Target said on Thursday an employee who launched a national campaign against the company for opening its doors on midnight on Black Friday was never scheduled to work that day.
Target spokeswoman Molly Snyder said Nebraska employee Anthony Hardwick requested the time off to work at his other job on Black Friday.
"We honored that request," Snyder wrote in an e-mail. "Target does our best to work around the schedules of all of our team members, making every effort to accommodate their requests."
Hardwick did not immediately return a call for comment.
Hardwick's online petition has already gathered 150,450 signatures protesting Target's decision to open hours earlier on Black Friday, a move that would require employees to come to work at 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving night. His petition was launched on change.org, the same website that helped push Bank of America to reverse its decision to charge customers a $5 monthly debit card fee.
Hardwick said Target's new Black Friday hours aren't fair to employees who want to celebrate the holiday with their families. Target has joined other retailers such as Best Buy, Macy's and the Mall of America that plan to open its doors at midnight or earlier.
Change.org said on Thursday it is their understanding that Hardwick was asked to work a night shift beginning 11 p.m. on Thanksgiving night and that Hardwick hasn't been informed that his schedule has changed.
Change.org emphasized that Hardwick's campaign isn't just about him.
"This is about a young man trying to stand up for families, and clearly tens of thousands of people across the country agree with him," the organization said.
Wendy Lee • 612-673-1712
