YOU'RE FIRED!

[Duchess]

What do you think about people being fired for things they say away from their work, things that have nothing at all to do with their job? Is this okay and reasonable in your eyes?

[cannongal]

What do you think about people being fired for things they say away from their work, things that have nothing at all to do with their job? Is this okay and reasonable in your eyes?

Tough question, really. Different circumstances call for different outcomes.

Consider the forced resignation of the police commissioner in wolfboro who was overheard in a diner calling Bama a nigger. He was eating lunch with a friend, not on duty, and calling Bama a nigger had nothing to do with his job as police commissioner-yet those remarks caused such an uproar, that he was forced to resign a position that he held for many years.

Or how about the teacher that said children were little bags of germs on Facebook-she was terminated for that statement. She didn't say 'the children in her class' or 'Her children' Her statement was simply "Children are little bags of germs". Most people know that already-but she was fired for it.


I think, as a business owner, it's about who you would want your company to be known for...

Say you owned a car dealership, and one of your salesman went bar hopping every night and shouted "I love to fuck prostitutes!" all the time. Neither barhopping or prostitutes have anything to do with selling cars, but I wouldn't want my customers to think that I supported bar hopping and prostitutes, so I would either have to fire his stupid ass, or take out a full page ad that says "Regardless of what my employees say, I do not support fucking prostitutes"


Yeah, I'm rambling-time for another cup a coffee.

[Donovan]

In my job we are trained repeatedly that we represent the agency 24-7 and can be reprimanded or fired for inappropriate behavior outside work. Of course it's a union shop so they don't always SAY that's why somebody got fired but it's usually obvious. Like our former union chief steward who was fired supposedly for using work printers to copy union flyers, something she had done for years, ONLY after she went on a Facebook rant about the direction of the agency and a few execs in particular.
I know another who was fired because she was at a restaurant sharing a humorous story about one of her consumers that portrayed that person in a negative light, used his name and the entire story was overheard by the guy's cousin sitting at a table nearby.
I myself was formally reprimanded for a silly April fools newsletter article I wrote that said the agency had been acquired by Time Warner and all consumers would be trained to pull cable, spray for bees and take customer complaints etc. It was as silly as I could make it and hurt nobody, but some family member decided to act like his ass was chapped and I ended up having to take a discipline for it.

[HairOfTheDog]

If employees work with the public and are obligated to serve members of the public equally, I think it's wise to terminate them if they're so stupid as to make statements that can be overheard or read in a public setting about their bias against Jews, or Muslims, or whites, or blacks, or women or whatever. Were I the boss in such a case, I'd question the employee's judgment and ability to perform as required. I wouldn't want the negative image and potential liability problems associated with that employee and would fire him/her without qualm.

For me, it doesn't matter where the statements are made -- on or off the job. If employees publicly express views which contradict the organization's mission, or potentially put customers or other employees at a disadvantage/risk, a smart employer will show them the door.

Individuals, no matter what their jobs, have the right to exercise free speech. And the people in charge of organizations have the same right.

Having said that, I'd not fire someone for making or posting a stupid joke or controversial comments that had nothing at all to do with the job. However, it those remarks went viral and caused a public shitstorm for the company, I'd terminate the employee if that was the best option available to put out the fire.

[Duchess]

I have such mixed feelings about this because I do agree that an employee often does represent the people they work for but then I consider what people do away from the office in their private lives.

[HairOfTheDog]

I have such mixed feelings about this because I do agree that an employee often does represent the people they work for but then I consider what people do away from the office in their private lives.

I know what you mean.

With social media, cameras, and video recorders everywhere these days, my definition of "private lives" is different than it was even just 10 years ago. People need to be smart and acclimate to the times to avoid being burned by the increased exposure afforded by today's technologies (or say "fuck that" and deal with the potential consequences).

I think it should be obvious to most by now that something overheard at a private dinner in a public restaurant is subject to public exposure, legally. Something posted on social media is in the public domain, even if the communication was of a private nature. A pervy private act of self pleasure in a parked car may well be caught on surveillance cam and could go viral...

That's just the way it is.

[QueenBee]

Background for people who may not yet know, I have worked with people with disabilities for about a million years or so. Used to live and work in Batavia, NY, a small town. Spent time at a job in Elba NY, a town next to Batavia and even smaller. I worked for a Day Program in Elba, it was for adults Now with both Batavia and Elba being small, it happened that several of the clients I served in the Day Program, I had worked with in Batavia, when they were young. One young man in particular, I used to sit for, and became friends with his mom. WELL, Mike was put on my case load in Elba. I send home a note to his mom to say hi..had not seen her or Mike in several years. I was reprimanded for an "unauthorized communication with a parent". THEN I was not allowed to attend Mike's case review because I had a "history" with his family. We were friends, for fuck sake. Later I was fired, and my interactions with Mike and his mom were given as part of the reason I was let go.

I hate small towns

[Jimbone]

For me, it doesn't matter where the statements are made -- on or off the job. If employees publicly express views which contradict the organization's mission, or potentially put customers or other employees at a disadvantage/risk, a smart employer will show them the door.

