Ford has reportedly fired four additional workers due to accusations of unpaid purchases from self-checkout kiosks within its factories. This development follows a public backlash over the company's decision to dismiss a veteran electrician for an alleged $1.95 cookie purchase, a charge he disputed.
One of the newly terminated employees, Nick Nabozny, a nine-year veteran at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant, told the Detroit Free Press he was fired for allegedly leaving with Doritos and Ritz crackers with cheese without paying. Nabozny, 38, stated he believed the transaction had completed after the self-checkout kiosk displayed a confirmation message for his debit card payment.
Nabozny's confrontation with management occurred on April 27, following an incident earlier that month at the end of an overtime shift. Surveillance footage allegedly showed him interacting with the kiosk and his debit card. He recounted, "I asked, 'What did I steal?'" and was reportedly told by a union representative that he was seen on camera stealing food. Nabozny, who earned approximately $40 an hour and was on track to make over $125,000 with overtime last year, asserted, "I never stole anything in my life. Why would I jeopardize my livelihood and my family's livelihood to steal food when I'm making good money?"
He described the footage showing him scanning two items, Doritos and Ritz Crackers with cheese, and then tapping his debit card at the kiosk.
This situation mirrors that of Kurt Kromm, an 11-year electrician at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant, who was initially fired over a $1.95 package of Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies. Kromm, who had stopped to buy cookies due to low blood sugar as a diabetic, maintained he had paid. He later found a matching $1.95 charge on his bank statement and provided Ford with a notarized bank statement to verify the purchase. After a 10-day review and submission of the document, Ford offered to reinstate him with full back pay, totaling approximately $33,000. However, Kromm declined the offer, stating Ford had not apologized or offered him a chance to prove his innocence before his termination.
A Detroit Free Press investigation revealed that three other Ford employees were previously fired for similar alleged snack thefts but were later reinstated after company reviews cleared them.
Brendan Fluker, another Ford employee, informed the Detroit Free Press that workers have voiced ongoing concerns about the Aramark-operated self-checkout kiosks. Issues cited include failed transactions, duplicate charges, frozen screens, and missing receipts.
In response to the growing employee complaints about alleged payment glitches leading to wrongful accusations and job losses, Ford and Aramark have launched an investigation into the self-serve kiosks at Ford's U.S. plants. A Ford spokesperson confirmed the company is reviewing "limited instances where Aramark kiosk issues have been raised," adding that Ford has "invested significantly to upgrade our workplaces, including self-serve kiosks operated by Aramark to provide 24/7 convenience for our employees." The spokesperson also stated, "We are aware there have been some issues raised regarding the kiosk functionality in some limited cases, and we are working with Aramark to review these situations."
An Aramark spokesperson conveyed that the company understands the concerns and is collaborating with Ford to examine each case, emphasizing a commitment to "operating with integrity and accountability."