August 12th 2024.
A former employee of Bay Area's Home Depot has filed a lawsuit against the retail giant, alleging age discrimination and wrongful termination. Carleen Acevedo, who is 72 years old, had been working as a cashier at the San Ramon location for seven years before she was let go in July 2023. ABC News 7 reported the incident, stating that Acevedo's termination letter cited her as being a "security or loss prevention risk" for the store due to her involvement in four fraudulent transactions, which resulted in a loss of over $5,000 for Home Depot.
According to Acevedo, the termination came just four days after she had worked alone in the store's Garden Center. It was during this shift that a man came to her register with a card that had instructions written on the back, asking her to process the transaction as a cash sale. Despite feeling uneasy about the situation, Acevedo went ahead with the purchase, which totaled over $1,300. However, 30 minutes later, the same man returned and demanded that she ring up three more separate transactions, this time totaling over $4,000 in cash.
"It just didn't feel right," Acevedo recalled. "The card seemed suspicious, but I processed the transaction anyway." She also mentioned feeling targeted by the man because she was working alone. When she tried to call her supervisor and the head cashier for assistance, she received no response. The customer's behavior also made her fear for her safety. "He was very demanding and wanted the transaction done as fast as possible," she added. "He even got upset when I made a call to my manager."
Acevedo kept duplicate copies of the receipts and took them to her manager, but four days later, she was fired. This incident happened just three months after a Home Depot Loss Prevention Officer at a nearby store was shot and killed while trying to stop a theft attempt, a story that Acevedo was all too familiar with.
Acevedo had been a standout employee at the store, receiving multiple awards for her exceptional service, including being named Cashier of the Year in 2021. She also mentioned that Home Depot provided annual computer-based training on how to handle shoplifting or active shooter situations. "I was always told not to do anything, not to approach, not to touch, not to interfere, just let them go," she said.
This is why her response to the fraudulent transactions, as stated in her lawsuit, was to follow company protocol. "She did everything she was supposed to do. She asked for backup and made copies of the receipt. She couldn't risk her life for merchandise, and employees are explicitly taught not to do so," said Acevedo's attorney, Chambord Benton-Hayes.
The lawsuit also cites the timing of Acevedo's termination, which came six months after she had complained about the pay gap between her and a teenage employee who was making $21 per hour, while she was only making $20.17. After her complaint, she received a $2 raise, but she believes that management was looking for a reason to let her go due to her age.
Despite the ordeal, Acevedo was able to find new part-time work. However, the experience took a toll on her overall well-being. "I lost a lot. I lost my health insurance, and my health deteriorated as a result. It was difficult to find work, and I even struggled to pay my rent," she shared.
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