Donna Hansbrough, 68, got her job back as a Lowe’s associate in Rincon, Ga., on Monday. She had been fired a month ago after grabbing onto a shopping cart in the parking lot, trying to stop three suspected shoplifters. The 13-year veteran of Lowe’s was allegedly punched in the face three times for her trouble.
Lowe’s and other big boxes have strict policies that forbid associates from chasing after or confronting shoplifters. Hansbrough’s case created a social media backlash against Lowe’s—with many customers calling for a boycott of the chain. The company reinstated her “after senior managers became aware of the incident,” Lowe’s told the media.
