She peed, and they made her pay. Toll Group's unreasonable firing of Xiomara Perez, who made a quick stop at a McDonald's to use a restroom while on the clock, has American workers everywhere shaking their head in disbelief.
According to Toll Group, once on the road, drivers are not allowed to make a quick pit stop — no matter how many hours drivers are sitting in traffic. But as a professional driver, Xiomara adhered to U.S. Department of Transportation regulations that require any hauler to pull over if they feel faint, fatigued, or are experiencing any other physical ailment that may keep them from safely operating the truck. Aside from preserving professional standards, Xiomara was also a model employee — she had never been disciplined for anything before.
So why does the $8.8 billion company, a contractor for the popular U.S. athletic apparel brand Under Armour, find this quick pit stop unacceptable? The truth is that Xiomara is a vocal supporter of the union and better workplace safety, and management spied on her, and retaliated to send a message to her co-workers that all union supporters will be punished.
Not only is the firing despicable, it also goes against Under Armour’s business practices. One of Toll Group's largest customers, Under Armour has a strong code of ethics and business conduct policy to respect freedom of association and workplace health and safety. So if Under Armour speaks up about firing a mom of three for going to the bathroom on the job, Toll Group will have to sit up and take notice.
Learn more about the injustices at Toll Group here and here.
