Granted, contracts are created to protect employers, but in some situations a little common sense — and compassion — should trump a piece of paper.
Here’s one such situation: Eighty-three-year-old Frances Mulkey was lucky not to be inside her trailer when a tornado completely destroyed it. Her good fortune, however, didn’t carry over when it came to canceling her cable service.
When Frances’ nephew called DIRECTV to disconnect her service, the cable provider wanted to know when it could expect the $120 early termination fee.
The nephew calmly explained that Frances wasn’t breaking her contract; she simply didn’t have a home to to receive DIRECTV’s service any longer because of the tornado.
According to the nephew, a DIRECTV rep said, “A contract is a contract.”
That was before Frances’ nephew reached out to the local new station’s 6 On Your Side program. 6 On Your Side immediately contacted DIRECTV’s headquarters and, in a magnanimous reversal, the company said it would waive all of Ms. Mulkey’s fees and expenses.
Chances are Ms. Mulkey opts for FIOS at her next residence.