{"content":[{"text":"www.ijbmcnet.com","bbox":{"left":0.088235,"top":0.043384,"width":0.135382,"height":0.017787000000000004}},{"text":"International Journal of Business Management and Commerce","bbox":{"left":0.257834,"top":0.043384,"width":0.4288359999999999,"height":0.017787000000000004}},{"text":"Vol. 5 No. 3; October 2020","bbox":{"left":0.720973,"top":0.043384,"width":0.18842400000000004,"height":0.017787000000000004}},{"text":"APPLEBEE’S – EATIN’ GOOD IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD","bbox":{"left":0.240229,"top":0.074788,"width":0.5195779999999999,"height":0.020985000000000004}},{"text":"Introduction \n Applebee’s was founded in 1980 and as of 2013 was under the umbrella DineEquity Inc. which also included \n IHOP Corp and one of the largest franchisee in the world according to Applebee’s 2012 Hourly Restaurant \n Associate Handbook (NA, 2012). With nearly 2,000 restaurants and Applebee’s restaurants are a casual dining, \n family oriented operation which incorporates the culture of the local neighborhood in which it operates. Giving \n way to their slogan “Eatin’ Good in the Neighborhood”. \n As a franchisee, Applebee’s operates on a decentralized business model and each geographic area is led by a \n Market President. Area Directors manage the operations and functions of assigned restaurants. General \n Managers oversee individual restaurants and Assistant Managers oversee the day to day management. “Key \n employees, team leads and neighborhood experts” make up the staffing of individual restaurants. Company \n Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, Marketing, Payroll, Purchasing, Real Estate, and \n Training departments is made available through the company’s Support Center through field representatives. (NA, \n 2012)","bbox":{"left":0.088235,"top":0.108351,"width":0.823795,"height":0.23320499999999997}},{"text":"Applebee’s strives to provide excellent service to every guest on a consistent basis without compromising their \n integrity. According to their 2012 Handbook, Applebee’s pledged to their customers, employees, suppliers, \n communities and shareholders to provide superior service, support, respect enhancement and returns. \n Case Incident - No Tip for you! \n \"I give God 10%,\" \"Why do you get 18?\" The check was for a party over 8 which triggered an automatic tip. \n Chelsea Welch said “I thought the note was insulting, but also comical,” (STABLEFORD, 2013) Chelsea Welch, \n a young waitress for Applebee’s posted a picture of a note left on a receipt by a customer who disagreed with the \n restaurant’s automatic 18% tip of her colleague on her Reddit account in early January 2013. \n The customer’s distinguishingly recognizable handwriting was notice and it was further posted on social media to \n be that local Pastor Alois Bell (see Appendix A). Welch did find the note rude but also funny and thought others \n would find it funny as well. The post went viral on Yahoo, and when word got back to Pastor Bell she called the \n manager to complain. \n When interviewed, Chelsea stated her intentions were not ill-willed, she just wanted to share a picture of \n something she found interesting. She was surprised seeing how there was nothing in the employee handbook \n forbidding posts to social media. When Bell was interviewed she stated she was embarrassed by her actions. \n (STABLEFORD, 2013) Chelsea was fired a few days after Bell complained. When word got out that Chelsea \n had lost her job, the matter gained more notoriety on social media and fueled backlash on the chain. The \n individual handling the chain’s social media responded negatively and even deleted comments. (LUSSENHOP, \n 2013) \n APPLICABLE THEORIES \n Employee Rights \n Right to Free Speech \n The First Amendment protection of Freedom of speech includes protection of government employees. Private \n sector employees do have protections under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) in that they can discuss \n employment terms amongst colleagues regarding unfair and unlawful conditions in their workplace (Concerted \n Activity). (NAGELE-PIAZZA, 2018) If employees exercise their Right to Free Speech and in doing so their \n expressions harm their employer or other employees than the employer has the right to take disciplinary actions. \n (LUSSIER & HENDON, 2018) \n Under the NLRA employers must also be mindful of employees’ social media posts to ensure that any \n disciplinary actions do not violate the policies of the act. This then puts employers in a position to strategically \n and effective create social media policies and procedures that aren’t perceived to be restrictive of employees’ \n rights under the NLRA. \n 35","bbox":{"left":0.088235,"top":0.351278,"width":0.823889,"height":0.604002}}],"images_bbox":[],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[]}