Walmart Fires Manager Who Left Work to Be With Dying Grandmother, Employee Claims
A Walmart manager alleges he was terminated after leaving his shift to be with his grandmother in her final hours, later discovering his photograph had been defaced.
A Walmart employee in Auburn, Maine, claims he was fired for leaving his shift early on September 19 to be with his grandmother as she was dying. Vaughn Sawyer III, 29, stated he received a call from his aunt informing him that his grandmother, Jacqueline, had only a few hours left to live.
Sawyer informed his manager of the situation, saying he needed to leave for a few hours but intended to return to complete his work and file bereavement paperwork. He told the Daily Mail that he offered to finish unloading a truck before departing to ensure the next shift was prepared, and that his manager agreed to this arrangement.
After approximately three hours, Sawyer returned to the store to complete the necessary paperwork. He reported being unable to find a manager and subsequently left. The following morning, he returned to drop off his keys. According to Sawyer, an employee then asked if he wanted his final paycheck, leading to his termination.
Sawyer had been employed as a stocking and receiving manager for about two years and supervised a team of 15 people. He expressed hurt at being dismissed without an exit conversation. He noted that his "points" balance, which can lead to termination if it reaches a certain threshold, had been increasing due to previous necessary absences for parental duties. However, he claimed no manager had discussed this with him, and he believed his departure would be considered the start of his bereavement leave.
Shortly after his dismissal, Sawyer received a message from a former colleague showing his photograph, which had hung in the manager's office, with a hole punched through the forehead and discarded in a trash can. Sawyer described the act as "very distasteful" and felt it solidified how he was perceived by management.
Sawyer stated he would consider returning to Walmart if offered his job back. A spokesperson for Walmart told the Daily Mail that the company does not comment on personal matters.
Sawyer is now seeking new employment while grieving his grandmother. He described Jacqueline as a "pillar of stability and a pillar of strength" who helped raise him. She lived in the apartment above him for most of his life, and they shared many memories, including attending church and family dinners.
Jacqueline, who was a first-generation American, is remembered in her obituary as a "strong and courageous woman" with a "classy" demeanor and a "legendary sweet tooth."
