The Wendy's employee with down syndrome was fired because he was 'unable to perform the duties of a normal persons job', his sister said.
A man with down syndrome who worked for a Wendy’s restaurant for 20 years was fired from the job he dreamed of retiring from.
Dennis Peek was terminated from the fast food chain’s location in Stanley, North Carolina, because he was ‘unable to perform the duties of a normal persons job’, his sister Cona Young Turner shared on Facebook.
‘My brother Dennis has worked at Wendy’s in Stanley for over 20 years and I am heart broken to say they have fired him!!!!!!!!’ she wrote on October 5.
‘His dream was to retire from there some day and he was looking forward to a huge retirement party, we may just give him that party and tell him he has retired because he does not understand being fired!!!!!!!’
Turner added that she was looking into what to do about the wrongful termination of a special needs employee – and that she needed luck in the effort.
‘I am very disappointed with the management at Wendy’s in Stanley, they have no idea how they hurt my brother!’ she wrote.
Carolina Restaurant Group, the franchise organization that runs the Wendy’s in Stanley, called Peek’s termination ‘a very unfortunate mistake and lapse in protocol’.
‘We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for our employees and customers,’ the company told TODAY.
In an update to her Facebook post, Turner said that Wendy’s had offered her brother his job back beginning the following week.
‘My heart is overwhelmed by the support that you all have given my brother and myself!’ she wrote. ‘Thank you all so much,!!’
In a second update, Turner provided an address for anyone who wanted to send cards or letters to Peek.
A third and final update revealed that Peek would not be returning to Wendy’s.
‘He will be having his BIG RETIREMENT party that he has been wanting,’ Turner wrote. ‘Wendy’s has offered to help with expenses and anything else they can for his special day.’
Turner did not share further details about the about-face, but wrote, ‘I feel in my heart at this point i should do what is best for my brother’.
Carolina Restaurant Group told TODAY that ‘we value Dennis’ and that ‘we are looking forward to either welcoming him back to work in the restaurant or to celebrating him in a big way should he choose to retire’.
The company said it would re-hire Peek if he wanted to return in the future.
‘Should Dennis retire and ever want to work again, we’ll also be happy to welcome him back,’ said the company.
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