Essential workers have shared photos of the thank you cards and goodie bags they have received from their companies, with many claiming th...
Essential workers have shared photos of the thank you cards and goodie bags they have received from their companies, with many claiming they were given the small tokens instead of hazard pay or bonuses during the pandemic.
Twitter user @milkvamp started a debate about whether these gifts patronizing or thoughtful when she shared photos of the note and candy her best friend allegedly received from his managers at Walmart
'This is what he just received instead of extra pay or benefits,' she tweeted on Sunday, though some pointed out that Walmart has already given employees bonuses and plans to do so again.
Thoughtful? Twitter user @milkvamp shared photos of the note and candy her best friend allegedly received from his managers at Walmart as a 'thank you' amid the pandemic
Gifts: The employee received a paper bag filled with Goldfish crackers, a Rice Krispies treat, some candy, and a koozie with a picture of a toilet paper roll that says, 'We Keep Rolling'
Claims: The Twitter user alleged that he was given the candy instead of pay or benefits, though Walmart has already given employees bonuses
Facts: One woman pointed out that Walmart did give out bonuses. The company gave full-time employees $300 and part-time employees $150 and plans to do so again
According to the photos, the employee received a paper bag filled with Goldfish crackers, a Rice Krispies treat, some candy, and a koozie with a picture of a toilet paper roll that says 'We Keep Rolling.'
Attached to the bag was a note signed by management that said: 'We appreciate all you have done for our store during these trying times. Thank you for being a hero.'
It's unclear which Walmart location the person works for or when he started working. In March, Walmart provided cash bonuses for hourly employees amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The company said in a statement that full-time hourly workers who were hired by March 1 would receive $300 and part-time hourly workers would get $150 by April 2.
Awkward: An Amazon worker revealed he was given a to-go packet of Crystal Light and a note that said, 'Big thanks for making LEMONADE out of lemons!'
Bonus? One Whole Foods employee saying he got a T-shirt that says 'hero.' Amazon and Whole Foods have been paying employees an extra $2 an hour but the practice will end in June
Hard to handle: One woman who works at the post office claimed she got a small bag of candy instead of a bonus
To keep his energy up? Another posted a snapshot of the tea bag and drink mixes her banker dad was given for his hard work during the global crisis
Not bad, not great: A McDonald's worker noted only some employees received a $25 coupon for food as a thank you
Earlier this month, the mega-chain announced a second round of bonuses for the same amount for employees who were hired by June 5 with a June 25 payout.
The Twitter user told Bored Panda that her friend his not mad at his managers for their somewhat misguided attempt to boost morale.
Their issue is with the company's notoriously low wages for its employees, many of whom don't have healthcare benefits.
'It’s not about the specific bag itself, that’s not what I was upset about. It’s the overwhelming narrative that giving them thanks is enough,' she said of her own outrage.
'People working at Walmart make poverty wages and often don’t have healthcare. They have to work during the pandemic, they’re not volunteers.'
Not happy: One woman said she got a 'squished cream egg' from her company after she was furloughed
Statement: Someone else revealed that she got a rubber bracelet that says 'I am essential,' though it's unclear where she works
Thoughtful? One Twitter user saw that her local dollar store is raising money to give essential workers candy
Hmm: Another woman noted that the gift bag she got for being a Walmart customer was better than the one they gave workers
Her tweet has been liked more than 157,000 times and has over 2,500 comments, with some people sharing photos of the patronizing candy and notes they have received from their employers.
One Amazon worker revealed he received a single to-go packet of Crystal Light lemonade mix and a note that said: 'Big thanks for making LEMONADE out of lemons! Sincerely, Amazon.
Since mid-March, the company has been paying workers an additional $2 an hour and double overtime, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Amazon planned on ending the extra pay on May 16 but has extended it through the end of May with plans to return to regular wages in June.
Although the e-commerce giant has faced backlash for rolling back on the practice, a spokeswoman told the Wall Street Journal that the extra pay was viewed as an incentive, not hazard pay.
Backlash: Critics were quick to slam the companies for giving candy and notes to its employees to thank them for their hard work
Amazon-owned Whole Foods has also been given employees an extra $2 an hour with the practice ending at the end of the month.
One Twitter user who works for the grocery store chain shared a photo of himself modeling a T-shirt that the company gave him.
'Whole Foods handed out these shirts for their workers to wear on the day they announced they'd no longer be getting hazard pay,' the person explained. 'The back is covered with "heroic values."'
Someone else revealed that she got a rubber bracelet that says 'I am essential,' though it's unclear where she works.
Another posted a snapshot of the tea bag and drink mixes her banker dad was given for his hard work during the global crisis.
Different opinions: Others noted that the managers were just doing what they could to thank their employees, with some saying they likely paid for the candy with their own money
'My dad works for one of the biggest banks [in] the country and has worked 11 hours a day for the last few months,' she explained. 'This came in an envelope the other day with a "thank you" letter.'
One post office worker claimed she got Smarties candy and two Tootsie Rolls with a note that said: 'Thank you for being a SMARTEE and ROLLING with all the changes. You are VERY appreciated.'
While many were quick to slam the small tokens of appreciation, others noted that the managers were just doing what they could to thank their employees.
'As a manager in retail, don’t get upset about this. Your managers can’t give you extra pay,' one person responded. 'You should be upset with the company. I’d be grateful if other managers did s**t like this for my team.'
'Probably a fair chance this was a gesture from those managers personally to try to boost morale, paid out of their own pockets,' someone else pointed out, while another tweeted: '100% respect to the managers for at least trying to do something, I've no doubt that this was their idea.'
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