This could get you fired?

[Jade Tigress]

WHAT COULD BE MORE ANNOYING THAN THIS? MAYBE IF IT WAS BOLD? AND RED?

...Vicki Walker, who was abruptly kicked out of her job for sending "confrontational emails" with text formatted in a variety of red, bold, and all caps fonts. Walker had sent the emails to fellow workers within the company, usually with stern and detailed instructions on how forms should be properly filled out.

Article.
What do you think about this? Personally, I find all caps posts rude, it's like yelling. She won a wrongful termination suit, but if she had been yelling face to face at employees that would be cause "disharmony in the workplace" just as the emails were claimed to be, no?
Why would it be different because it's an email?

Irony: I tried to put the title in all caps, Bob must have it set to default to lower case, lol.

 

[jks9199]

It all depends on the circumstances and how things were addressed before the termination. If her email style and habits caused problems and was insulting or rude, and she'd refused to modify it after being advised or it was without justification, she was wrong. If they were used selectively and to emphasize a point, the termination was wrong.

 

[celtic_crippler]

Document...document...

If there was disciplinary documentation to support her firing, depending on the state, she wouldn't have got a dime.

Uh-oh...the article says she was "fired without warning." DOH!

 

[mwd0818]

I've only dabbled in HR related things, but one thing that I think is interesting is that most jobs are considered "At-Will" employment, meaning that either side can terminate the arrangement without notice or reason. (i.e., I no longer wish to continue this relationship.)

However, there are wrongful termination suits all over the place . . . and there are practices that make termination of employees difficult. I do think that there are plenty of wrongful terminations, but it confuses me when I think back to the "At-Will" section of employment agreements . . .

Glad I don't work in HR . . .

 

[Bill Mattocks]

I have a good friend who was fired for sending email to developers inside the company, explaining why they were making mistakes - he had been told stop harassing them and didn't.

I was fired for dropping the f-bomb on a discussion forum, and someone complained to the owners, and they tracked my IP address and reported me to my employer (I had posted from work, stupidly). I nearly lost my house and it is why I live 800 miles away from my wife today. Yes, it happens.

 

[Jade Tigress]

I have a good friend who was fired for sending email to developers inside the company, explaining why they were making mistakes - he had been told stop harassing them and didn't.

I was fired for dropping the f-bomb on a discussion forum, and someone complained to the owners, and they tracked my IP address and reported me to my employer (I had posted from work, stupidly). I nearly lost my house and it is why I live 800 miles away from my wife today. Yes, it happens.

Wow. Now that is crazy.

 

[Frostbite]

I was fired for dropping the f-bomb on a discussion forum, and someone complained to the owners, and they tracked my IP address and reported me to my employer (I had posted from work, stupidly). I nearly lost my house and it is why I live 800 miles away from my wife today. Yes, it happens.

Wow. Raw deal Bill. You'd think they either wouldn't care that much or would at least let you off with a warning.

 

[Big Don]

Nice somehow became more important than right or wrong

 

[Sukerkin]

Some employers need to get a sense of perspective it would appear.

Swearing at a client might be reason for a written warning; swearing on a forum you happen to be posting on from work (in your own time, Bill?) should merit a chat with the boss ... perhaps.

As to the case in the OP, I can only think that the person in question was deeply unpopular or deeply incompetent (or both) for such a pretext to be used for firing.

 

[Bruno@MT]

I have a good friend who was fired for sending email to developers inside the company, explaining why they were making mistakes - he had been told stop harassing them and didn't.

I was fired for dropping the f-bomb on a discussion forum, and someone complained to the owners, and they tracked my IP address and reported me to my employer (I had posted from work, stupidly). I nearly lost my house and it is why I live 800 miles away from my wife today. Yes, it happens.

Wow talk about extreme measures...

Depending on the circumstances, I can imagine situations where your friend would be fired, especially after having been warned. It all depends on the context which I don't know, obviously.

But why on earth would you be fired for using the F word on a message board? If my company would care at all (which I doubt if it was an isolated incident), I'd get called to HR, be told not to do it anymore, possibly receive a formal warning, and that would be that.

Surely, your value to the company would outweigh the cost of having to replace you for no good reason?

 

[Tames D]

I was fired for dropping the f-bomb on a discussion forum, and someone complained to the owners, and they tracked my IP address and reported me to my employer (I had posted from work, stupidly). I nearly lost my house and it is why I live 800 miles away from my wife today. Yes, it happens.

That is exactly why I never have, and never will use the F word.

 

[Carol]

This happened in New Zealand, which has different labor laws than the U.S.

In the U.S., it is absolutely legal to terminate someone's employment for such a reason. That is not to say that it is wise to do so, or that it makes good business sense, but it is legal.

 

[Carol]

Document...document...

If there was disciplinary documentation to support her firing, depending on the state, she wouldn't have got a dime.

Uh-oh...the article says she was "fired without warning." DOH!

Disciplinary documentation is good practice (very, very, very, very good practice) but unless the employee is unnder a contrct or CBA it has very little bearing in an at-will state (which is every state except Wyoming).

 

[MA-Caver]

she was "fired without warning." DOH!

Yeah that happens quite a bit. With the present rate of unemployment and the odds of finding a replacement who will work for LESS money and still do the job just as effectively... sure... walk up to the person and say those two little words and contact Human Resources and get a replacement. Simple.

It's the B.S. that goes on with the workplace now-a-days... just about everyone knows that! Sheesh!
You have corporate middle level management that brings their childhood angst to the work place and takes it out on everyone that reminds them of their parents or siblings. It's called laying of traps.

 

[Phoenix44]

I didn't notice any posting of the text of the e-mails. I find it hard to believe that the only offending factor was capitalization and colored fonts. Because if that was the only complaint, then no, I don't think she should be fired.