Another regular American hero who’s simply had enough.
Jackie R. Whiton of Antrim had been a six-year employee at the Big Apple convenience store in Peterborough until a single transaction sent her job up in smoke.
Whiton said a young man came in to the store to buy two packs or cigarettes on May 29. When she asked him for his ID, he handed her his EBT card.
EBT cards are used for both food and cash assistance programs. There are two types of cards: one can only be used for food. The other can be spent on anything and used just like a debit card.
Whiton said she did not think EBT cards could be used to purchase cigarettes and refused to sell to him. The two “had a little go-around” as the line got longer behind him, said Whiton.
“I made the statement, ‘do you think myself, that lady and that gentlemen should pay for your cigarettes?’ and he responded ‘yes,’ ” Whiton said…
Whiton said she does not object to using the programs for food assistance, but does not think a person should be able to use public funds to buy cigarettes.
“They can’t even buy toilet paper with the EBT grocery cards but they can buy beer and cigarettes with the EBT cash cards,” Whiton said, “Go figure.”
Well, in hindsight, she should have voided the sale, asked him to stand aside, while she called her supervisor or manager to let them make the decision, since ‘she did not think’ they could be used to buy smokes. And waited on the other people in the meantime. Why? Because if they weren’t on the approved list for the transaction against the card handed to her, it’d be her problem in the end anyway. And you’d think that after 6 years having this gig, she’d know, right? But getting fired is very extreme for this type of incident. Way over the top.
posted 6/27 515pm Texas[Smoke ’em if you got ’em] time
My first job after high school was as a sacker in a grocery store. I wish I had a dollar for each time I saw people buy food with food stamps, then buy beer and cigarretts with cash.
I was a checker at a Safeway for awhile, and yeah. Also — when they pulled out the cash for the booze and smokes, it was always a Huge Wad of Cash. Like, “holy crap!” huge.
But don’t food stamps stimulate the economy? I’m sure I read that somewhere.