Pilot Flying J

My name is Summer Munson. I am a former employee of Pilot Flying J in Hubbard, Ohio. I was not only a dedicated employee who worked hard to get the job done, but I also ensured a great experience for many guests, fellow employees, and drivers. I was a fast learner, hardworking, and above all, very kind to everyone. I worked midnights with Michelle Odell and Heidi Markel. Michelle was a sweetheart. However, Heidi Markel was a poor investment, a bad manager, and a terrible representation of the company. Not only did Heidi ruin my Pilot career, but she also significantly harmed my health, both mentally and physically.

Even after earning the respect of everyone there, including Clint, Rodney, and Tonya Webb, and being in the process of being promoted to management, Heidi took it as a personal attack and targeted me. I not only did all the work while she sat on her phone throughout the shift but bore her abuse for over a year and a half. Heidi subjected me to mental, emotional, and physical abuse. She defamed my character by lying about my work ethic and appropriating my work. Heidi used intimidation, blackmail, and threats to coerce me into accepting this abuse and eventually quit.

Heidi showed up to work under the influence of multiple drugs, including marijuana, psychedelic mushrooms, Xanax, cocaine, and prescription pills that were not prescribed to her. It impaired her judgment and put both me, and customers at risk. As the manager on duty, she would refuse to do any assigned duties. Heidi would shut down the shower hallway because she didn't want to clean the showers, refused to prepare any food overnight per customer request, failed to clean the coffee bar or the coffee pots effectively (resulting in serving coffee with grinds in it to customers). She would offer dirty showers to drivers, neglected the floors, and forced me and Michelle Odell to do all the work, all while refusing to ring customers and disappearing during her shift.

She intentionally did not stock the fruit case and knowingly sold expired fruit and sandwiches to customers, which resulted in them getting sick. She would let the fresh fruit and sandwiches sit in the prep fridge until they expired. Heidi refused to do laundry for the showers and didn't perform the necessary temperature checks for the food when other managers called in sick. Heidi never adhered to the dress code and would wear leggings, a plain black t-shirt, and slide sandals instead.

There were incidents where Heidi shoved Michelle during a shift, and threw a towel in a customer's face - something that was reported by the customers. She would actively spew hate speech to customers and other co-workers. She was often negative regarding politics and religion and would badmouth all of the management and other staff. She was openly racist and homophobic. She expressed disturbing thoughts outright, such as wanting other countries to bomb the U.S and mentioning her readiness to die. She made insensitive comments to fellow manager Michelle Odell by disregarding her sister's death.

Heidi frequently made inappropriate posts about the company, Tonya Webb, Jeffrey P (Assistant Manager), Heather, Michelle Odell, etc., on Facebook. She made drug deals with customers and intimidated me into keeping quiet. Heidi refused to clean the restrooms or the area where we serve hot food and pizzas. She would give away every single coffee for free and allowed customers to make returns on anything even if it violated company policy.

I could have taken my case to corporate when Heidi forced me to quit for my own safety, but instead, I chose to leave with dignity and move on. However, it has recently come to my attention that Heidi Markel continues to make defamatory posts about me on Facebook using my full name and calling me several slurs and derogatory names. Heidi has also threatened Jeffrey P. She also forced Michelle Odell to give her rides to work for six months without reimbursement for her gas or time, otherwise she would retaliate and verbally abuse her.

It has been over two months since I left Pilot, yet Heidi still finds it necessary to target and defame me. I originally intended to walk away from the harassment and abuse, but seeing as Heidi has made it her personal mission to attack me, I am left with no choice but to involve my cousin's law firm, Whalen Law, and its lawyer John Jarrett Kennedy Whalen. Not only is the abuse that Heidi has subjected me to illegal, she is a poor excuse for both a manager and a human being. A heroin addict, a dealer, and a felon who has one-sided beef with a young girl half her age is in no place to represent Pilot. Neither as an employee nor a manager.

It is shameful that Pilot allows such abhorrent behavior to continue at the expense of its best employees. I am considering drawing attention to this issue on social media as it is unsafe for anyone to be around Heidi Markel. She has used the company phone to make threats, including threatening to shoot and kill her daughter's boyfriend in front of several customers, including a police officer who almost conducted a welfare check. Heidi does not pay for the food or drinks she consumes at work, which are items not covered by our discount.

Every employee, customer, and VR driver could testify that everything in this email is truthful. I also have screenshots of some of the posts she made, text messages of her interacting offensively with me personally. I have photos of her at Flying J, displaying some of the drugs she takes on shift, including mushroom and marijuana gummies, and her purse full of illegally purchased prescription pills. If that isn't sufficient to verify, just watch the surveillance footage.

I would love to speak to a corporate representative about this over the phone and send some of the photos I have. I am sure Pilot would appreciate seeing just how poorly they've erred in hiring and promoting such a deplorable and unstable individual. Thank you. I look forward to hearing from you.

Twice i had stopped to get fuel and said see cashier which is why I pay at pump so I don't go in. Anyway I stood there for the longest as another driver walks in wanting his fuel receipt, anyway after two people were taken care of wants me two run my card again and I didn't like that because I've already typed in all my info at the pump, so I did and he ask me about is that a company card then ask who's card is it .

I told him that's my card and my company. I paid and I noticed later that the fuel was paid but there was a 500 00 pending on my account, then another 500,00 but in bold . I called my bank and they told me how it works. I'm not always out here with the guys so I don't see things .

My apologies to you for jumping the gun. I guess my whole experience made mi paranoid see to speak , I just wanted out of there. I'm sorry for the drawn out response but I wanted to give you the play on the experience you have to go through starting at the long lines of traffic at the pump.

Sorry once again for my main complaint that was the credit card . Edward mashek BearKat Trucking.

My fiancé went into the Pilot Travel Center to use the restroom. I was looking just looking at the shade by the register and texting him.

The cashier and there so-called LP were horrible. He complained bout how long I was taking to pick a pair. I was like I'm not going to buy any I have a pair I only use them in my hair anyway not over my eyes. I was just looking at them waiting on my fiancé to get out the bathroom.

He went to complaining bout him being in the bathroom, and he wasn't even in there that long. I didn't know being across from a register nowadays was a reason for employees to be rude disrespectful and treat you like you were trying to steal something from them. It brought me to tears. My fiancé was pissed.

The cashier wasn't much better with how she acted and looked. But that "LP" is just horrible. He should not be working LP for anyone. We left went to the station next door.

Apparently it's very well-known round there that they treat you like crap in that stores. The locals said they treat them the same way as they're stealing something and need to hurry bout the store. Like they own that store. They don't.

They are employees who are ruining the reputation of that store. Not to mention the damage it is prob doing to Pilots reputation round there. I guarantee you when people from round there go anywhere they don't stop by a Pilot out of town to get disrespected while they are away from home. It has happened so much the locals at the lovely Circle K next door employees and customers were not shocked at all.

They acted like that's all they hear bout that store every day. In case you guys are curious it's the Pilot Travel Center at 5714 N Rhett Ave, North Charleston SC 29406. We didn't buy anything there. After being treated so awful.

We went to Circle K next door. Cashier there was sweet as she can be. This just happened this morning. It was like 3 3:30 this morning.

So I sincerely hope I get my message to the right people to do something this. I was going to call corporate, but it's too early, so I'm warning people how I can till they open.