MARION, N.C. — A petition to let a Walmart greeter keep his job in Marion, N.C. is gaining support on the internet.
The title of the petition is "Keep Jay Melton at Walmart". The post said because the company is changing "greeters" into "hosts", Melton will most likely lose his job.
"This means that the job now requires the ability to stand for long periods of time, lift 25-pound parcels, check receipts, write reports, and help with product loss investigations," the post read.
Melton has cerebral palsy and cannot walk without help, so he would not be able to perform the new duties.
Melton has worked at Walmart for almost 17 years, according to the post, and he loves his job.
"According to his father, what Jay loves most is watching Carolina basketball, going church, and working at Walmart," the post read.
So far, more than 7,000 people have signed the petition.
NBC Charlotte reached out to Walmart for a response and received this statement:
“As we strive to constantly improve the experience for our customers, we will need to adjust roles from time to time. We’ve recently shared our plans to change the responsibilities of the people greeter role in some stores and that involves associates with disabilities in some cases. We recognize that our associates with physical disabilities face a unique situation. With that in mind, we will be extending the current 60-day greeter transition period for associates with disabilities while we explore the circumstances and potential accommodations, for each individual, that can be made within each store. This allows associates like Jay to continue their employment at the store as valued members of the team while we seek an acceptable, customized solution for all of those involved.”