Starbucks: Defamation

Well, it happened again. Another wrongful termination. It seems as though I’m a magnet for these types of working environments. Either way, I can’t help but to feel that this could have been avoided if the need for control didn’t rule some peoples actions. I know because I used to be that person but not anymore. When defamation of my character occurs, as was the case with me and my old manager, that’s when I take a stand. But first, let me explain what happened to give you a better understanding of what I’m talking about.

The Setup

I was working for Starbucks when this all happened. If you’ve read my post, “Setting The Medical Record Strait”, you’ll know I left MGB Salem because I reported a safety concern, and then was written up by those who I blew the whistle on for the same safety issue I reported. I’ve been living paycheck to paycheck so I needed a job, fast. I went to Starbucks to beg for my job back and luckily the general manager (GM) agreed. I was relieved because this meant I could pay rent.

When I arrived to work on my first day, all the same faces were there, except two. I was again relieved because I like everyone I worked with. I fell back into rhythm with the job, reestablished and strengthening old friendships, and felt better, relieved. A little safer. Closing shifts were especially nice because I worked with a couple of women, a new manager and old coworker, who I was really getting to know better, and build a rapport with. But things took a nosedive quick.

When The Need For Control Is Fueled By Fear

There was another new manager that rubbed me the wrong way. I did what she asked of me, but she needed to have everything done by the book. For example I asked if I could close the window when I was working the drive-thru because my hands were so numb I couldn’t feel them. She said, “nope, that’s against store policy” in an “as a matter of fact” manner, and then walked away. I was irritated, but I have epilepsy. I’m used to being in sever whether conditions for extended periods. Like the time I walked two miles, one way, to get to a weekly yoga class in January, at night when it was 7ish°.

I know this behavior well because I had it too. I grew up in a difficult family. We were terrified of each other because all we ever did was tear each other down verbally. This was the subject of my post “Mean Girls Are Terrible Role Models”. It’s about how we tried to manipulate each other by telling each other how they felt to avoid being torn to shreds. Or hiding our feelings behind curt and cold responses. We needed control because we felt like we couldn’t control anything in our lives. This is what it felt like with this particular manager. But even though this felt all too familiar, I wasn’t going to revert to, or feed into the behavior, so I kept my mouth shut and did as I was told.

One day, I came to work and punched in per-usual. I put my apron on and went to the manager, the same one who is big on store policy, and asked what she wanted me to do. She told me that it was against store policy to punch in before I put your apron on. I thought this was petty and decided to take a stand. I told her that another manager says, “all hours present are all hours earned”, but she then repeated herself like those automated messages you get when you call customer service, after every time I tried to explain my position. Again, I was irritated, but I moved on because she was my boss and I didn’t want to bang my head against a wall in frustration, trying to stick up for myself. So I asked her what to do, and she told me to finish my online trainings.

The Rub

I went to the back hallway where there was a table that was out of the way and had a good view of the river. There’s a security camera in that corner that kinda felt like a companion, which was what I needed because I was still irritated about what happened. I started my trainings that I knew to be 15 days late, so I made a plan to mess with the manager who I felt had a bit of a control issue a little. Nothing disrespectful, but I do admit it was a little passive aggressive.

When she came to ask if I had started the trainings I said I had, but also said, “is it store policy for me to be fifteen days late on my trainings?” I knew I’d get a rise out of her, but again I figured it would be a insignificant reaction, maybe leading to reconciliation, not a big deal. But what happened next floored me.

She told me she didn’t like the way I was talking to her. I said sorry, but that’s the truth. She then told me that she could clock me out and I could go home. I was very confused when I heard that, and shocked. My slight jab turned into something completely irrational. But then she told me that she was punching me out, and for me to go home. I didn’t know what was happening. She was in a panic, telling me to leave, and I hadn’t done anything to warrant that type of reaction. A talking to maybe, but being fired with extreme prejudice? I hadn’t even had a verbal warning, or been talked to about my behavior at all while there. What’s more I had a great rapport with all of my coworkers. But confused as I was I left the store not knowing what else to do.

Confusion Turns To Disbelief

I was now worried again about my living situation as it was already unstable and I was just scraping by. I went into work the next morning to speak to the GM about what had happened with my manager, and hopefully set the record strait. People were getting ready for their shift and as they went to the front of house I started to explain what happened. But the GM stopped me, looked me dead in the eye and said, “if you quit voluntarily, I won’t mark you as unhireable”.

I had no idea what was happening. I felt threatened and intimidated. His erratic behavior made me feel that I was being bullied and harassed into leaving with extreme prejudice, and made me fearful of being at Starbucks. What’s worse is, the GM is usually a nice guy. The only person I had issue with was the manager who told me to go home.

