| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:26:56 AM | Another thread sparked this one.
The other day I overheard a conversation between two of my male employees. A woman who is our technical writer is a very attractive single African American. One of the male employees said that he was trying to get her to date him "just so I know what it's like to f*ck a black chick." From what I could tell, he has no interest in her beyond that, and he even made some pretty ugly racial comments in general. I wanted to go right in there and fire him on the spot. The problem is, he's very important to us technically, and it would be difficult to quickly replace him. (I'm going to look into that anyway, and that's not my question. I'm not interested nor expecting in any advice on that.)
My question is, other than immediate termination, how would you handle this situation? | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:29:41 AM | | If he's so important to you as an employee and you don't really want to get rid of him take him aside and tell him that you heard what he said and that it's totally unacceptable, and to knock that shit off, or next time he will get fired. | |
|
| |
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:35:29 AM | Do both of these suggestions. He deserves his ass handed to him, however do not let him know that he is a very important part of the job. He might take that to his head and do other things that should get him fired, only to pull out the "You won't survive without me" card.
Write him up for sexual harassment and give him a verbal warning as to the conduct of his language. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:36:34 AM | Is he more valuable than a lawsuit for racial slurs or slander? You could also be sued for sexual harassment, since you are the owner....Hmmmmm...
I would say it might be time to refresh your employee manual and inform your employees this will not be tolerated. AS A GROUP, instead of on an individual basis. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:38:12 AM |
From what I could tell, he has no interest in her beyond that
And ? Who are you ? moral police ?
Unless she complains for sexual harassment ~ or they do something going against company policy. It's none of your business.
You can't control people's comments, ideas, thoughts ~ it's a free country. You were not even invited to that conversation.
I say shut the f up... and mind your own business  | |
|
| |
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:43:31 AM | I think you should say something. Pull him aside and have a chat. Tell him you overheard his conversation the other day and you were not happy with his remarks...
He will get the hint. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:43:59 AM | | OP, tell him you overheard him and that there's a problem, IMO. See how he reacts. Also, if you saw him for instance chatting up this black girl, or you heard the two of them were going to go out or anything, personally I would say something to her about it as well. Obviously she'd have a right to know about it if she were actually considering going out with this guy. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:44:28 AM |
I say shut the f up... and mind your own business
I think he is minding his own "Business". And yes he does have a right to control people's comments, especially when there is "liability" involved.
sounds like you have a few "boss issues" yarimela... | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:45:00 AM | I would have to know more about the circumstances in which you "overheard" this conversation. Was it a case of two guys quietly talking to each other? Were they aware that you were in listening range? Who else was in the vicinity?
If they could plausibly say that they didn't think anyone else could hear then I think you'd just need to correct them on that. Perhaps remind them of any sexual harassment policies you have in place at the same time, just in case.
If it was loud enough to be heard by others, in a public work area? Then why is he still there again? Nobody is indispensable.
| |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:46:05 AM | | he said he wanted to sleep with her, right? well.. if he hasn't..then there is no sexual harrasment case..and then again..the woman in question might be open to a one night stand anyway..you can't actually do anything unless she complains. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:47:15 AM |
I think he is minding his own "Business". And yes he does have a right to control people's comments, especially when there is "liability" involved.
sounds like you have a few "boss issues" yarimela..
Keep your ASSumptions to yourself...
He has no business going around harassing employees just because they said "something about something" ...
Unless there is a case in hand. His business is how the guy does his job, not what he does with his dik in his private life. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:52:07 AM | Yarimelma, you obviously know nothing of sexual harrasment in the work force. It doesn't matter who it was directed at, legally there is no free speech in the work arena when it comes to offensive and profain topics, due to the fact that other employees are forced to hear what other people say. It is especially not a okay to make sexual and racist remarks at work.
For your own liablity, you need to document the incident and write him up. If you don't it can bite you in the end. Cover yourself and he will most likely make further offending comments that you need to also document. From there you have grounds for termination. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:54:56 AM |  But you see, they work togather. Not hang out togather in their "private life"...so the way the OP's question is stated, this all is/will be taking place in at the business.....there for, if this guys play is rejected by the girl, then that's where the liability comes into play. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 11:58:06 AM | if this guys play is rejected by the girl, then that's where the liability comes into play.
If he makes a move. If he proceeds. If ... If .... If..... then you have a case.
Just because I said something about another co -worker, made a joke ~ unless "she" complains.. it's just chatter between 2 employees and you have no business getting in between as long as it doesn't affect their job... that's my opinion... | |
|
| |
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:00:07 PM | {{He has no business going around harassing employees just because they said "something about something" ...
Unless there is a case in hand. His business is how the guy does his job, not what he does with his dik in his private life. }}
This is not true. I was getting over the top remarks from a vendor that was coming to my job. My boss overheard them and reported it. We never saw him again. You have to becareful what you say in the work place. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:09:13 PM | Yarimelma:
That is your opinion and you have your right to it, but legally even conversations of sexual nature are not tolerated.
It leads to complications and can lead to a hostile work enviornment if she finds out.
Basically it makes people uncomfortable, and the right to not feel uncomfortable at work over rides your right to say sexual and offensive things. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:09:30 PM |
You have to becareful what you say in the work place.
Of course, you have to be careful. However as in this case would it be different if he said " Oh I like this girl very much, wonder if she'd like to go out with me" instead of " just so I know what it's like to f*ck a black chick." ?
Boss's job is to protect his business. If you fire everyone just because they "said" something in private (and you heard him)... bah! you won't go anywhere... | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:12:50 PM |
it's just chatter between 2 employees and you have no business getting in between as long as it doesn't affect their job..
Whose job? If I were working beside these two guys and overheard that it might affect my job. Doesn't that count? Chances are, if these guys were loud enough, this will all eventually reach the Woman in question. Maybe it would affect her performance negatively?
This is exactly why there are laws intended to ensure the work place is free of hostility and harassment. There is such a thing as verbal harassment, you seem unaware of this concept. And the woman in question does NOT have to file a complaint before action is taken. You need to brush up on the laws and regulations on the books, because your "opinion" is uninformed. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:12:58 PM | Yerimelma,
you haven't been around human resouces much have you? At work we are considered an active involuntary audience. People are forced to hear what other employees are saying just by being there. You can't have private conversations at work, they are technically done on work time on business property. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:13:51 PM |
However as in this case would it be different if he said
yarimela.................I know you just didn't use that "IF" your yourself......
Oh brother..... | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:14:28 PM |
If you fire everyone just because they "said" something in private (and you heard him
And there's the still missing piece that I asked about in my first post here. How private was this conversation? We don't know, and that does make some difference. Clearly though, they were not being especially careful if the boss heard it. | |
|
| A Very Ugly Situation - What Would YOU Do?
Posted: 10/21/2009 12:19:44 PM | you haven't been around human resouces much have you?
And clearly you have never been in a leading position. You have never managed a business. It's easy to say fire people *just like that*.... There are heck alot more important things you have to pay attention before you fire a "needed/established" employee, especially when you have no complains nor complications. | |
|
Home
login 
