NewsNational News

Actions

Walmart greeter with cerebral palsy hopes to keep job

Posted

MONROE TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A longtime Walmart greeter's job description is being changed, and because of his cerebral palsy, he will have to find a new place to work.

Adam Catlin of Middleburg has been a greeter at the Walmart near Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, for 10 years. He loves his job and he is a customer favorite. But over the weekend in the middle of his shift, Adam was told he needs to start performing new tasks. He will now be required to stand and lift up to 25 pounds - something impossible for him to do because of his cerebral palsy.

"When the customers come in, I greet the customers. And then if they have a return, I scan it and put a sticker on it," he told WNEP.

Adam loves his job and doesn't let his cerebral palsy hold him back.

But on Saturday, Adam says he was told that due to a change in corporate policy, his job description will change. He must now stand for his entire eight-hour shift. He must also be able to lift up to 25 pounds.

Adam says that he has until April 26th to comply with the new regulations or he no longer has a job.

"I'm not going to be able to do that," he said.

A manager at the Selinsgrove Walmart told WNEP he's not allowed to comment and referred questions to the corporate office.

"I understand that corporate policies change, so if they want to make this change that's fine, but I think they should grandfather him in. He's been there for 10 years," said Adam's sister Amber Piermattei.

Adams mother posted about the situation on social media and the post was shared thousands of times. People are outraged.

"Why does he have to lift 25 pounds? He's just a real good kid with a good attitude and everyone enjoys seeing him," Stacie Camp said.

"If you're having a bad day, you go in there, he makes your day. We go in there every week and I look forward to seeing him," Shannon Walter said.

As for Adam, he just wants to work.

"I want to keep my job past April 26 because I've made a lot of good friends and a lot of good memories over the years," Adam said.

WNEP contacted Walmart's corporate office and received the following response:

"More than two years ago we started a program in more than 1,000 stores using customer hosts to staff entrances. Customer Hosts give customers a welcome as they enter our stores and keep the front clean, safe and secure.

"Over the last two years we’ve continue to expand this program and introduce more customer host roles in our stores, adding more responsibility and pay to the traditional People Greeter role.

"We’re committed to always providing our customers with a positive and safe shopping experience, and we know there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to staffing our entrances and serving customers. We look at the data from each store individually to structure the appropriate door coverage.

"As we have done in other locations where we’ve added Customer Hosts, our management team will continue to support our associates as they consider other open positions in the store and those in nearby locations."

According to Adam's family, he has not yet been offered any kind of severance package by Walmart.

A coworker started an online petition in the hopes on getting Adam to keep his job.