After 11 years spent maintaining the facility's robotics, Kromm was escorted from the building based on Aramark surveillance footage that allegedly showed him taking the snack without payment. Despite presenting bank statements proving the charge had cleared, he remained terminated until he escalated the matter to labor executives. Ford eventually acknowledged the error, offering to reinstate him with $33,000 in back pay.
Ford Fired a Technician Over a Cookie—Then Paid Him $33,000
At 3:38 a.m. during an overnight shift, Kurt Kromm swiped his card at a Ford Kentucky Truck Plant break room kiosk for a $1.95 pack of cookies. The machine failed to confirm the transaction, but the bank later verified the payment. One week later, Ford fired him for theft.
Kromm declined the return offer, citing the emotional toll of the ordeal. While Ford declined to discuss the specifics of the case, the company stated that they occasionally identify situations that should have been handled differently and attempt to rectify those mistakes accordingly.
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