STORM2K

Man Says He Was Fired for Drinking Coors

By JON SARCHE, Associated Press Writer

DENVER, Colo. - Ross Hopkins still likes to drink Bud, even though he says a brief tryst with a Coors beer cost him his job at a Budweiser distributor.

Hopkins, 41, is suing American Eagle Distributing Co., saying the company wrongly fired him for drinking Coors in a bar two years ago.

"They flat-out told me 'We're putting food on your table so you could put it on theirs?'" he said Tuesday. "I thought I could drink it, no problem."

Hopkins' lawsuit, filed in a Greeley court, seeks unspecified damages for lost wages and benefits. No trial date has been set.

Jeff Bedingfield, an attorney for the distributor, declined to comment, saying: "American Eagle prefers not to try this case in the media."

Colorado law says workers cannot be fired for a legal activity while off duty and away from work. There are exceptions, such as when a worker's actions relate to an occupational requirement or create a conflict of interest.

In a court filing, American Eagle said Hopkins' termination "was necessary to avoid a conflict of interest with his responsibilities to American Eagle and/or the appearance of such a conflict of interest."

Hopkins, who was a warehouse supervisor for the distributor, said he was not wearing a uniform or representing American Eagle when he was at the bar in May 2003 with some co-workers. He said he had ordered a Budweiser but a waitress brought Coors. He decided to drink it because he didn't want to wait.

The son-in-law of the distributor's majority shareholder also was at the bar, and offered twice to buy him a Budweiser, but Hopkins turned it down both times.
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Doesn't matter what brand name, it produces the same disasterous effect when you drink and drive.

Typically, you don't bite the hand that feeds you.

This like firing a cop because he has a Smith & Wesson, but uses Remington ammunition.

gboudx wrote:Typically, you don't bite the hand that feeds you.

So, if you work at Applebee's, does that mean you should never, ever go out to eat at any other restaurant?

If you work at Wal-Mart, does that mean that you shouldn't buy your groceries, socks, CD's, paint, greeting cards, laundry detergent, prescriptions, sewing supplies, hurricane supplies, stereo, tires, glitter, furniture, light bulbs, luggage, baby shower gifts, shoes, rifle, Slim-fast, flowers, jewelry, DVD's, diapers, or dog food anywhere else?

GalvestonDuck wrote:

gboudx wrote:Typically, you don't bite the hand that feeds you.

So, if you work at Applebee's, does that mean you should never, ever go out to eat at any other restaurant?

If you work at Wal-Mart, does that mean that you shouldn't buy your groceries, socks, CD's, paint, greeting cards, laundry detergent, prescriptions, sewing supplies, hurricane supplies, stereo, tires, glitter, furniture, light bulbs, luggage, baby shower gifts, shoes, rifle, Slim-fast, flowers, jewelry, DVD's, diapers, or dog food anywhere else?

Of course it doesn't mean that you can't go eat or shop somewhere else. But by spending your money at the place that gives you a paycheck, then you are increasing the bottom line of your company, and therefore the stock price. And if you own stock, then you are helping yourself.

gboudx wrote:

GalvestonDuck wrote:

gboudx wrote:Typically, you don't bite the hand that feeds you.

So, if you work at Applebee's, does that mean you should never, ever go out to eat at any other restaurant?

If you work at Wal-Mart, does that mean that you shouldn't buy your groceries, socks, CD's, paint, greeting cards, laundry detergent, prescriptions, sewing supplies, hurricane supplies, stereo, tires, glitter, furniture, light bulbs, luggage, baby shower gifts, shoes, rifle, Slim-fast, flowers, jewelry, DVD's, diapers, or dog food anywhere else?

Of course it doesn't mean that you can't go eat or shop somewhere else. But by spending your money at the place that gives you a paycheck, then you are increasing the bottom line of your company, and therefore the stock price. And if you own stock, then you are helping yourself.

But in this case, he wasn't at his place of employment. Besides, he DID order a Bud. That ought to count for something.

Does Coors constitute beer? Or is it beer-flavored water?

Duck, my original comment had nothing to do with who's right and who's wrong in the case. But if you ask me, I think it's ridiculous that he was fired for drinking a Coors. Maybe he was checking in on the competition.

Stormchasr, I hear that and then some. Coors is not my beer of choice.

Coors is not my beer of choice.

Friends don't let friends drink Coors.

I did 11 years on a keg route at a Coors/Miller/Imports distributer. They had the same policy. There is plenty of stuff like this out there. They also had a no compete contract you had to sign. If you quit or got fired you couln't go to work for Bud until a year had passed. I did see it enforced on both sides of the fence while working there. I make my own beer so they could not do anything about it.

StormChasr wrote:

Coors is not my beer of choice.

Friends don't let friends drink Coors.

HEY....I resemble that REMARK Actually, it's MGD, Coors? It's DOWN STREAM BEER! Ya know, cows in the field, everything RUNS downhill!

Dennis