Re-Instate Anthony Rizzo, or remove the ineligibility for rehire ---- I was terminated from my employment at Whole Foods Market Hinsdale, right before the holidays--after 6+ years of perfect attendance and outstanding performance records. I not only ran the Receiving Department, but coordinated all food bank activity (of my own accord--my dad is a Pastor, and I grew up around missions/feeding the homeless. I believe in feeding the hungry) I have a family, with three children. This is what happened, last October.
We had a group wanting to get on our donations schedule, which was full. They were told that all we could offer them was a place on a waiting list, in case another group dropped out. They came in, saying that two people, one an Assistant Manager, and one the Marketing Director, told them it was ok. (these are the people that told them of the waiting list.)
I gave them some items, then emailed the church they represented, explaining that we could not squeeze them in, due to the fullness of our schedule. I took this Store's food bank program from a two day a week, three recipient EVERYTHING else to the trash debacle, to a SEVEN days a week, multiple recipients on several days, dynamo. Their representative took such offense to being denied that he posted a scathing, and totally fabricated, post on ripoffreport.com saying I tried to charge money for food donations, and worse.
This website refuses to take posts down, without someone paying $2000!! He posted my name in all caps, labelling me angry, anti-christian and a liar. Stating that his group was on the list. (they aren't) Whole Foods took issue with the fact that I posted a rebuttal, stating what ACTUALLY happened. I believe I am within my rights to defend my own name, not to mention the integrity of the food bank program that I built.
Because I would not sit on my hands and let my name be libelled, Whole Foods Market terminated me, with no eleigibility for rehire.
Afterwards, with several parties contacting the Church from which the angry guy came--he came forward and recanted. Admitted that everything he posted and told Whole Foods Market Regional Corporate was a lie. They refused to back down. AND the assistant manager that told them that all they could get was a place on the waiting list CHANGED his story to railroad ME, and align with Corporate.
Whole Foods Market believes the perceived 'potential damage to their reputation' is more important than the livelihood of an honest, hard-working individual and his family.
this is the post by Mr Shawn Fleming that started this:
Actual email from Whole Foods to my Church. BTW, we had permission, documentation, and were invited to pick up food for the homeless shelter our church supports. Tony asked for $100 to provide the donation, then passed it off as a joke and said only $50. I gave him a $20 tip for about 6 bags of bagels, some pears, and four bags of pasteries all a day or two old. Tony then asked what year my truck was, a Navigator, and stated "people with an $80k SUV should be more supportive of the working poor."
I have the list, Tony, you even stated we were on the list.
----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Tony Rizzo (MW HIN) Tony.Rizzo@wholefoods.com
Cc: Frankie Ortega Frankie.Ortega@wholefoods.com
Sent: Saturday, October 12, 2013 11:37 AM
Subject: Donations from Whole Foods Hinsdale
Hello-
I just spoke to Anne, our marketer, and she informed me that she never told your group that you were ‘on the list’.
I am the person responsible for coordinating donations, and our roster is beyond full. We have two groups on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. And individual groups on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday. I am not going to tell my regular recipients, some of whom I’ve dealt with for more than 5 years, that they have to give up a day every other week.
Your representatives, Shawn (sic) and Mary came today, and basically seemed as if they wanted to ‘shop’ through the donation racks.
My other groups take EVERYTHING. Bread, produce, baked goods, deli items, whatever we have to give. The ones that don’t are placed on the shared days. Brookfield Zoo, for example, only takes Produce, so I have another group come to take all the grocery, bakery, deli, specialty items on the days they come.
I rather resent the fact that your people come in dropping names of who told them it was okay, when the people they named say ‘WHO?’ All I got for advance notice was my Associate, Frankie, telling me that Shawn called and said he spoke to Anne—Anne knows to consult me, whenever a group wants to be put on our list of donation recipients.
It’s a bit unethical—not what I’d expect from a ‘Christian’ organization.
Tony Rizzo
STORE RECEIVER- WFM
500 E. Ogden Ave.
Hinsdale, IL 60521
(630)986-8500 (x 229)
"passionate about good food, and
the pleasure of sharing it with others"
1 Author of original report
I was wrong and I am sorry
AUTHOR: Shawn1one - ()
SUBMITTED: Thursday, October 24, 2013
I, Shawn, am the one who wrote the original ripoff post, and I want to say that I truely appologize to everyone involved. I take full responsibility, and I have contacted Whole Foods corporate, and will contact the Whole Foods Union to see if I can get this guy his job back.
After going two nights without sleep as a first time volunteer coordinator of an overnight homeless shelter, I received the email in question. I happened to receive this email after two Red Bulls, and as I was going into the gym. I didn't work out, instread tried to call Tony, who was not there, and then I called Whole Foods and was directed to someone who told me to talk to another person, and that person offered to take a message. I called corporate, and got voice mail, and I called the regional office and talked to someone who said "write me an email". I was angry, perhaps too pumped up on caffeine, and became out of line, and over reacted. I wrote the email, still didn't feel satisfied, felt ignored, and offended. So I made the mistake to embelish the truth and post on this site. I wanted Whole Foods would take me more seriously, so I posted it on here.
They called back the next day, and then I attempted to delete this posting. It turns out it is hard to do, and RipoffReport has a mitigation program, and I am attempting to erase this whole thing.
I have discoved Tony is a good guy, and did not ask for a tip, did not see the truck, and it wasn't even my truck. I want everyone to know he did not do any of these things. I was mistakenly told we were on the list, but for just that Saturday morning, because a regular could not show up. I never intended to get him fired. I will try to get his job back. I have been guilty in the past, including this incident, of overeacting to prove a point. My behavior was inmature, wrong, and hurtfull. I apologize, and I will help try to alleviate the situation in whatever way I can.
It is important to note that I have been unemployeed for a year, and know the pain and frustration of dedicating yourself to an employer, only to lose that job due to circumstances out of your control. I am sorry to Tony and his family, and I hope Whole Foods can accept my appologies for defaming a good dedicated employee. (End of post)
Help us do what's right, and let Whole Foods Market know that their own integrity is in question. How do you terminate someone based on acknowledged lies? With no eligibility for rehire, because of a 'major infraction'?? The only reason Regional reacted so forcefully is because Global Marketing was looking at them, and they just wanted it to go away. NO customer, vendor, or team member was treated 'outrageously', other than myself.
---------------- https://www.change.org/p/michael-kowalski-re-instate-anthony-rizzo-or-remove-the-ineligibility-for-rehire