Target fired me after I let a worker buy a Stanley cup. The emotional and financial toll have been severe.
Feb 20, 2024, 21:09 IST
- Target fired dozens of workers last month in a crackdown on employee purchases of Stanley cups.
- Former Starbucks Team Lead Nikcole Smith lost her job even though she never bought a cup.
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This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with a Nikcole Smith, a former Starbucks Team Lead at Target near Baltimore, Maryland, who was fired on January 23, 2024, amid the retailer’s crackdown on employee purchases of Stanley cups. The company did not respond to Business Insider’s request for comment on this story, which has been edited for length and clarity.I joined Target almost a year ago to be my store’s Starbucks team leader after having worked for a year before that as a shift supervisor at a regular Starbucks location.As a single mom with two kids, working there gave me full health benefits for my children, which also covered all the specialized services they need.Both of my kids were diagnosed with autism, and autistic children can have more mental health needs. You have to make sure that they're getting more emotional support, which can mean another doctor’s bill, which can get expensive.When I left Starbucks for Target, I saw a $4.10 per hour raise, so it made things significantly easier for me to be able to help provide for my children.