Top Lacoste salesman says he was fired for Instagram photo
A top salesman at Lacoste claims he was fired for posting a photo of his paycheck to Instagram, Gothamist reports.
While working at the clothing company’s flagship store in New York City, Wade Groom says he became the brand’s top seller in the United States. Still, he says in the Gothamist story, his $15-an-hour salary and 3 percent commission wasn’t enough to support his family.
“I was making as much as $1,500 a week selling shirts, but I’m not able to give my kids a better life, even if I’m working my butt off,” Groom told Gothamist. “I’ve got twins that are four years old, and I don’t make enough money to save any. This is what we accept in New York City.”
Groom, who lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children, posted the image of his paycheck a few weeks ago. On July 31, his manager took him off the floor for a fateful conference call.
“The bossman called me downstairs and told me to get on a conference call with an HR manager,” Groom said. “The HR manager told me that the image somehow got back to the corporate office, and that it infringes our confidentiality agreement, and that I was fired.”
According to Groom, that possibility never even occurred to him when he posted the photo.
“I assumed that people would understand that I’m just expressing my frustration through my private Instagram account,” he said. “A stern warning would have been more appropriate.”
The Gothamist said Lacoste would not return requests for a comment.