Individuals, no matter what their jobs, have the right to exercise free speech. And the people in charge of organizations have the same right.

^^^^^
This

People want to employ quality human beings to work for and represent them. And if you demonstrate you aren't one - even in your private life - you're risking your job.

I think most businesses (and people who work for them) do a pretty good job of balancing this.

[Maggot]

It could be worse in North Korea the defense minister was fired and they used a freakin anti-aircraft cannon to do it. Needless to say he went out in a big way and even a close shot would have been enough. He was talking away from the office also.

[Blindgreed1]

What do you think about people being fired for things they say away from their work, things that have nothing at all to do with their job? Is this okay and reasonable in your eyes?

Depends on the situation I guess. If you're in public, you represent the company. If you're having a private conversation and you're not within earshot of the average Joe, your conversation companion ratted you out and you should look at the type of people you are trusting with information that may be detrimental to your job.

[aussiefriend]

What do you think about people being fired for things they say away from their work, things that have nothing at all to do with their job? Is this okay and reasonable in your eyes?

Hell NO! Do we live in a free country or what? That is unfair dismissal and I would bring a lawsuit. Sure would. It's the principal. I am outspoken on many issues, and if someone doesn't like it, well that falls under the category of too bad.

[Jimbone]

Hell NO! Do we live in a free country or what? That is unfair dismissal and I would bring a lawsuit. Sure would. It's the principal. I am outspoken on many issues, and if someone doesn't like it, well that falls under the category of too bad.

I don't know how it works down under, but if you are 'at will' here you can be terminated without cause at any time, just as you can choose to quit a job without reason at any time.

You'd be free to say anything you like, and they'd be free to terminate you if they don't like it.

[aussiefriend]

I have a public profile/life where I speak out on all kinds of things. If they were to go after me for that, not only would they bring negative publicity but a lawsuit on the grounds of unfair dismissal. It has nothing to do with my work or my capacity to work. They would also get an earfull from me. I can promise you that categorically, which can leave the recipitent in shock. As it should. Keep your nose out of peoples personal lives. My public life is my privately owned business, it is not their place to comment.

[Maggot]

I'm with Aussiebitch on this one.

[Carsman]

I have a public profile/life where I speak out on all kinds of things. If they were to go after me for that, not only would they bring negative publicity but a lawsuit on the grounds of unfair dismissal. It has nothing to do with my work or my capacity to work. They would also get an earfull from me. I can promise you that categorically, which can leave the recipitent in shock. As it should. Keep your nose out of peoples personal lives. My public life is my privately owned business, it is not their place to comment.

I'm with Aussiebitch on this one.

What Maggs said!

[Cutz]

I ended up having to take a discipline for it.

Hate it when a story ends just when it was getting good. Did the bossman bend you over his knee? Wear nipple clamps all day? Curious minds want to know!

[HairOfTheDog]

I agree with aussie about it not being the employer's business what an employee does off-time if it doesn't relate to the job in any way too.

As an employer, I've never fired anyone for anything done or said off the job and don't go looking for it. And, when I was an employee, I never had any issues with my employers getting in my business.

I've read about some really overreaching and unjustified firings based on personal Facebook posts which I could see resulting in a successful wrongful termination suit. I've also read some public statements by people outside of work that resulted in the employer justifiably and rightly terminating employment.

Personally, if it came to my attention that one of my caregivers was making public statements that were derogatory towards people of certain races or religions or towards the elderly, and especially if the statements went viral or were commanding publicity or legal action, I'd have no problem exercising my right to terminate that employee and going to court over it if he/she filed a wrongful termination suit. Even if the employee was excellent at performing the job duties, there is no way I'd sacrifice my business' reputation and the perceived credibility of my other employees because one employee chose to say or do things publicly that would call into question my company's commitment to providing respectful care services to seniors of all backgrounds.

[Jimbone]

It's the employees business until it can negatively impact our business. That's how I've always looked at it.

[Jimbone]

Here's a case in point! Just happened today I guess...

"A crude on-camera confrontation between Toronto soccer fans and a reporter has cost a Sunshine List employee his job.

The televised incident between CityNews reporter Shauna Hunt and fans at Sunday’s Toronto FC game featured several bystanders mimicking a viral trend seen across North America, in which on-air reporters are harassed with the phrase, “Fuck her right in the pussy.”

Hydro One is firing an employee involved in Sunday’s incident, while Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is taking steps to have the fans involved banned for “at least” a year.

A Hydro One spokesperson identified the employee as Shawn Simoes, an assistant network management engineer who made $106,510 last year. He appears on-camera laughing and taunting, alongside several other men.

The incident began while Hunt was doing taped interviews after the Toronto soccer club’s game. Two men “in a row” shouted the offensive phrase while passing by, she told the Star. “I could hear these other guys conspiring to do it,” Hunt added.

Hunt confronted the group of men while the camera kept rolling, capturing the subsequent expletive-laden exchange."

http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/05/...olice.html

Video:




Fired guy:

[Duchess]

That's the story that inspired this thread. I read it early this morning.