Accused of stealing the snack from a self-checkout kiosk, Kromm was fired before bank records later proved he had paid for it, prompting the company to offer him his job back.
The incident took place during an overnight shift at Ford’s Kentucky truck plant in Louisville, reported Shifting Gears. According to Kromm, he bought a chocolate chip cookie from an Aramark self-checkout kiosk after his blood sugar dropped during the shift.
He said the first payment attempt appeared to fail, prompting him to use another kiosk to complete the purchase.
Dismissed Over Theft Allegation
About a week later, Kromm was called to the office, where he was informed that he was being terminated over the alleged non-payment. He was then escorted out of the factory by security and was not allowed to collect his tools or other belongings before leaving. Kromm maintained that he had paid for the snack.
“I know the machine malfunctioned. I swiped the debit card. The video showed the payment didn’t go through. A payment went through at 3:38 a.m. Actually, I didn’t think anything of it because those machines failing happens all the time. When you go into that room, there’s food sitting out. People go up to pay, and it doesn’t go through, so they leave it there. The (payment) machine asks you to try and try again,” Kromm told Shifting Gears.
Bank Records Cleared Him
A review of his bank statement showed that the $1.95 payment had been successfully processed. On May 20, Kromm submitted screenshots of his debit card transaction to Ford and his union representative as proof of payment. Ford later asked him to provide notarised bank statements, which he did.
After verifying the transaction with Aramark, the company that operates the self-checkout kiosks, Ford informed Kromm that he would be returned to work on June 22. He was also compensated for the five weeks he remained out of work, receiving about $28,000.
Employee Chose Not to Return
Despite being offered reinstatement, Kromm declined to return. He instead accepted a higher-paying electrician’s job closer to his hometown of Kenosha, Wisconsin. He later said he had been happy working at Ford but no longer wanted to return.
“I’m thinking, is this the way my career at Ford Motor is going to end? There’s no way I’m coming back. First, you tell me I’m a thief, and then you tell me I’m a liar for saying I didn’t steal. They were so confident I’d stolen. And then I look in my checking account statement and the $1.95 is frickin’ there,” he added.
Also Read: What is BAT-BMS? Viral e-rickshaw videos expose bluetooth battery security flaw