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Some disabled people will lose their jobs to the customer's hosts
The tradition of being welcomed to Walmart by blue-burned "people greeters" will soon change with stores across the country.
Walmart officials confirmed Wednesday that greeters, many of whom are disabled, will be replaced by "customer hosts." The hosts, part of a program the world's largest retailer started in 2015, will continue to greet customers but have added and more physically demanding responsibilities.
"As we strive to continually improve the experience for our customers, we need to adjust roles from time to time," Walmart said in a statement to the United States today. "We recently split our plans to change responsibility to the people's greeter role. in some stores, and it involves associated with disabilities in some cases. "
The Associated Press reported that affected employees were told last week that their posts would be eliminated on April 26 for host roles. To qualify to host, must they lift 25 pounds packages, climb up ladders and stand for long periods of time.
Walmart said it recognizes associates with physical disabilities, faces "a unique situation."
"With this we will extend the current 60-day greets the transitional period for partners with disabilities, while examining the circumstances and potential accommodations of each person that can be done within each store, "Wal said. mart in the statement. [19659005] FedEx SameDay Bot: Robots can soon get your FedEx delivery from Walmart, Target and Pizza Hut
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Walmart has confirmed that it will replace the retail greeting with customer hosts at some stores. [Photo:KellyTykoUSAidag)
Facing backlash
Walmart founder Sam Walton stood for the greeters program, which started in the early 1980s.
In 2015, Walmart launched a pilot program for customer hosts, which was expanded in May 2016, according to a company blog post. The host is an affiliation that "greets customers, but also checks receipts where appropriate, helps with returns and helps keep entrances clean and safe," Walmart described in the blog.
Throughout the country, customers have started rallying around some of the Long-term employees.
In Marion, North Carolina, an online prayer began holding Jay Melton on his 17-year-old greeter job. Melton has cerebral palsy and cannot go without help, according to the petition, which has nearly 14,600 signatures.
"Jay's disability does not allow him to" make many of the responsibilities of the host, the petition notes. "So that means he could soon lose his job when the changes take effect."
Holly Catlin wrote a public Facebook post about her son Adam Caltin, who has brain paresis and has worked as a greeter at Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, for nine years. February 18 post has been shared nearly 10,000 times and has nearly 4,000 comments.
"You all know that Adam loves his job so much and does it with his whole heart. He looks forward to you and your families, especially your kiddos. He seems to know them all by name," wrote Holly Catlin . "He radiates from ear to ear as he speaks of his co-workers and leadership. They are his family in his eyes."
The Walmart amendment has asked at least three complaints to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and a federal lawsuit in Utah discrimination under the Americans with the Disability Act. Under federal law, employers must provide "affordable" accommodation to disabled workers.
Walmart officials said that after having made the change from greeters to hosts to more than 1,000 stores in 2016, 80 to 85 percent of all greeters concerned found other roles at Walmart.
At the beginning, Walmart told greeters that they would have 60 days to land other jobs with the company, but the company has extended the deadline indefinitely for greeters with disabilities.
"This allows these employees to continue their employment in the store as valued members of the team while seeking an acceptable, customized solution for everyone involved," the company said in the statement.
Contributing: Associated Press
Follow Kelly Tyko on Twitter: @KellyTyko
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