SALISBURY, Md.- If you're a frequent shopper at Walmart, you're probably familiar with the smiling faces that greet you at the front door.
Now, these smiling faces are being replaced--at least their positions are, for a new role. The role is called "customer host," and the position requires more physical responsibilities than the traditional greeter role.
This is worrying shoppers and employees at Walmart. Some say this is an unfair change to the elderly, veterans and disabled who often work in these roles.
Cindy Phillips is from Delaware and was shopping Thursday at the Walmart in Salisbury. She says the change is not a good thing. When she heard about the new role she was, "Sad, oh my gosh. It just made my day when she says goodbye, have a nice day, that's really sad that they're getting rid of them."
Others like Terry Goodman says he doesn't support the new role because, "That's not the job of a greeter, a greeter is supposed to bring the customers in, and let them know they appreciate them on their way out."
But in a statement to WBOC Walmart said,
We’ve recently shared our plans to change the responsibilities of the people greeter role in some stores and that involves associates with disabilities in some cases. We recognize that our associates with physical disabilities face a unique situation. With that in mind, we will be extending the current 60-day greeter transition period for associates with disabilities while we explore the circumstances and potential accommodations, for each individual, that can be made within each store. This allows associates to continue their employment at the store as valued members of the team while we seek an acceptable, customized solution for all of those involved.
Walmart says nearly 1,000 stores will be affected, but it would not comment on how many workers it has that work as greeters who are disabled. Walmart says it has already begun offering positions to greeters, including some with disabilities.
People like David Quillen says he'll continue to shop at Walmart but he's extremely disappointed.
"It's a positive part of going into Walmart," he said. "It's a very human side of what I like to see when I shop, and I hope they change their mind and continue to have the greeters."
Reports are saying the transition will happen by the end of April.