I left, but only because I was so confused and scared I didn’t know what else to do. I definitely did not quit even though later the GM would say that many people told him I said I had. I was jobless again, facing eviction, again, and now I had some false allegation against me that may threaten my lively hood, marking me as “unhireable”, and no one would tell me what I was being coerced into leaving for. Even more confused, I went home to regrouped and to decide what to do next.

Out Of The Frying Pan, & Into The Fire

I think I waited a day or two, it’s a little fuzzy because it took me a bit to pull myself together, but I headed back to Starbucks to get my tips and the compliancy hotline number to file a complaint. When I got there I was met by the GM and hostility. I said I was there for my tips and the compliancy hotline number. It looked as though he were trying to intimidate me and said they weren’t ready yet (the tips) and to leave the store. I then said that I wanted the compliancy and safety tip hotline number, to which he responded to look it up online I think. So I said Ok, I’m going into the back hallway, with the single seat, where I was told to go home by the manager, under the camera, and sat down to look for the compliancy phone number.

The GM came to where I was sitting and told me to go home. I said I was busy. Now I had, as an old college professor use to say, “the courage of my conviction”. I wasn’t moving until I got the number and lodged my complaint. He then came back again in a panic, threw the safety and compliance card at me and said take it and leave. I was on the phone, lodging my complaint and ignored him. He left and when he came back he threw my tip money at me and said to leave. He was in a full blown panic. But I stayed strong and continued with my call.

I then went to the front of house to get something, I can’t remember what, a pen maybe, and when I went back to sit in my seat to resume my phone call, the GM cut me off and said to leave and he was calling the police as he was backing up. I continued to ignore him, and as he was leaving the back doorway, he was screaming into his phone, “help I’m being held hostage!” to the police. I thought that was a severe overreaction, because in no way was I being aggressive. Regardless, I sat down and continued with my phone call. Now I was thankful for my old friend the security camera to document what was happening and that I wasn’t being aggressive.

Finishing Up

The police came and asked me to leave. I went to high school with one of the officers so I said hello, told him what was happening. He asked me to leave in a polite manner and agreed because I didn’t want to cause anymore of a scene than had already happened. We parted ways amicably, and that was the last time I stepped foot in that, or any Starbucks.

I still pursued the issue with corporate. However they told me my case was closed and that there was nothing I could do about it. I had no recourse. I was shocked because I hadn’t even been given a chance to tell them my account of what happened. It was cut and dry, my case was closed.

They stopped returning my emails, but when I told them that I was going to take legal action, they were very politely. They asked to speak with me but I did not respond. I then received a phone call from Canada out of the blue. I answered because I had never received a call from Canada, and didn’t know anyone there either, so I was curious. The person asked if they were speaking to Adam in an overly polite manner. I thought it was very odd already, and that they were speaking as though they knew me and overly courteous… Feeling as though it may have been a scam I said “no” and hung up.

I then received an email from the Starbucks rep who I had been corresponding with saying that she tried to call me, but got the wrong number and she wanted to make sure she had my correct contact information. I responded saying, “I would like to wait to talk to you, or Starbucks at large until I take legal counsel. You will be notified.” I was now very suspicious. I know that Massachusetts is a two-party consent state, meaning that you have to have both parties consent to a recorded conversation. But I looked up Canada’s, and it’s a one-party consent country, meaning one person can record the conversation without the other person’s consent. This may sound a little paranoid, but after how I was treated, and me sending more than a dozen emails to corporate to make right the situation with no response, I felt cornered. And when they told me that they wanted to have a conversation with me ONLY after I told them that I was seeking legal counsel, I was vigilantly on my guard.

What’s Next?

So that leads us to now. I still have no idea what was said about me, but it was bad enough to have the police called just by being in the building. I’m still taking legal counsel, but I wanted my story to be told. It wasn’t right what happened to me, and all because someone needed to feel in control. I’m not 100% sure what the motive of the manager, the one who told me to leave, was. Or for acting how she did and making false allegations against me. But she hurt me. Badly.

I don’t know what else to say. The need for power and control comes from a place of insecurity, that’s for certain. But it effects, and affects people in severe ways, as was the case with my situation. I find the best way to deal with these issues is to keep a level head, and as much as you may want to, do not retaliate. This will only make things so much worse for everyone involved.

Gone are the days where I felt I needed to protect my honor by showing I was “in control” of the situation. In the past, I thought that if I was hard and unfeeling, the way I felt my former manager was, and what I was taught was the mark of a man, it would show how right and righteous I was by virtue of being unwaveringly self righteous. Spoiler alert, it just made me look like an ass. This is what I recognized in my abusers at Starbucks. I have pity for them in their confusion and fear, but their feelings are not my responsibility. If you’ve experienced something similar, I suggest you take the non-violent protest route. Nobody wants a fight.

So friends, that’s it. I’ll keep you posted and until next time, wish me luck. Peace & thanks for reading⛰️🌙

Updated 5/25/26. Photo Credits, “Plastic cup dumped in the mud” by Ivan Radic is licensed under CC BY 2.0.