My coworker might get fired for a racist comment.

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Lots. Unless you're telling me you know everyone in the company? Even if you do, it's not announced why.

Sure. But it is generally known why among people who worked around that person.

And then the company might use a reference to the story in a newsletter or maybe a training session that people go through.

It will read just like the OP too; "L did this, R told manager. Result: Employee was let go immediately following an HR investigation"
 
They can question it, but the company isn't going to say shit on the matter. I've seen plenty of coworkers go, and no idea why they were fired. So if they were trying to make a statement, it's not a very effective way in relaying it.

They don't have to. OP can let it drop "prolly was because…"
 
It's funny cause my boss (ceo) explained to me a few months back the hierarchy of support help of the US government. You see you have the blacks at the bottom, asians in the middle and then the caucasians at the top. Of course this was prefaced with 'not to be racist or anything'. Good times. Wonder if that gives me any legal sway.
 
... What part of this was private?

No seriously.

Sorry, I didn't explain properly.

When she said this at work, it's no longer private and she should be reprimanded. Although firing her if she's been a good all-around employee is going way too far.

But to all the people saying "good, she should be fired/racists shouldn't be allowed to work," that's kinda nuts. Lots of people have shitty beliefs and attitudes, and we can't mandate everyone to have the same beliefs in public. As a result, we have them shut themselves from saying those kind of reprehensible things in public. If we fired everyone who had dumb racist thoughts, a lot of businesses would fail.
 
Wow what line of work are you in?

Dunno, but the military was all on that shit.

Sorry, I didn't explain properly.

When she said this at work, it's no longer private and she should be reprimanded. Although firing her if she's been a good all-around employee is going way too far.

But to all the people saying "good, she should be fired/racists shouldn't be allowed to work," that's kinda nuts. Lots of people have shitty beliefs and attitudes, and we can't mandate everyone to have the same beliefs in public. As a result, we have them shut themselves from saying those kind of reprehensible things in public. If we fired everyone who had dumb racist thoughts, a lot of businesses would fail.

But society would win.
 
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Question: Do people generally hate L? I've seen people fired for far less offensive stuff than that joke because they were hated and get away with way worse because they were well liked.
Yeah she is terrible and I hear nothing but complaints regarding her work. But funny thing is she always "meets expectations" during performance reviews.
How long did L work in your workplace, OP? Sometimes I wonder if these kind of people slip months or years into their employment or if it was just a matter of them never getting caught by the wrong person.
I believe shes been around for 4 years.
 
I think the majority here are acting overly harsh and lacking any empathy for someone who made a mistake. Peoples attitudes are not going to change overnight, we need to be patient and to lenient show that our way of thinking and reacting is the norm.

She should be warned, And given a chance.
 
Wow. When that kind of thing happens, it's like finding some long thought dead animal species. Surprised they didn't die out already.
 
I think the majority here are acting overly harsh and lacking any empathy for someone who made a mistake. Peoples attitudes are not going to change overnight, we need to be patient and lienient to show that our way of thinking and reacting is the norm.

She should be warned, And given a chance.

But she didn't make a mistake.

In her mind she's completely justified for feeling the way she does and for starting it... At work.
 
This thread's occasional racism apologist posts are pretty weird.

Racists do not deserve ANY slack guys. Adult professionals should know better and if they don't then they don't belong in the workplace making it hostile and uncomfortable for everyone else.
 
This thread's occasional racism apologist posts are pretty weird.

Racists do not deserve ANY slack guys. Adult professionals should know better and if they don't then they don't belong in the workplace making it hostile and uncomfortable for everyone else.

Plus they clearly lack in the ability to make rational decisions like "don't say that, you'll get fired"
 
She is a "nice" person in the sense that she gives presents to employees and stuff, and is generally personable. But when it comes to work she is horrible. She makes mistakes all the time, can't follow directions and I hate having to deal with her.

sound like the perfect opportunity to get rid of her
 
She is a "nice" person in the sense that she gives presents to employees and stuff, and is generally personable. But when it comes to work she is horrible. She makes mistakes all the time, can't follow directions and I hate having to deal with her.

Oh hell no. Ask the more reason to toss her ass down the chute.
 
Sometimes someone will say something horribly racist to me with a *winkwink nudgenudge* and I'll ask myself "What is it about me that makes this person think I'm going to share their racist opinions?" Do I look like a racist? Have I ever said anything to this person before to make them think I'm as racist as they are? Or do they just assume everyone's secretly racist and just run with it?
 
This thread's occasional racism apologist posts are pretty weird.

Racists do not deserve ANY slack guys. Adult professionals should know better and if they don't then they don't belong in the workplace making it hostile and uncomfortable for everyone else.

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Sometimes someone will say something horribly racist to me with a *winkwink nudgenudge* and I'll ask myself "What is it about me that makes this person think I'm going to share their racist opinions?" Do I look like a racist? Have I ever said anything to this person before to make them think I'm as racist as they are? Or do they just assume everyone's secretly racist and just run with it?

I've seen your pic and you definitely look racist as hell DD.
 
