An Indiana man who worked at Pizza Hut for more than 10 years says he was fired because he refused to keep his store open on Thanksgiving.
Tony Rohr, the general manager of the Jackson Boulevard Pizza Hut in Elkhart, was told that Thanksgiving this year would be a mandatory business day, WSBT-TV reported.
“I said, ’Why can’t we be the company that stands up and says we care about our employees and they can have the day off?’” he told the station.
“Thanksgiving and Christmas are the only two days that they’re closed in the whole year, and they’re the only two days that those people are guaranteed to have off and spend it with their families,” he said.
Mr. Rohr said he was told to sign a letter of resignation, but he refused, instead writing a letter of protest.
“I am not quitting,” the letter read. “I do not resign, however I accept that the refusal to comply with this greedy, immoral request means the end of my tenure with this company … I hope you realize that it’s the people at the bottom of the totem pole that make your life possible.”
Mr. Rohr is still looking for work but says that taking a stand was well worth it.
“They’re still going to be open. I’m sure they’re still going to sell pizza but I just didn’t think it was right,” he told WSBT.
One of Mr. Rohr’s bosses, the director of operations for several Pizza Hut locations, told the station that the employee quit.
Mr. Rohr plans to spend the holiday with his girlfriend and his parents in South Bend, WSBT reported.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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