Flourtown residents are urging Wawa to bring Phil Dougherty back after the longtime employee was let go. Dougherty, who worked at the store for 21 years, is at the center of a community campaign seeking his reinstatement.
Residents call for Dougherty’s reinstatement
Dougherty said he was fired Wednesday, Oct. 8, after making a joking middle-finger gesture to the customer service manager on duty. Wawa representatives declined to comment on the incident, the Inquirer reported. Dougherty said he believed a general manager had been looking for a reason to dismiss him.
Residents organized a Nov. 1 rally calling for his reinstatement, the Inquirer reported. The Flourtown fire station displayed a message of support, and nearby Halligan’s Pub also called for Wawa to bring him back. The rally and messages reflected community support for Dougherty.
What a firing does—and does not—settle
Pennsylvania’s unemployment process is a separate question from the community campaign. The Department of Labor and Industry says eligibility cannot be decided in advance; it is determined after an application using information from the claimant and employer. In a discharge case involving alleged willful misconduct, the department says the employer must prove the misconduct, the applicable work rule and the employee’s knowing violation. Those general rules do not establish whether Dougherty has applied or would qualify.
He had already given up his supervisor title rather than take overnight shifts, according to the paper. He also said he participated in Wawa’s employee stock ownership plan and believes his shares could support him for several years.
A sandwich shop would require more than a location
Springfield Township says its zoning districts include commercial and retail uses, but that overview does not show whether a particular Flourtown property could host a sandwich shop.
There are also food-business approvals to consider. The Montgomery County Office of Public Health requires plans for review and approval before a new or renovated food facility is built, remodeled or converted for food use; food establishments also need a county license to operate, which is not transferable. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture directs applicants in Montgomery County to the county health department for retail-food licensing. The PA Business Hub says retail food businesses need a sales-tax license to collect and remit tax on sales.
For now, neighbors want Dougherty back at Wawa.
