A disgruntled Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) employee has filed a complaint with the Department of Workforce Development, claiming the company still owes her money after she was fired on a public holiday soon after her shift began.

Gloria Maria Hayward lodged the complaint, alleging she was unfairly dismissed in late November.

Employed at KFC since April 2008, she was hired as a team worker and after two years was promoted to supervisor with responsibility for up to 15 employees.

She was fired by KFC general manager Richard Lines, who was accompanied by another manager, Basil Outerbridge, on Monday, November 11 amid accusations that she closed the fast food eatery too early the previous day.

Ms Hayward contends the doors were closed at 9.45pm and the company manager claims he was giving her a warning.

The warning by Mr Lines, she said, was for “closing the shop at 9.28pm to make 9.30pm to work at CedarBridge Academy as a security guard”, which she vehemently denied.

She admitted she was asked to cover a security shift during the annual World Rugby Classic, but was not on the night in question.

She claimed she asked to leave the office to go back downstairs to get her phone to prove what time she closed the shop and didn’t ‘moonlight as part-time security guard.’

“He told me ‘if you leave this office you’re fired’, and blocked the door. I pushed my way past him to get out of the office and was told on leaving ‘you’re fired’. I do not work as a security guard anywhere.”

At one point she said the manager “got up in her face”.

“I told him I’m not your child and you’re not going to talk to me any way you feel. He had his foot blocking the door so I pushed the door back on him to leave. That’s when he told me that I was fired.”

Her complaint with the Department of Workforce Development contesting her final payment was confirmed.

A spokesperson said: “All we can say on the matter at this stage is yes, we received a complaint late last month regarding the issue and it is currently in the investigation stage.”

Ms Hayward contends she is still entitled to three weeks’ vacation time or pay.

She also explained she had travelled abroad to have surgery on her wrist for an injury she sustained at work.

“I went to lift the cash box and it had too much change in it and my wrist bent back. They have not paid me what I am entitled to plus my sick time. They paid me for my time up to the night of dismissal but the pay cheque they gave me did not have a pay stub attached,” she said. “My last pay cheque was for just over $1,300 and it should have been more than that. My vacation money is more than $1,000,” she said.

When contacted, vice-president of KFC Operations Ltd, Jason Benevides said the company did not comment publicly on employee personnel matters “as a general rule”.

But he confirmed that Ms Hayward was no longer employed by KFCO after reviewing her personnel file.

He declined to discuss circumstances surrounding “Ms Hayward’s separation from the company”.

“That would violate KFCOs policy of holding employee data confidential,” he said.

As for outside employment, he said the terms were set out clearly in KFCOs Employee Handbook. The company does not prevent employees from taking on a second job as long as it “does not conflict with their responsibilities at KFCO”.

“Under this policy, no employee has or would be dismissed from employment because she holds secondary employment,” he added.

“All hourly paid workers accrue vacation pay each and every pay period based on wages earned. Each employee is able to draw down on her accrued vacation pay on request,” said Mr Benevides.

“KFCO has prepared a schedule of all vacation pay amounts accrued and paid out for Ms Hayward. I have today e-mailed that schedule to her for her review and invited her to contact me with explanation if she believes there are any errors. KFCOs records presently indicate that all vacation pay amounts accrued for Ms Hayward were paid to her in accordance with her requests.

“Other than your advice that Ms Hayward has filed a complaint, we have no knowledge of any complaint proceeding and have not been contacted regarding same.”

He acknowledged, however, that it was “the prerogative of any employee to approach the Department of Workforce Development for assistance regarding employment related matters”.

“In short, KFCO does not believe Ms Hayward has a legitimate basis for complaint. Nonetheless, should she feel aggrieved by some matter related to her former employment at KFCO, I would encourage her to request a meeting with KFCO management to discuss her concerns and seek to resolve any misunderstandings.”