Ford Worker Fired Over Snack Theft Claims Reinstatement

A Ford assembly worker, who asserts he was let go after being wrongly accused of stealing $8 worth of snacks, is urging his former employer to reconsider and reinstate him.

Nick Nabozny, among those alleging that Ford and its partner Aramark Inc. falsely branded him a thief, shared that his firing depleted his savings, although he’s determined to move forward. “I harbor no ill will toward Ford Motor Company or the U.S.,” he stated. “I simply want them to do the right thing.”

The 38-year-old Nabozny mentioned he was unemployed for nearly two months post-termination. He ended up cashing out his 401(k), totaling around $78,000 before taxes and penalties, to help support his wife and two young sons as he awaited a response from Ford and the United Auto Workers.

Having maintained perfect attendance for almost nine years, he expressed disappointment regarding his union representatives, wishing they had intervened to prevent his dismissal. “My union representative should have stood up and done his job,” he remarked. “They shouldn’t have allowed me to be let go.”

Nabozny noted that at least four others in his department faced similar terminations for alleged snack theft. These firings occurred in April after they visited a self-service market following overtime shifts.

He recounted, “Surveillance footage showed me chatting with someone, then picking up a Milky Way, checking its ingredients, and putting it back. I took two snacks—a bag of Doritos and a Ritz cracker—and it’s clear I scanned both at the kiosk, even pulling out my debit card to complete the transaction.”

After returning from a family trip to Honduras, Nabozny was summoned to Ford’s labor office, where a union representative informed him of his impending termination. “I asked, ‘What for?’ and he replied, ‘For theft,’” he recalled.

Upon reviewing the video evidence, he was told that although it seemed he attempted to make a purchase, the transaction timed out after he left the kiosk. He was informed that this was still classified as theft.

Unlike another employee whose similar case gained national attention, Nabozny had no record of the transaction on his bank statement as it was never completed. “I wasn’t aware there was an issue until April 27,” he said. He argued that this incident of minor theft was trivial.

“I’ve spent thousands there. I have a family, two little kids. I wouldn’t jeopardize my job for two bags of snacks,” he asserted. “Last year, I even received a $100 gift card from Ford for perfect attendance.”

Initially reported by a journalist, other employees were reinstated after investigations cleared them of wrongdoing. However, neither Ford nor Aramark commented on Nabozny’s case.

According to a Ford spokesperson, the company is aware of certain issues with kiosk functionality and is collaborating with Aramark to address them.

Aramark stated that it is reviewing this specific situation while upholding its commitment to integrity and accountability.

In contrast, former Ford electrician Kurt Krom faced termination for a $1.95 cookie purchase, though he declined reinstatement after proving he had paid. He later pursued legal action instead.