An incident occurred on my shift. The documentation of that incident is stated below.
On December 19, 2025, I arrived for my early morning shift and noticed several items lying on the back counter. These items appeared to have been left overnight. According to store procedure, items left out overnight are to be returned to the sales floor, as we do not hold merchandise for customers or employees unless specifically instructed to do so.
Shortly after my shift began, a customer came in and made a large purchase totaling nearly $300. He was buying gifts for his wife’s work team of approximately 30 people. One of the items he specifically requested was Christmas dishtowels. Two of the nicest Christmas dishtowels available were among the items left on the counter. Since I had not been instructed to hold them, I included them in his purchase along with several other dishtowels he selected.
Today, the shift leader approached me in front of another employee and raised her voice, stating that I had sold “her items” that she had placed on the counter. She expressed that she was “so mad” that I had sold them. I explained that I did not recall her telling me not to sell those items, and I asked the other employee present whether she had placed them there. She confirmed she had not.
Given the circumstances — the items being left out overnight, the lack of any clear instruction to hold them, and the established procedure — I acted in accordance with store policy. Additionally, the sale of these items contributed to a significantly higher transaction total, which benefited the store overall.
This documentation reflects my understanding of the incident and the actions I took based on the information available to me at the time.
