It was Taneka Talley's greatest wish to see her son head off to college. It was why she took extra shifts at work and set her sights on promotions.
A store withholds benefits for son of employee who was fatally stabbed. But she was stabbed to death in the Fairfield, Calif., Dollar Tree where she worked in March 2006, by a white man who reportedly attacked her simply because she was black.
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This devastating story examines the racially motivated murder of a young black woman and the legal fallout over the family's compensation from her employer. ABC News reports fairly, covering all necessary bases. The mother's struggle is the central narrative, but this falls short of advocacy, with all sources involved in the case given equal opportunity to comment. With more space, I would have liked to hear more about the quirks in the law that allow someone to argue that murdered and murderer constitutes a "personal connection" that exempts an employer from paying benefits.
African-American Taneka Talley worked an extra shift to save money for college for her son. She reportedly was stabbed to death by a racist while at work, and the insurer of her store claims that based on her skin color, her family is ineligible for benefits. Why? She's black, and the racist committed a hate crime. Apparently that constitutes a "personal relationship" and relieves the store of responsibility, even though Ms. Talley never knew her attacker.
This is what journalists do--comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Ms. Netter not only captures the basics of this highly suspect denial of death benefits but also contacts sources close to the story, some of whom, of course, will not comment on the case. Time for crisis management now that word is out.
Dollar Tree did not respond to repeated messages seeking comment. Specialty Risk Services, which is owned by The Hartford Financial Services Group, did not comment on the ... More »
sources and facts are here. i wish there had been connections made to larger issues, including why the company would go so far out of the normal pattern to deny claims, and what that may say about either their or our culture. particularly since this was a couple years ago, not during the current economic times.
i hope the near future is a time when we as americans begin to look at what the financial bottom line for the majority of businesses means in cost to the values of our culture, and to examine the role of the market investment/dividend economy we have become
What does America need do to change corporations? This is another article that demands change. Anyone who has been in charge knows that you must work with your employees to increase income. Reading this story does not put Dollar Tree in a positive light.
Overall a well expressed story, good background information and explanation on where the murder was committed. The story would have been better had it shown more on the case law behind the ruling if any exists.
The fact is the killer went to the victim's place of work to seek her out regradless of criteria, the killer had no prior knowledge of or relatiosnhip with the victim. Had she not been at work she would NOT have died period. By logical extension the lawyers for the Insurance company must make a sucessful argument her death would have occurred or was eminent whether or not she was at work that day. If this was personal, then the killer must show personal prior knowledge of the ... More »
It's what we call a 'human interest' story, which shows how an employer wanting to save money 'screws' an employee's family and forces them to pay for a lawyer! But it does not go into other problems which may arise for other people in similar situations - there's no mention of further investigative reporting to be done. .
It reminds me of a case which arose here many years ago when a transit employee came out of the token booth to help a woman who was being mugged. Unfortunately the mugger killed him. His insurance company initially refused to pay the claim on his life insurance policy because he had been acting outside the scope of his duties when he was killed. At that time the public outrage was enough to have higher ups reverse the decision. This case tells me that nothing has changed over the years.
While reading this story at first I thought It just happened. Two years. Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, and had it passes in less time. This is atrocious. The Dollar Tree is just that, trying to buy a young woman's life for a few dollars. My heart goes out .
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