Fired Wendy’s Manager Gives His Side of the Wareham Story [AUDIO]
The former Wendy's district manager who was fired this week called the Rock and Fox Show today to share his side of the story that played out in Wareham.
Keith Helger has had better weeks. He admits that his controversial email to Matthew Rose, a customer complaining about the lack of staffing at the Cranberry Highway Wendy's in Wareham, was worded poorly.
Helger told me that what he neglected to say in his email was that the "recovering addicts" he referred to in his email were welcome to apply, but that they often would not be able to pass the required background check that Wendy's issues to all applicants. This makes it difficult to staff the restaurant, said Helger.
Helger says that these hiring difficulties are true throughout the region that he manages, and that the only reason Wareham was mentioned in his email was because it was the location of the restaurant receiving the complaint. Helger oversaw Wendy's restaurants in Swansea, Fall River, Taunton, New Bedford, Fairhaven, Wareham, Abington, Hanover and Marshfield.
Helger made no bones about it. He says he was wrong and owes Wareham and apology.
"To the residents of Wareham: you are better than how it came across," said Helger.
Helger, who was initially suspended pending an internal investigation, also said that he understands that Wendy's was put in a tough position when it came to his firing.
"I'm the policy guy. I know the policies in and out. I have no ill will towards Wendy's," he said. "They're a great company to work for and if I had the opportunity (to work for them) again, I totally would do it."
Listen to Keith Helger's full Fun 107 audio here:
And in case you missed it, here's the audio from our conversation with Matthew Rose, who filed the original complaint that led to Helger's email: