Target employees fired for toy purchase

By Neil Nisperos

Staff Writer

CHINO--A Diamond Bar woman was fired a few days before Christmas from her job at a Chino Target store for buying two of her grandchildren a pair of toy hamsters.

Christina Garcia, who has worked at the Chino Spectrum Target store for the past six years, is called "Sunshine" by coworkers and customers for her happy, helpful demeanor. 

It was anything but sunshine for Garcia when she was fired Dec. 22 for buying two Zhu Zhu pets, at about $8 each, for her grandchildren on Dec. 2. The popular toy hamsters, which making noises and scurry around on wheels, were a hot item on Christmas shopping lists for children this year. 

Garcia, 59, says she at 9:30 a.m. -- an hour after she had clocked out of her nightshift. Six other employees were also fired for buying the popular toy, Garcia said. 

"I felt sick to my stomach, because I said, 'you're firing me for buying two of those pets'," said Garcia who offered to return the toys. "What I've been doing is crying and trying to find out what to do now. Nobody's going to hire me now. It's right before the new year."

According to Target policy, workers may be terminated for violating for not following specific guidelines when purchasing items during their scheduled shifts. The guidelines, Target officials say, are in place to ensure customers they have the same purchasing opportunities as Target employees.

"As a result, we have policies in place to ensure our team members follow specific guidelines when purchasing items during their scheduled shifts," according to a Target statement. 

Among those fired from the Chino Target is Debbie Espinoza, a four-year Target employee, who purchased the toy on Dec. 3 during her lunch break and has never been written up. 

"I think that the technicality, according to the policy, was that we removed (the Zhu Zhu Pets) from the shelf before it became available to guests," Espinoza said. "Now that I know the policy, I can technically see where we can get into corrective action for it, but I don't think that terminations fits corrective action."

The incident echoes a similar incident last week in Buffalo, New York, when seven Target employees were fired for buying the popular Zhu Zhu pets but were rehired after further investigation.

"With regard to the situation at the Walden Galleria Target store near Buffalo, New York, we carefully reviewed the specific circumstances surrounding the terminations, and determined that there may not have been a clear understanding amongst the overnight team at that particular store regarding the restrictions contained in the policy. As a result, we offered to reinstate each of the seven team members, effective immediately," according to a statement from Target.

Target officials said they would conduct a similar review of the termination of a team member at the Chino store to determine whether any unique circumstances would warrant a rehire of an employee.

"I'm really hoping to work at Target, because that's where I enjoy working and I'm waiting to see what they have to say," Espinoza said.

neil.nisperos@inlandnewspapers.com

(909) 483-9356