Grocery Store Employee in BC Fired for Feeding Homeless: Global BC

A grocery store manager in Vancouver has filed a wrongful dismissal suit against his employer as he believes he was fired helping to feed the homeless in his community.

Grant spoke with Global News and told the media outlet that he would provide recently expired or low-value food to homeless people in order to keep the peace in the store and that the staff and other management were aware of this arrangement.

Grant was fired for stealing and terminated on the spot in October of 2021. Grant’s legal representation, a Vancouver employment lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, informed Global News BC that Grant had previously been promoted several times and given raises.

“The worst part was that they escorted him straight out of the store on the same day,” said the lawyer. “So this is someone who had an unblemished record, was given promotions, was on track to do great things, and was unceremoniously tossed out simply because he had the goal to be charitable to a homeless person.”

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• Wrongful Dismissals in B.C.

The lawyer went on to explain that Loblaws has stuck to their claim that Grant was stealing.

“Unfortunately, Loblaws has continued to maintain the position that he was terminated for theft. Now, we completely understand that, in a retail setting, theft is a big deal. But the thing is that once someone has essentially made a donation of expired or written-off goods, that’s not the same as someone taking a candy bar off the shelf,” the lawyer stated.