I'm Lost! Should I call the hotline about my termination?

[genericusername]

tl;dr: I was terminated because I signed someone up for a redcard and they used a fake social security number (I DIDN'T KNOW THIS WAS HAPPENING)

I am a cashier. My store is not very good at getting redcards, so there is constant pressure on the front end and it's all my store leadership ever talks about. Some cashiers and GSA's started signing up for Redcards using fake/random social security numbers or just putting all 0's. They did it to boost their own redcard scores and the store's to alleviate pressure. I didn't know any of this was happening. A few weeks ago, some of my coworkers mentioned they were getting called into HR to talk about this stuff. I was called in by the HR ETL who said she was conducting an investigation into fraudulent redcard applications. She wanted to know if I knew anything about it or if I'd ever done it. I told I'd never done it and I'd only heard other team members mentioning that they'd been called in to talk about it.

Fast forward to today, before I clock in, I get called in by the HR ETL again. She tells me that I've been flagged as having done fraudulent redcard applications. Like I said, I never have. I asked her if she could tell me when it happened because I really have no knowledge of it. She spent a few minutes clicking around on her computer and eventually told me she couldn't find the specifics but they had "factual information". Again, she couldn't produce any details of the alleged incident. Then she had me sign the termination papers

When a guest/team member signs up for a redcard, all the cashier does is scan the ID. The rest is done on the card reader by the guest/team member. I've NEVER filled out an application for a guest or team member. How does the blame fall on me when I had no knowledge? Don't they have cameras to see whether I was filling out the application for them?

Should I call the integrity hotline about this? I've been with the company for 2 years and this feels incredibly sudden and unfair. There are people who admitted to doing it who only got put on probation, they didn't get fired.

edit: I'm not very good at getting redcards, but I do ask every guest so they don't usually coach me on it. I feel like management is using this as an excuse to get rid of me, and also to show "results" for their investigation. I feel like I've been thrown under the bus.

 

[Anelmi]

I'd be upset too. Sounds like they are railroading you.

 

[SFSFun]

Yeah call the hotline and also file for unemployment. They should be required to provide evidence that you were fired with cause.

 

[tgtguy]

As others have said I would call the hotline. Before you call sit down and do a rough outline of what you what to say ( you will more than likely be nervous and or upset when calling so having a cheat sheet will help) Give as many details as you can. When you finish the call with the hotline they will give you a report/file number. Write it down you can use this to call back and check on the status of your complaint .

 

[HRZone]

Then she had me sign the termination papers

First mistake. Don't sign anything you don't agree to.

Yeah call the hotline and also file for unemployment. They should be required to provide evidence that you were fired with cause.

Start with the hotline. Let them know you are looking into am employment lawyer

Sounds like they wanted to get rid of you for low red cards and knew they couldn't.

For some of you old timers on here wasn't there a poster who got fired 3 times but target kept having to take him back on account of his lawyer

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Your review can help you. If it was a good review. Also, do you use a speed Id? Someone may of found yours & started using it on credit apps.

 

[genericusername]

First mistake. Don't sign anything you don't agree to.

Start with the hotline. Let them know you are looking into am employment lawyer

Sounds like they wanted to get rid of you for low red cards and knew they couldn't.

For some of you old timers on here wasn't there a poster who got fired 3 times but target kept having to take him back on account of his lawyer

I've never been fired before so I didn't realize I could refuse to sign termination papers. Also I live in an at-will state, so I'm not sure refusing would have really been an option, but like I said, I don't know.
Also should I lie and say I'm looking into a lawyer? Lawyers are expensive and like I said, this is an at-will state. Should I say it just to put pressure on them?

Your review can help you. If it was a good review. Also, do you use a speed Id? Someone may of found yours & started using it on credit apps.

What review do you mean?
I never use speed ID specifically for this reason. When people ask to use my numbers because theirs aren't working I say no.

 

[genericusername]

Hindsight being 20/20 I can think of a time that a supervisor had me sign up one of their relatives, and they could've told them to fake it, but like I said I didn't know anything at the time, so I don't see how that can be held against me

 

[genericusername]

Also should I mention to the hotline that I think they were pinning it on me because I get low redcard results? It's relevant, but I don't have any proof

 

[Rock Lobster]

It sounds like the situation is off to me, so I am curious as to what specifically happened...

