Veteran Turned Down By Macy’s, Told She Had Wrong ‘Mindset’ Because Of War
Kayla Reyes was turned down for a job at Macy’s after being told by a recruiter she had the wrong “mindset” because she fought in a war.
Reyes says she interviewed for a job on the sales floor at Fresno’s Fashion Fair mall in February but was told that she wouldn’t be able to relate to customers because she had seen combat.
Reyes, who enlisted in the military at the age of 17, claims that the interview took a turn for the worse when her 4-year army career came up and that the hiring manager said, ‘Being that you’ve been over there, you wouldn’t really know how to approach people.’
Stunned, Reyes said the manager continued and said that having spent a year dealing with IED’s and the Taliban, ‘Once a customer’s in your face, you wouldn’t know how to do it. You wouldn’t know how to react.’
Macy’s responds:
‘Employing veterans is a priority at Macy’s, and we have proudly hired thousands to work within our stores and corporate organization,’ said Betsy Nelson, Macy’s vice president of media.
‘Our commitment to veterans is strong, as we recognize that veterans possess leadership skills that we find are essential in a dynamic department store environment.
‘Ms. Reyes’ application for a position with Macy’s is, in fact, still under consideration as we continue to consider the types of retail jobs that may be available.
