Clerk With Autism Says Kroger Coworkers Bullied Him Into Quitting

After working since last April as a bagger at the 23 Mile Road Kroger, a man with autism says he left his job recently after months of bullying from coworkers. Gio Trapani, 23, says coworkers at the New Baltimore store talked to him like he was a child, made sexually suggestive comments about him and another disabled Kroger employee, and put anti-theft tags on his clothes so he'd set off alarms when he exited the building to collect carts from the parking lot.

Trapani’s mother, April Francy, said that she made complaints to no avail, and that the continued bullying forced her to insist her son quit the job he’d initially loved. The resignation didn’t end the harassment. Coworkers mocked the departure on social media, posting “by estimates, due to decreasing productivity since his resignation, the doors will be closing for good in the next 30 days.”

Trapani says he wanted people to know about the situation to highlight the importance of treating other people, especially those with disabilities, with dignity. “You treat people with respect. You don’t treat them like they're a pile of dirt,” he said during his taped interview with Local 4.

In a statement, Kroger management said that the chain had started an investigation, that Kroger has “a zero tolerance to bullying within our stores” and that the alleged harassment would be handled. “Our company is a supporter of defeat the label in an effort of anti bullying and last year won 3 awards in support of hiring those with special needs and providing them growth in their future. Again this will be handled,” the statement concludes.

For more on this story, including video of the interview, visit Local 4/Click on Detroit.

Photo via Scott Olson/News/Getty Images.