First, there are no "termination" papers for you to sign. When you get termed, they just tell you that have you punch out for the day and leave. The only time there is a form to sign is for an admission statement and promissory note, which is generally if you caused a loss to Target. This combined with the fact that you said the HR called it an investigation makes it sound AP initiated.

SO, I am guessing that if this story is true, the HR was sent details to whatever AP had on you. Most HRs just get a recap of the investigation that was done and what is proven through it. She called you into the office to give you the chance to tell them honestly what was happening, and let you leave to "see if you could remember why you would be showing doing X"... When you didn't I am guessing you got shown as getting terminated for gross misconduct.

Again, that is a guess based on your summary and the word choice that your ETLs used.

 

[MM1MM2]

It sounds like the situation is off to me, so I am curious as to what specifically happened...

First, there are no "termination" papers for you to sign. When you get termed, they just tell you that have you punch out for the day and leave. The only time there is a form to sign is for an admission statement and promissory note, which is generally if you caused a loss to Target. This combined with the fact that you said the HR called it an investigation makes it sound AP initiated.

SO, I am guessing that if this story is true, the HR was sent details to whatever AP had on you. Most HRs just get a recap of the investigation that was done and what is proven through it. She called you into the office to give you the chance to tell them honestly what was happening, and let you leave to "see if you could remember why you would be showing doing X"... When you didn't I am guessing you got shown as getting terminated for gross misconduct.
"
Again, that is a guess based on your summary and the word choice that your ETLs used.

Definitely not related to your post or any post on this thread, but everytime I see your username "Rock Lobster" by The B52s starts playing in my head, and I just starting singing outloud and realized it was due to your username.

 

[genericusername]

It sounds like the situation is off to me, so I am curious as to what specifically happened...

First, there are no "termination" papers for you to sign. When you get termed, they just tell you that have you punch out for the day and leave. The only time there is a form to sign is for an admission statement and promissory note, which is generally if you caused a loss to Target. This combined with the fact that you said the HR called it an investigation makes it sound AP initiated.

SO, I am guessing that if this story is true, the HR was sent details to whatever AP had on you. Most HRs just get a recap of the investigation that was done and what is proven through it. She called you into the office to give you the chance to tell them honestly what was happening, and let you leave to "see if you could remember why you would be showing doing X"... When you didn't I am guessing you got shown as getting terminated for gross misconduct.

Again, that is a guess based on your summary and the word choice that your ETLs used.

The paper I signed seems to be a state-based employment status form that simply says the type of termination it was (voluntary/involuntary/etc), how my final paycheck was being provided and how much. It's like a receipt I guess. She also had me sign some other papers that appeared to be similar in nature, but I didn't receive copies of those.

When I was first called in, she told me that she was conducting an investigation. She never mentioned AP, and since there wasn't any loss involved, I don't think AP initiated the investigation. Redcard applications aren't exactly assets to protect. I could be wrong, but she definitely never mentioned it, and I was never spoken to by the AP ETL.

Either way she definitely couldn't produce any evidence or even any details for me.

 

[BackroomBear]

AP protects the company, not things. See also, HR. HR protects the company from employees, not the other way around. Call the hotline, start writing down everything. You also have a right to copies of papers you've signed. Bluffing doesn't hurt on the employment lawyer. Good luck. File for unemployment to help get through if you need to. Sad story if Spot is in the wrong here.

 

[Rock Lobster]

The paper I signed seems to be a state-based employment status form that simply says the type of termination it was (voluntary/involuntary/etc), how my final paycheck was being provided and how much. It's like a receipt I guess. She also had me sign some other papers that appeared to be similar in nature, but I didn't receive copies of those.

When I was first called in, she told me that she was conducting an investigation. She never mentioned AP, and since there wasn't any loss involved, I don't think AP initiated the investigation. Redcard applications aren't exactly assets to protect. I could be wrong, but she definitely never mentioned it, and I was never spoken to by the AP ETL.

Either way she definitely couldn't produce any evidence or even any details for me.

Of course she was conducting the investigation (interview), but I am guessing AP was the one that started it. If you were not caught actually stealing anything it got sent to HR for the stuff they did find that was still a policy violation of them to determine the consequences of. She would not have mentioned it on purpose...

Were you on any sort of CA or Final Warning leading up this? If you were not, and were instantly terminated, then it was for gross misconduct of some sort. This would have been approved by the HRBP beforehand (likely between conversation A and B) when your ETL sent in what they knew thus far.

