A former Ford employee is preparing to sue the automaker and food services provider Aramark after he was fired over allegations of stealing a $1.95 packet of cookies, despite later proving that the payment had gone through.
The incident has drawn attention to workplace disciplinary procedures after Ford tried to reinstate the employee with back pay, an offer he ultimately rejected.
According to a New York Post report, Kurt Kromm, a 60-year-old electrician, worked for 11 years at Ford's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville before he was dismissed over what the company believed was an unpaid purchase at an Aramark self-checkout kiosk.
Employee Declines Reinstatement Despite Back Pay
After reviewing Kromm's bank records, Ford determined that the $1.95 payment had been successfully processed. The company reportedly reinstated him, paid around $33,000 in back wages and offered him his job back.
However, Kromm declined to return and has hired Kentucky attorney J. Will Huber to pursue legal action against both Ford and Aramark.
"I can't come back to a company that just fired me like this and not give me any chance to show I paid," Kromm told the newspaper.
His attorney said the allegations of theft were unfounded and argued that both companies had access to evidence proving the payment had been made.
"The accusations of theft made against him were absolutely false," Huber said, adding that proof of Kromm's innocence was available from the beginning.
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How the Incident Happened?
The incident occurred during an overnight shift on May 9 when Kromm said his blood sugar level dropped to 60. Being diabetic, he purchased a two-pack of Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies from an Aramark self-checkout kiosk.
According to Kromm, the payment terminal displayed a red error message after he swiped his debit card. He tried the transaction again, but the machine neither confirmed nor rejected the payment.
Believing the transaction had likely been processed, he took the cookies and returned to work.
About a week later, supervisors called him into a meeting and informed him that he was being terminated over the alleged theft.
"They want to terminate you for taking a cookie. I was like, 'What are you talking about?'" Kromm recalled.
He said he was immediately escorted out of the factory and was not allowed to collect his personal belongings.
Bank Statement Cleared Him
Kromm later obtained a photograph of the self-checkout kiosk showing the cookie price and matched it with the $1.95 charge on his bank statement.
He submitted screenshots of the transaction to Ford and union representatives. Ford reportedly asked him to provide a notarised bank statement before reinstating him with full back pay.
Despite receiving compensation, Kromm said the experience permanently damaged his trust in the company.
"There was no apology. There was no serious, 'We're sorry,'" he said.
"I expected to work for Ford until I retired. This was tremendously difficult for me, but I couldn't go back."
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Ford and Aramark Respond
Responding to the report, a Ford spokesperson told the New York Post that the company does not comment on the specifics of pending litigation but is reviewing the limited instances where issues have been reported with Aramark's self-checkout kiosks.
Aramark also declined to comment on the potential lawsuit, saying it remains focused on operating with integrity and accountability.
Kromm's attorney is expected to send a formal demand letter to both companies as he prepares legal action over what he alleges was a wrongful termination. The case was first highlighted by journalist Phoebe Wall Howard through her Shifting Gears Substack newsletter.
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