SC Lawyer Fail

[Smapti]

WIC. It's both a financial boon to businesses like ours, and a complete pain in the ass. For those not familiar, WIC is a federal program, administered by the states, designed to provide nutritional assistance to pregnant women and/or to their young children. Unlike food stamps which you can spend on pretty much anything the government considers to be "food", WIC vouchers can only be used to buy specific staples according to the individual needs of the recipient - stuff like milk, eggs, cereal, peanut butter, baby food, and so on. As part of the Store's contract with the state that allows us to take WIC vouchers, we have to agree that we'll always have certain products in stock that most WIC users will need. We are not, however, required to carry everything that's WIC-eligible - and that's where this tale begins.

I was working the dairy last night, and I was on the outside of the aisle, organizing stuff in the door, when a woman carrying some WIC checks walks up to me, and we have the following exchange:

SC: Do you carry quarts of lactose-free milk?
Me: No, I'm afraid I don't.
SC: Oh, so you're violating your WIC contract then. This is the tenth store I've been to that's been breaking the law! You're required to carry everything that's on WIC. I can call up the news and go to the state and you're going to lose your WIC contract and lose your job! (walks away)

I shrug and go back to my business.

About an hour later, I caught up with the front end lead, who told me that the same woman had angrily confronted her and gone on the same rant about costing us our jobs. As it happens, however, we keep a copy of the WIC handbook in the front end podium, and she brought it out, turned to the page that lists what products we're required to carry, and - surprise! - we're not required to carry quarts of lactose-free milk. I wish I could've been there to see her reaction when she indignantly walked away to get checked out.

We all know that customers like to quote "the law" at us all the time. (Just the other day I had a customer inform me that we were going to get fined $100,000 if we didn't install chip-card readers by tomorrow, and a few years back I had a woman tell me she was going to get us shut down because we moved the charging station for our electric scooters.) It's rare, though, that the opportunity actually presents itself for us to show them that no, they're wrong and they're not the legal eagles they think they are.

[Mr Hero]

10 stores that "broke the law" by not carrying lactose-free milk? That's a veritable crime organization you're part of!

[Trixie]

If 10 stores aren't carrying a product, it probably doesn't exist. I mean it may but that's a very specific item and it's probably in one store. And honestly, I don't remember the last time I've even seen a quart of any kind of milk.

[mjr]

If 10 stores aren't carrying a product, it probably doesn't exist. I mean it may but that's a very specific item and it's probably in one store. And honestly, I don't remember the last time I've even seen a quart of any kind of milk.

Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say it doesn't exist. There may not be enough of a demand for those 10 stores to carry it.

Edited to add:

I'm surprised the SC in the OP didn't play the "I'm a lawyer" card...but I guess she figured if she was using WIC she couldn't do that.

[No Coupons 4 You]

What about the people who come to your register with WIC items but none of the items are listed on their WIC check. But they say that the sign said WIC approved and you spend 10 minutes explaining that only the items on the check is what they are allowed to get.

[An Haddock]

From Acts of Gord:


"I think it's time for you to read a book. Either you failed law or you're a compulsive liar. I'd taken even money on both."

[taxguykarl]

honestly, I don't remember the last time I've even seen a quart of any kind of milk.

At my MIL's request, I bought goat's milk in quarts last weekend at Wally World.

[KellyHabersham]

If 10 stores aren't carrying a product, it probably doesn't exist. I mean it may but that's a very specific item and it's probably in one store. And honestly, I don't remember the last time I've even seen a quart of any kind of milk.

That's what it was like for the brief time I was on WIC - granted, this was close to 20 years ago, but I remember that the store my family shopped at never carried the specific size of milk carton that WIC accepted.

[drjonah]

My store only accepts WIC for baby formula and I hear at least every day that we're either 'Breaking the law' or 'Discriminating' because we don't accept all WIC. Nevermind the fact that we're a PHARMACY that just happens to carry a few grocery items.

[Cia]

SC: Do you carry quarts of lactose-free milk?
Me: No, I'm afraid I don't.

Guess she's never heard of Lactaid (lactose enzyme) take a couple of pills with regular milk if you can't find lactose free milk. I need to invest in the Lactaid company considering how many of their pills I take a day so I don't die. (You won't literally die - you just feel like it from the pain, gas and diarrhea.)

[notalwaysright]

I knew WIC was really specific, but I didn't know that it was different from person to person. A question that I have is, this person is presumably either pregnant or has a young child, yet they've been to 10 different stores to find this sized milk? Does their WIC only let them buy that size, or could they get a larger size? If so, why waste all that time going to different stores, just get the larger size and be done with it?* I mean, I have a very small refrigerator, so I understand needing to get small sized containers, but even I have room for a half gallon of milk...

*Unless I'm not understanding how WIC works at all, which is possible.

[eltf177]

What about the people who come to your register with WIC items but none of the items are listed on their WIC check?

Or have the wrong size? Or the wrong brand? Or claim that "it's exactly the same" when it clearly isn't?

[nutraxfornerves]

Short version: WIC is for women who are pregnant, have delivered within the last 6 months, or are breastfeeding (up to 1 year). It also covers infants & children up to age 5. Besides income requirements, participants are also medically evaluated, and there must be evidence that they are at risk of nutritional insufficiencies.

There are several "food packages" depending on the situation. For instance, a pregnant woman may need different nutrients and amounts than a breastfeeding woman. An infant has different needs than a toddler. Allergies, medical issues, and cultural issues are also considered. So, yes, you can't just buy any old WIC approved food; it has to be on your specific list.

The program is run by individual states & the states have some flexibility in what is allowed. The feds approve the states food lists.

P.S. the markets where I shop carry lots of 1-quart milk products, including lactose-free. I bought lactose-free by mistake once. I thought it was awful--it tasted sweet.

[BrenDAnn]

At my MIL's request, I bought goat's milk in quarts last weekend at Wally World.

We still sell quarts of chocolate milk at the C-Store as well, so quarts do exist. Do they exist in what this woman wanted? Probably not. Good on the OP's manager for calling her out!

[Sunshine]

When I was on WIC, because I breastfed, I got peanut butter and carrots. A mom that used formula would get the formula instead. MissyRed did both so she got vouchers for both. My WIC office also gave me a nursing bra for free. What I didn't use, I gave to my mom's churches food bank, because when I was on it, say the carrots and milk were on a voucher with beans...well, I felt bad not getting the beans, so I would, and then donate them.