Walmart is Eliminating Their ‘Greeter’ Position for a ‘Customer Host’
As of April 26th, Walmart will no longer employ the 'greeter' position, but rather a more physically demanding position of 'customer host'.
To qualify for the position of customer host, one will need to be able to lift 25-pound packages, stand for long periods, and climb ladders.
Disabled workers are unhappy with the company as several greeter positions have been filled by people with physical disabilities. Walmart told KFYR that they are hoping to place greeters in other positions with the company, but employees with disabilities are not hopeful.
Greeter positions at Walmart have been around for several years but began expanding to the role of 'host' in 2016. Responsibilities began to expand beyond welcoming customers to checking receipts as a way of deterring would-be shoplifters, helping with returned items, and keeping the front portion of the store clean.
Public notice of greeters being phased out began spreading this past week on social media and was soon picked up by local news and now, national news outlets. Some communities have formed Facebook groups to get behind those losing their jobs and some have signed petitions as well. A second-grade class out of California wrote letters to the CEO of Walmart for a disabled greeter in Pennsylvania, Adam Catlin, after news of his dismissal spread on Facebook. Another Walmart job has since been offered to Adam.