All throughout the south and including in West Virginia, Walmart has long been a popular brand and store for area residents. One of the hallmarks of Walmart has been that it has provided many great employment opportunities for people at all levels. The strong employment history of Walmart includes providing ample jobs for people with disabilities. This, however, may be set to change and is causing some serious controversy for the mega-retailer.
As reported by Inc. magazine, Walmart has long hired people in a position referred to as a greeter. As the job title implies, these people are responsible for greeting customers as they come into or leave a store. They may also help direct customers as to where they might find certain products they are looking for. This role was very desirable for disabled persons as even someone confined to a wheelchair could fully perform the duties required.
Now, the company is making a major change as it looks to eliminate the role of greeters in stores. In place of greeters, Walmart wants to hire hosts. These people would have the responsibilities of greeters and then some. Additional job tasks might require a host to climb a ladder or carry large items to a register or a customer’s car. These responsibilities eliminate many disabled people from even applying for the position.
While the retailer insists the change is simply a business decision, others feel that this transition is nothing short of an all-out attack on disabled workers. The decision seems to blur the lines between business needs and fair treatment of employees.
