Wal-Mart Employees Sometimes Have to Use Their Own Money to Provide an American Flag For Display-Fiction!
Summary of eRumor:
The message is said to be from a citizen who noticed that there were no flags flying outside of the local Wal-Mart during the patriotically intense days after the terrorist attack on America. That person was told that Wal-Mart does not provide flags to their stores. She called Wal-Mart’s corporate offices and was told that if the local store cannot fit the flag into their budget, the only way to have one would be if the employees all chipped-in and bought it.
The Truth:
A spokesperson for Wal-Mart corporate headquarters says it is not true that Wal-Mart does not make provision for American flags for display at their stores.
Whenever a new Wal-Mart is built, a part of the budget is for a flagpole and flag for display.
In the case of stores where an outside flagpole cannot be erected because logistical problems or local regulations, a flag is able to be displayed inside, such as being hung in proper manner.
The flag pole and flag are a part of the start-up costs of the store so are technically a part of the store’s own budget, but all Wal-Mart stores should have flags and no employees should have to pay for it themselves.
The writer of the eRumor does not identify the particular store she is referring to, so we don’t know what the actual story is of what she was told.