Fla. Restaurant Owner Fires Workers En Masse By Text [UPDATE]
Getting fired is never a nice experience. But there are better and worse ways to receive the news. This is probably one of the worst: via a text message. That's how a Winter Park, Fla. restaurant owner named Gregory Kennedy delivered the bad news to his entire staff when he abruptly shut down his bistro, Barducci's, according to a report by local television station WFTV.
Waitress Jodi Jackson said in an interview with WFTV that at least a dozen employees learned about their job losses in the Orlando suburb via text message. The text message that Jackson received was brief and started like this:
Jodi, I unfortunately need to inform you that I have been forced to close Barducci's effective immediately.
Update 7/12/2013 4:47PM (The rest of the text read: Despite my efforts there were circumstances that I was not able to address. I wish you all the best and sincerely thank you for everything you have done. Any final payroll checks will be addressed after the accounting has been finalized.
Jackson had worked almost two years at the restaurant and got her termination message on July 4th. Call it an ironic form of independence celebration. "I think it's immoral," she told WFTV. "I think it's cowardice." Jackson alleges that her final paycheck still has not arrived and thinks that the other employees are also waiting on theirs.
More:7 Worst Ways Employees Were Fired
Sometimes employers deliver bad news via email or text so as to avoid an emotional confrontation. It's not clear why Kennedy did, however. AOL Jobs tried to reach Kennedy through the restaurant Facebook page but has not heard back. When WFTV contacted Kennedy, he responded to them via a text message, too. It read:
Unfortunately, businesses are forced to close across Orlando every day, especially in the restaurant sector. I am working to resolve issues including final paychecks as quickly as possible.
