Two employees of Lululemon, a popular athleisure brand, claim they were dismissed after they confronted would-be robbers and subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Jennifer Ferguson, who served as an assistant manager at a Lululemon store in Atlanta, and her colleague Rachel Rogers, were seen in a viral video, confronting masked thieves who allegedly looted the store multiple times before.
Lululemon Under Fire for Allegedly Punishing Employees Who Reported Robbery
The footage shows the robbers entering the store, prompting Ferguson to attempt to deter them by telling them to leave.
Despite the thieves momentarily considering her demand, they eventually re-entered the store, took more items, and left. Ferguson and Rogers did not physically engage the thieves and instead recorded them as they fled the scene.
After the incident, the employees contacted the Gwinnett Police Department to report the robbery. Ferguson and Rogers believe this action led to their dismissal from Lululemon.
Although they were not provided with a specific reason for their termination, Ferguson said the company cited its “no-tolerance policy.”
JUST IN: Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald doubles down on his decision to fire two employees who called the police after three men robbed their store in Georgia.
"It's only merchandise," he said.
“We have a zero-tolerance policy that we train our educators on around engaging… pic.twitter.com/8DB0gDq93b
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 5, 2023
They believe they were fired for reporting a robbery to the police, violating the company’s protocol.
According to Ferguson, the store policy instructs employees not to interfere with any robbery, but instead to make way for the culprits.
Once the act is over, employees are supposed to scan a QR code. They are not allowed to make any notes about the incident to avoid alarming others, nor are they supposed to call the police or discuss the incident.
Employees Fired from Lululemon After Reporting Robbery, Company Cites Zero-Tolerance Policy
Following the robbery, a regional manager reportedly questioned the duo about their decision to contact the police.
Subsequently, they were fired from their roles at Lululemon. Despite the controversy, the police were successful in locating and charging the robbers with felony robbery.
When Fox Business contacted Lululemon for a response, a company spokesperson confirmed their employee handbook outlined a zero-tolerance policy for physical engagement with suspected robbers.
Lululemon’s CEO said that he stands by the company’s decision to fire the two Georgia employees that called police on masked robbers last monthhttps://t.co/ujvCIlVa9E
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 6, 2023
In response to the incident, a representative for Lululemon emphasized the company’s top priority is always the safety and security of its employees and guests. The company ensures they have policies and protocols in place to maintain a secure environment.
They stated the company takes instances of theft and vandalism very seriously. Their present focus is on supporting their employees and continuing collaboration with local law enforcement.
This article appeared in Right Wing Insider and has been published here with permission.
