Matt Wood, the Walmart greeter who was fired for clocking in late after lunch breaks, has officially been reinstated as of Wednesday morning.
After a long talk with the Durango branch’s general manager, Mike Neidlinger, and a regional representative, the superstore has agreed to give Wood his job back – effective immediately, said Jessica Wood, Matt’s wife.
“It was a very good meeting,” Jessica Wood said Wednesday afternoon. “We were all very calm, collected and kind to each other.”
Wood was fired Oct. 21. His family and friends took up his cause, drawing the community’s attention to what they felt was an unjust firing. After a story about his plight appeared Saturday in the Herald, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it was prepared to meet with the family and talk about giving Wood his job back.
He plans to return to work Monday.
Wood has worked for Wal-Mart since 2008. In 2005, during his junior year at Utah Valley University, Wood was involved in a car crash that left him with severe brain damage.
Jessica Wood said she discussed some possible solutions with the Walmart team in hopes of avoiding any future incidences. This time around, she hopes to have better communication with Walmart to ensure both parties are satisfied.
Additionally, she said, Neidlinger apologized for how the other managers handled the situation and acknowledged their mistakes.
Walmart was not entirely at fault, she said, and she is working with her husband to ensure a better work performance on his behalf.
“He’s fully willing to accept his responsibility and what he could have done differently,” she said.
Attempts to reach a spokesperson with the Wal-Mart corporation were unsuccessful late Wednesday afternoon.
The Woods, who live in Bayfield with two sons, both work to provide income for their family and pay for rehabilitation expenses.
“I’m hoping he can return to work and things are normal,” Jessica Wood said.
In her family blog, she expressed gratitude for the community and nationwide support her family has received during the past week.
“I never expected (the news coverage) to get that big,” she said. “It just shows how much people really love Matt.”
vguthrie@durangoherald.com
