- A Minnesota ice cream parlor worker was fired over accepting a $100 tip from a customer, leading to a debate about the responsibilities of businesses towards their customers and the importance of empathy in service industries.
Newsypeople – A worker at a Minnesota ice cream parlor was dismissed for being tipped a substantial amount by a patron suspected of having dementia.
Emily Swenson, employed at Moorhead Freez, encountered a scenario where a customer attempted to give her a $100 tip. Despite Emily’s insistence that the tip was excessively large and she couldn’t accept it, the customer proceeded to deposit the bill in the tip jar and departed.
Several days later, on April 24th, Emily was issued a written reprimand by her employer. Her parents, Seth and Lisa Swenson, shared the ’employee warning notice form’ on their combined Facebook post.
The document stated: ‘Emily must comprehend that some of our patrons are senior citizens and might be suffering from dementia or other conditions that impair their judgment. It’s improbable for anyone in sound mind to tip $100 at a place where all menu items are priced below $12.’
In their Facebook post, Emily’s parents disclosed that she had been working at the ice cream shop for her fifth summer and that her supervisor had accused her of taking the $100 tip from the customer.
The warning letter further emphasized, ‘As an employee of The Freez, it is your duty to safeguard the establishment’s reputation. If the customer is experiencing difficulties and their family discovers that she was permitted to place $100 in the tip jar, The Freez will be viewed negatively as a place that exploits the elderly.’
Emily was let go the following day, according to her parents. The termination was based on her violation of the company’s policy, which prohibits employees from accepting bills over $20 as payment, though this policy does not specifically address tips.
Following the backlash from the public, The Freez issued a statement on Facebook. They clarified, ‘Ice cream brings joy. Social media harassment – not so much.’
“Ice cream makes people happy. Social media bullying- not so much.
We did not terminate the adult at will employee of 5 years for accepting a tip. There’s more to the story.
We won’t go into details, it’s a personal matter. However, we believe that if parents are posting for an adult child- they haven’t asked the right questions of their adult daughter.
We are a small business built on a strong work ethic and Moorhead values. Our values and expectations reflect those of the community and our customers.
Ice cream makes people happy. Social media bullying- not so much.”
They clarified, ‘We did not dismiss the long-serving employee for refusing a tip. There’s more to the story.
‘We won’t delve into specifics; it’s a private matter. However, we believe that if the parents are posting for an adult child – they haven’t asked the right questions of their adult daughter,’ The Freez added.
Public sentiment varied widely, with many expressing sympathy for Emily and criticizing the decision to terminate her employment.
One commenter suggested, ‘Perhaps the owner should verify if that customer was elderly and possibly suffering from dementia before dismissing her employee.’
Another defended Emily, stating, ‘It seems unfair to fire someone for declining a tip and then having it placed in the tip jar anyway’
A user questioned, ‘How can it be Emily’s fault if the woman accidentally dropped the money in the tip jar after Emily refused to accept it? It appears the manager/owner was looking for a scapegoat.’
Many users expressed dismay over the situation, with one noting, ‘I’m saddened for everyone involved. But the comments also need to cease.
Another user, school, Freez on how best the situation should have been handled. Read the details below.
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