A California man was fired from his job as a grocery retailer courtesy clerk after he was assaulted 3 times in 4 months.
Austin Sherrell, 23, says he was assaulted 3 times because the new yr and, after asking for employee’s comp, his hours had been lower after which he was terminated from his place at Vons, a grocery store chain in Southern California and Nevada.
His duties as a courtesy clerk included bagging groceries, amassing purchasing carts and coping with trash which he was doing on January 19, when he encountered two alleged shoplifters behind the shop.
“I’m taking out the trash, two individuals are stealing, they exit the facet,” Sherrell advised KGET.com of the horrific encounter the place he was punched within the face by one of many thieves earlier than his companion pepper sprayed the defenseless worker.
“I’m bleeding and I get away and I run again inside,” Sherrell mentioned when he reported the incident to his managers, who known as the police.
Sherrell, who’s been working on the Vons for practically three years, says he’s on the autism spectrum.
“My largest downside, what I’ve is that I’m mildly autistic, I’ve a tough time processing issues,” Sherrell mentioned.
The second assault on Sherrell was just like the primary occasion, the place on March 17 he was once more outdoors on the dumpster, when a person lunged at him with a knife, stabbing Sherrell, however the knife penetrated a roll of trash baggage inside an apron pocket as an alternative of the 23-year-old’s stomach.
“Lo and behold, this man’s lunging at me with a knife,” Sherrell advised the outlet. “And it goes into the trash baggage. Unbelievable. The primary incident didn’t shake me an excessive amount of however the second incident, like, when you find yourself near demise, I’m probably the most shook up I’ve ever been in my whole life. Probably the most scared I’ve even been in my whole life.”
Police had been known as again to the shop, however by the point they arrived, the suspect was gone, identical to the primary incident.
On April 1st, the third assault came about when a buyer, who was probably inebriated, allegedly harassed feminine customers.
The person acquired into Sherrell’s face when the worker went to get his supervisor and a safety guard.
“He’s cussing me out, he’s threatening my life,” Sherrell mentioned. “I again away, he comes again in my face. I again away once more. The third time I defend myself, I push him off of me.”
Sherrell claimed he utilized for employees’ compensation following the three assaults as a result of he was having nightmares and panic assaults and was requested to take day off.
Upon his return to work, Sherrell seen his hours had been lower and on April 10 he was suspended pending an investigation and 9 days later the shop terminated his employment as a result of he touched a buyer, in line with Sherrell’s father Adam.
“On April third my son requested Workmen’s Comp. paperwork as a result of he was having nightmares and panic assaults ever since he was nearly stabbed. Seven days in a while April 10 my son was suspended pending investigation. He was then known as in on April 19 and terminated as a result of he touched a buyer,” Adam mentioned of his son’s firing.
Whereas some individuals weren’t happy along with his job, Sherrell took pleasure in his work and even humble bragged somewhat.
“To not toot my very own horn, lots of people say that they like me, lots of people are like ‘Oh we like that (worker)… Like, I hear it. I hear it on a regular basis,” Sherrell advised the station.
The United Meals and Industrial Employees 8- Golden State, the union that’s representing Sherrell, is interesting the termination with the union.
“Our preliminary findings are that Mr. Sherrell’s termination was unwarranted,” President Jacques Loveall mentioned.
A GoFundMe was created by Sherrell’s father Adam, who’s trying to elevate $5,000 to assist his son pay his month-to-month payments as a result of he was “wrongfully terminated.”
It has generated about $2,000 as of early Friday morning.
Sherrell has no plans on returning to work at Vons, however mentioned he’ll miss the good prospects he has interacted with all through his time working for the chain.
