'Just like that, I was unemployed': Game store exec fires employee for refusing to sell his teenage son a video game

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    Hand - 3 X B)
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    Font - When DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM goes terribly wrong Medium r/ALL A few years ago, I was working at a used videogame store. I was behind the counter, doing morning inventory, when a teenager came in.
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    Font - TC: Teenage Customer Me: Me TC: Hey, I preordered a copy of INSERT NAME OF GAME HERE last week. Is it in yet? Me: Let me check for you. Do you have an ID?
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    Font - Check his ID, and he is only 16. The game he preordered was rated M, so I couldn't sell it to him. Me: Sorry buddy, looks like this game is rated M. I can't sell it to you because you are under the age of 18. Is one of your parents in the car? TC: NO! I PAID FOR THE GAME! I WANT IT!
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    Font - Me: Believe me, I want nothing more to give it to you. You are right, you are paid on it. Company policy restricts me from selling it to you. TC: DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM? DO YOU KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS?
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    Font - Me: Buddy, I'm on your side. I want to sell the game to you, but my hands are tied. Just come in with your parents or a big brother or even an older friend. I can give it to you then. TC: Enjoy the unemployment line.
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    Font - He exits. And I think nothing more about it. This happens once a week. The next day, my boss calls me and asks to meet me at the coffee shop next door before my shift. He commonly does this to go over monthly numbers. Manager: Thanks for meeting me. Me: Sure thing.
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    Font - Manager: Yesterday, did you have a kid come in asking to purchase a game that he preordered? Me: Sure did, he was underage so I didn't sell it to him. Then I go over the conversation with my boss.
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    Font - Manager: I know you followed policy, but that kid's father is a well respected businessman in the area. The boy's father called my boss's boss, which in turn called me. I'm sorry, I have to let you go. Me: ARE YOU SERIOUS? For following company policy?
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    Font - Manager: Yeah, it sucks, but the father is influential in town and he suggested we let you go, and here I am. But you get two weeks severance. Don't worry about your shift today, I'm covering for you. I need your keys and your badge. Just like that I was unemployed. All because I followed corporate policy.
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    Font - dankine time to sue 6.1k Share PM_ME_UR_DIPLOMA OP If I thought it about the time, then sure. But it has been several years ago. Not worth it now.
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    Font - GiddyGiraffes That is pathetic! And if you had backed down with every customer who said that, then you would be fired for not following company policy.
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    Font - IAmGoing ToF That He also would have gotten fired if he'd sold it to the kid and the father complained about selling a game with mature content to a minor.
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    Font - All Nighter_Long No Free Fridges No words can describe how angry I am. If this were to happen to me, I would gone over my managers head and contacted the district HR manager or employee complaint line, and got him fired. Edit: at the most, when ever the policy was different then written for the store I was at, the manager would simply tell me do this action from now on. Not fire me! This is the kind of store I'd love to see on the news.
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    Font - YouWantALime Unoriginal flair is unoriginal. Anybody else concerned where that kid's head is that he would rather ruin someone's life than wait a day to get someone older to help him get the game? Money practically makes people sociopaths.
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    Font - avenlanzer You were given reason, the reason was for following company policy. Wrongful termination lawsuit here you come.
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    Font - sdobbs23 DON'T YOU DARE LET THIS GO! Get ahold of HR, contact a lawyer and get this ball rolling. I'm so angry for you.
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    Font - SereneLloyd Braun Aaaannnnnddddd now I am in a bad mood. Sorry that happened, OP. Karma will eat that kid alive one day. Who was the father? How or why did he have such an impact?
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    Font - I refuse to believe this story. No manager is stupid enough to tell you that was the reason for firing you. That's a lawsuit waiting to happen
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    Font - rasafrasit Time to visit r/legaladvice that's likely wrongful termination 111 Share PM_ME_UR_DIPLOMA OP Not if you are in an At Will state. They can terminate you for any reason as long as it is not interfere with a "protected class"

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