Disabled Idaho Walmart Greeter Of 25 Years Could Lose Her Job
One of the only things that are certain in life is change and change is exactly what Walmarts across the country are going through right now. Thousands of Walmart Greeters are losing their jobs including one woman, right here in Idaho who has physical limitations because of her disabilities.
Jessie Bergman has been saying hello, talking to customers, and helping people out at the Moscow, Idaho Walmart for more than 25 years now and it looks as if those years of doing what she loves is coming to a close.
Walmart is doing away with most greeters and bringing in a new position they call "Customer Host" which kind of sounds like the same thing but it's not. Part of the requirements to be a Customer Host is lifting packages and climbing ladders. Bergman was born with a birth defect which confines her to a wheelchair at all times which means she does not qualify for the job. Even though she's pretty much been doing this job for a quarter of a century.
When Bergman first heard about all the Walmarts taking the Greeter position away she felt bad for them. Felt bad for them but didn't realize that SHE was one of them. Once that realization hit, it's been difficult, to say the least.
KTVB reports that Walmart is doing its best to place their current greeters into other positions and if they don't have positions available, they're trying to help them get other jobs. For Bergman that most likely means a job answering phones behind a desk which, yes, is a job and it still puts food on the table but... for someone who's spent 25 years in a social environment interacting with others it'll be a major change.