calls-released-from-schwanke-kasten-jewelers-alleged-profiling-incident-with-john-henson

If the manager stated that four black men exited the vehicle and "that is not our normal clientele," how is that not racial profiling???   And it still doesn't answer the question about why they asked the officer to stick around while Henson shopped.

You have your head in the sand.

[keefe]

i would agree, the caller seemed hesitant to even mention race. when she finally did, it came out like she was uncomfortable revealing it.  i can just imagine how a racist would have sounded here

Just an observation but whenever white people in the US describe a black person they always lower their volume when they say "black."

This is often accompanied by a furtive look over the shoulder...I presume to ascertain whether there are any black people around.

I have seen this from Americans from every part of this country in every part of this country.

One may draw whatever conclusion one wishes about this behavior but it is a fact. I have my thoughts and I think it reflects the inherent fear, concern, distrust, and dislike of blacks among many whites. Are most people overt racists? No. Social norms prevent that. But the discomfort with blacks is certainly there.

Lester Maddox and an unreconstructed George Wallace or Strom Thurmond will not lower their volume nor will they look over their shoulder when they say "black" (that is if they actually use that descriptive...)

The women in the jewelry are the sort who lower their voice whenever they say "black." Are they overtly racist? No. Do they practice a subtle, insidious form of prejudice? Most certainly.

[brandx]

This is what I mean by toxic, bring race into everything.

So glad these two sportscasters destroyed this line of thinking for once.


http://newsbusters.org/blogs/culture/bruce-bookter/2015/10/23/espn-race-huckster-gets-slammed-perfectly-local-dc-sports

Thank you for bringing in a totally unrelated article proving that whites are good and blacks are not. As regular as rain.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Just an observation but whenever white people in the US describe a black person they always lower their volume when they say "black."

This is often accompanied by a furtive look over the shoulder...I presume to ascertain whether there are any black people around.

I have seen this from Americans from every part of this country in every part of this country.

One may draw whatever conclusion one wishes about this behavior but it is a fact. I have my thoughts and I think it reflects the inherent fear, concern, distrust, and dislike of blacks among many whites. Are most people overt racists? No. Social norms prevent that. But the discomfort with blacks is certainly there.

Lester Maddox and an unreconstructed George Wallace or Strom Thurmond will not lower their volume nor will they look over their shoulder when they say "black" (that is if they actually use that descriptive...)

The women in the jewelry are the sort who lower their voice whenever they say "black." Are they overtly racist? No. Do they practice a subtle, insidious form of prejudice? Most certainly.

I could not disagree with you more on part of what you are saying...that it is caused by dislike.  When I see people lower their voice, it is because they are so damn sensitive of being called racist or saying the wrong thing.....they are on sensitivity overdrive.  At least that is part of it.

Are there some people that dislike?  Of course, and vice versa.  But there are many others that are just caught in the political correctness vortex and have no idea if they are even allowed to say Black, African American, etc, because God forbid someone somewhere is going to be outraged. 

Enjoy

https://youtube.com/v/koqiEpSGkBQ

https://youtube.com/v/6yMOJ043H-A

[rocket surgeon]

I could not disagree with you more on part of what you are saying...that it is caused by dislike.  When I see people lower their voice, it is because they are so damn sensitive of being called racist or saying the wrong thing.....they are on sensitivity overdrive.  At least that is part of it.

Are there some people that dislike?  Of course, and vice versa.  But there are many others that are just caught in the political correctness vortex and have no idea if they are even allowed to say Black, African American, etc, because God forbid someone somewhere is going to be outraged. 

Enjoy

what makes those so GOSH-darned funny is that they are so true.  plus, the chick(oops-girl, gal, definitely not broad or tootsie, woman, female... ) on the politically "incorrect" side is pretty hot-heyna?

https://youtube.com/v/koqiEpSGkBQ

https://youtube.com/v/6yMOJ043H-A

[mu_hilltopper]

Hold on.  Here is a news report on the incident.

http://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/911-calls-released-from-schwanke-kasten-jewelers-alleged-profiling-incident-with-john-henson

If the manager stated that four black men exited the vehicle and "that is not our normal clientele," how is that not racial profiling???   And it still doesn't answer the question about why they asked the officer to stick around while Henson shopped.

You have your head in the sand.

Which do you believe?  A) They shouldn't even know their customers' demographics or B) That they can know the demographics, but don't dare share it with investigating police?

[ChicosBailBonds]

Which do you believe?  A) They shouldn't even know their customers' demographics or B) That they can know the demographics, but don't dare share it with investigating police?

B, but they have to whisper it   

[Pakuni]

Which do you believe?  A) They shouldn't even know their customers' demographics or B) That they can know the demographics, but don't dare share it with investigating police?

How about C) Someone "not being their normal clientele" doesn't by default make them a felon about to do you harm.

[Pakuni]

I could not disagree with you more on part of what you are saying...that it is caused by dislike.  When I see people lower their voice, it is because they are so damn sensitive of being called racist or saying the wrong thing.....they are on sensitivity overdrive.  At least that is part of it.

Are there some people that dislike?  Of course, and vice versa.  But there are many others that are just caught in the political correctness vortex and have no idea if they are even allowed to say Black, African American, etc, because God forbid someone somewhere is going to be outraged. 

We white people have it so tough in this country.

[ChicosBailBonds]

How about C) Someone "not being their normal clientele" doesn't make them a felon about to do you harm.

In a utopian world that's great, but when the cops put out a warning identifying recent robberies tied to a specific car, etc....well guess what, Utopia doesn't exist except for someone playing MMQB.