Walmart greeters with disabilities could lose their jobs because of a policy change - and people are furious

Reuters

Walmart is getting rid of store greeters.

• Some Walmart employees with disabilities may lose their jobs as a result of staffing changes.
• Walmart is eliminating store greeters in about 1,000 stores and replacing them with an expanded role called "customer hosts."
• Unlike greeters, customer hosts "must be able to lift 25 pounds, clean up spills, collect carts and stand for long periods of time, among other things - tasks that can be impossible for people with disabilities," NPR reported Monday.
• More than 9,000 people have signed a petition to keep Jay Melton, a Walmart greeter with cerebral palsy, employed at a Walmart in Marion, North Carolina. 

People are rallying around Walmart employees with disabilities following reports that some could lose their jobs as a result of staffing changes. 

The changes impact Walmart's store greeters. Walmart is eliminating these positions in about 1,000 stores and replacing them with an expanded role called "customer hosts."

Unlike greeters, customer hosts "must be able to lift 25 pounds, clean up spills, collect carts and stand for long periods of time, among other things - tasks that can be impossible for people with disabilities," NPR reported Monday, citing Walmart documents and interviews with workers.

Nathan Joerndt, a Walmart greeter in Illinois, told 25 News that he found out about the changes this weekend and that he's scared he will lose his job as a result.

"I was hurt, I was devastated, I was angry," said Joerndt, who has a developmental disorder called Williams Syndrome.

More than 9,000 people have signed a petition to keep Jay Melton, a Walmart greeter with cerebral palsy, employed at a Walmart in Marion, North Carolina. 

The petition says Melton may lose his job in April after 17 years of working for Walmart.

"Jay makes me smile even on my worst days," one person commented on the petition. "He has always been a dedicated worker to Walmart. Shame on you Walmart."

Adam Catlin, another Walmart greeter with cerebral palsy, also faces the possibility of losing his job in April, according to a widely shared post that his mother published on Facebook.

In response to the NPR story, Walmart said it would give its disabled workers more time to deal with the job changes.

"We recognize that our associates with physical disabilities face a unique situation," Walmart told NPR. "With that in mind, we will be extending the current 60-day greeter transition period for associates with disabilities while we explore the circumstances and potential accommodations, for each individual, that can be made within each store. This allows associates to continue their employment at the store as valued members of the team while we seek an acceptable, customized solution for all of those involved."

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Here's how people are reacting to the staffing changes on Twitter.