 

[genericusername]

Of course she was conducting the investigation (interview), but I am guessing AP was the one that started it. If you were not caught actually stealing anything it got sent to HR for the stuff they did find that was still a policy violation of them to determine the consequences of. She would not have mentioned it on purpose...

Were you on any sort of CA or Final Warning leading up this? If you were not, and were instantly terminated, then it was for gross misconduct of some sort. This would have been approved by the HRBP beforehand (likely between conversation A and B) when your ETL sent in what they knew thus far.

I'm not sure what CA means but they hadn't warned me about anything and I haven't gotten in trouble or talked-to about anything. I'm not sure what HRBP means. But wouldn't they have to have some sort of proof that I wasn't ignorant of the whole thing? If a supervisor had me sign up one of their family members (because they aren't on a lane) and I don't see anything they put down isn't that just ignorance?

 

[SFSFun]

I'm not sure what CA means

Corrective Action. It's a written warning for something that can eventually lead to being fired if you don't correct the issue.

I'm not sure what HRBP means.

Human Resources Business Partner. The HR person at the district level, who is the person above your ETL-HR and STL for all HR related matters.

 

[NKG]

Anyone else feel like the OP is a troll?

 

[genericusername]

Anyone else feel like the OP is a troll?

I'm just looking for advice :/

 

[redeye58]

Anyone else feel like the OP is a troll?

Not yet.
To the OP: Unless you KNOWINGLY allowed them to supply false info, you shouldn't be held responsible.
Sounds like your coworkers blabbed about it & maybe someone decided to throw you under the bus if you weren't gonna play along.
As others have said, write out the order of events (including names of who said what) & call the hotline. Take down the case number.
Call the store & ask the ETL-HR for copies of what she had you sign. Let her know that you are filing unemployment & consulting an attorney. She can either give you copies or they can be subpoenaed.
Unless they can present clear-cut evidence that you KNOWINGLY committed credit app fraud, they don't have a leg to stand on.

 

[NKG]

I'm just looking for advice :/

When you use a name like genericusername is sends a flag. Also, if you knew people were doing it and didn't speak up then your accountable. However, sounds like your not telling us EVERYTHING. Just my observation

 

[genericusername]

When you use a name like genericusername is sends a flag. Also, if you knew people were doing it and didn't speak up then your accountable. However, sounds like your not telling us EVERYTHING. Just my observation

I didn't find out about it until they had already started interviewing people. I heard about it because people told me they were getting called back and interviewed and that they were owning up to it. No point going to HR and telling them about something they've already admitted to. When they interviewed me I mentioned that I'd heard about it from people who had been interviewed already.

As for my username, what's wrong with wanting 100% anonymity on a site like this?

 

[NKG]

I didn't find out about it until they had already started interviewing people. I heard about it because people told me they were getting called back and interviewed and that they were owning up to it. No point going to HR and telling them about something they've already admitted to. When they interviewed me I mentioned that I'd heard about it from people who had been interviewed already.

As for my username, what's wrong with wanting 100% anonymity on a site like this?

Then how come you dont quote on the other threads?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

The op is new to our site. My question about your review is, did you get a good review from spot last month. A review covers your performance from the last year by your tl.

 

[Bosch]

Corrective Action. It's a written warning for something that can eventually lead to being fired if you don't correct the issue.


Human Resources Business Partner. The HR person at the district level, who is the person above your ETL-HR and STL for all HR related matters.

Two years employed and doesn't know what these things are?

Something don't add up.

 

[commiecorvus]

The paper I signed seems to be a state-based employment status form that simply says the type of termination it was (voluntary/involuntary/etc), how my final paycheck was being provided and how much. It's like a receipt I guess. She also had me sign some other papers that appeared to be similar in nature, but I didn't receive copies of those.

When I was first called in, she told me that she was conducting an investigation. She never mentioned AP, and since there wasn't any loss involved, I don't think AP initiated the investigation. Redcard applications aren't exactly assets to protect. I could be wrong, but she definitely never mentioned it, and I was never spoken to by the AP ETL.

Either way she definitely couldn't produce any evidence or even any details for me.

You never should have signed that because you were basically confirming that Spot was correct in firing you and when you go to get unemployment it will be a bitch.
I refused to sign anything.
When they said I was fired for misconduct I fought it and won.
There are times when signing things doesn't really matter, times like this isn't one of them.