Ford employee fired over $1.95 cookie ‘theft’ sues after proving payment, rejects reinstatement: Report
A Ford electrician who was fired over allegations that he stole a $1.95 packet of cookies is preparing to take legal action against the automaker
A Ford electrician who was fired over allegations that he stole a $1.95 packet of cookies is preparing to take legal action against the automaker and food services company Aramark after proving he had paid for the snack, The New York Post reported. According to the report, Kurt Kromm, 60, worked for 11 years at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville before he was dismissed over what the company believed was an unpaid purchase at a self-checkout kiosk. Ford reportedly later reinstated Kromm, paid him about $33,000 in back wages, and offered him his job back after bank records showed the $1.95 transaction had gone through. However, Kromm declined the offer and has now hired Kentucky attorney J. Will Huber to pursue legal action against Ford and Aramark. 'I can't come back' Explaining why he refused to return, Kromm told The New York Post: "I can't come back to a company that just fired me like this and not give me any chance to show I paid." According to the report, Huber plans to send a demand letter to both companies.
In a statement to the newspaper, Huber said: "The accusations of theft made against him were absolutely false." He added: "The proof of his innocence was available to or in the possession of both Aramark and Ford from the very start." Huber also said Kromm "paid, but he was nevertheless labeled a thief and removed from the plant he devoted 11 years of his career to," describing the companies' handling of the incident as "unacceptable." How the incident unfolded The incident occurred during an overnight shift on May 9. Kromm, who is diabetic, said his blood sugar dropped to 60 around 3:30 a.m., prompting him to buy a two-pack of Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies from an Aramark self-checkout kiosk. He said the payment terminal displayed a red error message after he swiped his debit card. He swiped again, but the screen neither displayed the normal approval message nor rejected the payment. "I figured, well, it probably went through," Kromm told the newspaper.
"This was so inconsequential to me — $1.95. I figured I paid." About a week later, supervisors called him into a meeting and informed him he was being terminated. Recalling the moment, Kromm said: "They want to terminate you for taking a cookie. I was like, 'What are you talking about?'" He told The New York Post that he was immediately escorted out of the factory and was not allowed to retrieve his belongings. Bank records proved payment The report said Kromm later asked a former colleague to photograph the self-checkout kiosk showing the cookie price and found the matching $1.95 charge on his bank statement. He then submitted screenshots to Ford and union officials. Ford reportedly requested a notarized bank statement before reinstating him with full back pay. Despite being compensated financially, Kromm said the experience had permanently damaged his trust in the company. "There was no apology. There was no serious, 'We're sorry,'" he told The New York Post.
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