A Trader Joe's employee has taken to Twitter to share an email that he sent to management about Covid-19 safety precautions that he claims resulted in him being fired.
Ben Bonnema's story went viral after the Manhattan-based former employee decided to suggest ways that the company could help to keep its staff and customers safer during the ongoing pandemic.
The leaked email allegedly shows him suggesting to management that they limit the number of people allowed in the store at any one time and improve the quality of air filtration.
He backed this suggestion up by citing the work of scientists who have advised President Biden to improve air filtration standards around the country.
Bonnema wrote in the letter that it is currently governmental policy that no one should be allowed inside a store without a mask "for any reason".
"The ADA requires that we offer (customers) reasonable accommodation, which we do by offering to shop for them," he wrote. "If they refuse, we should not let them in."
In the letter, he suggested that any customers who wear their masks too low to be effective in the store should receive a warning before eventually being banned.
"Adopt a 3 strikes policy when it comes to removing uncooperative people from our stores. I was recently shouted and sworn at by a customer who would not wear his mask above his nose despite his mates asking him to do so.
"He was allowed to finish his shopping and check out."
Trader Joe's allegedly responded to Bonnema by sending him a letter explaining that he would no longer be working for the company.
"In a recent email, you suggest adopting a 3 strike policy against customers and a policy enforcing the same accommodation for every customer with a medical condition that precludes them from wearing a mask," the letter reads.
"These suggestions are not in line with our core values … It is clear that you do not understand our values. As a result, we are no longer comfortable having you work for Trader Joe's."
In a post that has received over 190K likes at the time of writing, Bonnema shared a screenshot of the email on Twitter.
He explained in the comments section that he had originally written the letter to management because he wanted him and his coworkers to feel safe.
