NetNews Usenet Archive 1993 #1/NN_1993_1.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/9921

Text File | 1993-01-12 | 5.9 KB | 140 lines

Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Path: sparky!uunet!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wupost!mont!pencil.cs.missouri.edu!rich
From: Hank Roth <[e-mail]>
Subject: BANDIT TOOK HER MONEY, BANK TOOK HER JOB
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Date: Wed, 13 Jan 1993 03:27:35 GMT
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{From THE WEEKLY (A Central Florida Independent weekly
tabloid), January 1, 1993}
BANDIT TOOK HER MONEY...BANK TOOK HER JOB

For Ann, what started out as a normal week, quickly turned into a
nightmare.

It was traumatic enough when she became the victim of a bank
robber. But things got worse when she was fired, as a result of
the robbery, from her job of three years and eight months as a
teller at a Bradenton (Fl) bank branch.

In the end, Ann found, after checking with attorneys, that she
had no recourse over her firing due to the "at will" concept of
employment that Florida recognizes.

Furthermore, she discovered that psychological damage she
suffered in the series of events is not covered by the state's
workmen's compensation law.

The robbery took place during luch hour on a Monday, one of the
busiest days at the bank, said Ann.

"For two hours preceding the robbery, because it involved lunch
hour, only two tellers were on duty to operate a three-lane
drive-in and the lobby," recalled Ann. "I did not get to go to
lunch that day."

The robbery took place in the lobby. It was a nerve-wracking
experience after which detectives assured Ann she had performed
just as she should. She gave the robber what he wanted, kept her
cool in order not to excite the robber and let him go out of the
bank without hurting anyone. [Bank tellers on average only make
$4.00 an hour in Florida]

"The branch manager called the main office to tell them we had
been robbed," said Ann. "They asked if anyone was injured, how
much money the robber got and the identity of the teller. I think
it would have been nice if someone (from the main office) had
personally spoken to me to see if I was all right."

Ann's further troubles began the next day, when it was learned
that, at the time of the robbery, she had been over her assigned
cash drawer limit--an infraction of company policy.

"As far as I'm concerned, there was nothing I could have done to
get rid of the cash and comply with company policy.

"If I'd had a lunch hour, I would have had a chance to close down
and get rid of the cash and checks before I left for lunch, which
is normal procedure.

"Another option would be to discreetly strap the cash during a
slaow time and sell it to the vault. There was no slow time and
there was no one there to put it in the vaulgt.

"I could also sell it to another teller, but that day she was too
busy with customers and it may have put her over her limit, in
which case, she would have had to refuse it."

Ann stressed that, even though she was over her assigned cash
limit, the robber was moving so fast that the money he took did
not even amount to her usual cash limit.

Ann worked Wednesday nervously awaiting some word from the bank's
manaement. "I thought I would be put on probation," she reasoned,
"because I was over my limit."

"At the close of the day, just as I was getting ready to leave,
the branch manager called me into her office and sayd (the bank)
was letting me go. I was numb. It wasn't until I got in my car
that it hit me, and the anger set in."

She contacted a labor attorney, who explained the "at will"
doctrine, which holds that employee is employed at the will of
the employer, and the employer does not need any reason to fire
an employee.

"As long as there was no discrimination involved, which is
federally protected, he said I did not have a case," said Ann.
"He sent me to a workmen's comp attorney."

Ann said she had chest pains. She dreamed about the robbery and
couldn't eat or sleep. Her doctor, concerned about her level of
anxiety, gave her a prescription for tranquilizers.

"The workmen's comp attorney told me there was nothing I could do
unless the robber hurt me or made some skin contact," said Ann.

Ann said the workemen's compensation attorney told her to contact
a civil attorney, who also referred to the the concept of "at
will," and said she had no case.

"I have no legal recourse," she pointed out. "I'm left holding
the bag. I felt morally obligated to cooperate in the pursuit of
the robber, because I don't want anyone else to go through what I
did. But in my opinion, (the bank) has shown no moral
responsibility to me. I'm undergoing more trauma from what they
did to me than from what the robber did. I was victimized twice--
once by the robber and once by the company."
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