Sometimes someone will say something horribly racist to me with a *winkwink nudgenudge* and I'll ask myself "What is it about me that makes this person think I'm going to share their racist opinions?" Do I look like a racist? Have I ever said anything to this person before to make them think I'm as racist as they are? Or do they just assume everyone's secretly racist and just run with it?

Im a minority and people still share their views with me. Yeah just cause you arent hating on my race doesnt make it ok to bash others.
 
I dunno, a lot of older people?

Inter-racial marriage acceptance is really only recently gaining popular acceptance.

This article has some data:

http://diverseeducation.com/article/60328/



It's not really a surprise to find someone in their 50's still holding onto those old ideals.

Younger people tend to forget what the older generation grew up with, we take for granted the things we have now.

It's not to excuse her, having the ideal and spouting it at work are different things.. but it's not at all surprising to find someone who thinks this way.. and even easier if they are older.

Relevant xkcd comic: http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/marriage.png
 
my .02 cents... if it were me, and it was a casual conversation, i'd take it up with them personally. i wouldn't take it up with HR or any higher ups unless they were acting openly racist "on the job" as in interfering with other employee's work, which i guess in this case would be "blacks and jews" or whatever. i don't believe in putting somebody's livelihood on the line for non-performance related stuff unless they haven't made their 90 days yet or whatever

but sometimes you have an instance where somebody's simply not a good fit for the company period, and you need an out, in which case i'd use this as an opportunity to take it
 
I grew up and worked in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and racism can be brandished pretty overtly up there. It's also very common in the northern parts of the lower peninsula.

I remember when Obama was running for his first term. I remember an acquaintance at a bar asking another acquaintance who had expressed disdain for Obama, "what's wrong with Obama besides him being black." And that is a direct quote, no made up internet bullshittery. The best part is that guy who asked the question was legitimately defending Obama in the conversation.

That summer, I also remember several conversations in the judge's chambers where opposing counsel would say outright racist shit like Obama didn't seem intelligent enough to be the president. The judge expressed his support for Obama by saying something along the lines of "I don't care what color Obama's skin is, McCain isn't fit to carry his briefcase." Everything has to be couched in terms to address the lowest common denominator up there, which is pretty low even for lawyers and other professionals.

tl;dr Northern Michigan has a lot of racist jerks.

EDIT: Wrong term. I'm getting old.
 
I grew up and worked in the upper peninsula of Michigan, and racism can be brandished pretty overtly up there. It's also very common in the northern parts of the lower peninsula.

I remember when Obama was running for his first term. I remember an acquaintance at a bar asking another acquaintance who had expressed disdain for Obama, "what's wrong with Obama besides him being black." And that is a direct quote, no made up internet bullshittery. The best part is that guy who asked the question was legitimately defending Obama in the conversation.

That summer, I also remember several conversations in the judge's chambers where opposing counsel would say outright racist shit like Obama didn't seem intelligent enough to be the president. The judge expressed his support for Obama by saying something along the lines of "I don't care what color Obama's skin is, Romney isn't fit to carry his briefcase." Everything has to be couched in terms to address the lowest common denominator up there, which is pretty low even for lawyers and other professionals.

tl;dr Northern Michigan has a lot of racist jerks.

Where in the U.P?
 
Damn, it's crazy to just imagine someone saying something like that without hesitation. Why is a 50-year-old still adhering to the dating rules of her racist mother/ancestors? That's how racism carries forward, I guess - from generation to generation within a family.
 
Strike 1. Decided to voice her racist views in a meeting with higher ups.

Strike 2. Boss happens to be Jewish

Strike 3. Apparently shit at her job.

Sorry I just don't dont see any outs such as a warning.
 
Stupid L. Holds cell phones weird, eats food weird, insults the Jews...

If he wasn't the best detective in the world, I would've fired him years ago! :p
 
She is a "nice" person in the sense that she gives presents to employees and stuff, and is generally personable. But when it comes to work she is horrible. She makes mistakes all the time, can't follow directions and I hate having to deal with her.

I wonder if she'd be "nice" to you if you were black and/or Jewish tho.

Sounds like she deserves to get fired.
 
I wonder if she'd be "nice" to you if you were black and/or Jewish tho.

Sounds like she deserves to get fired.

She is actually nice to everyone, including our Jewish boss. She chats it up with him from time to time. Like someone mentioned in the thread, she doesn't think what she is saying/doing is a mistake.
Strike 1. Decided to voice her racist views in a meeting with higher ups.

Strike 2. Boss happens to be Jewish

Strike 3. Apparently shit at her job.

Sorry I just don't dont see any outs such as a warning.
I'll keep you all posted on what happens on Monday. But yeah, it would be reallllly awkward for the rest of the office if she is let off with a warning. Everyone knows what happened in the meeting.
 
Who says something like that in 2014?

Way, way more people than you apparently think. The real dummies are the ones still clueless enough to do it in mixed company/work situations and they deserve their fates-- for the tactlessness and inability to censor themselves as much as the actual toxic opinions.

and I know it's been said, but is it maybe time for a separate forum for racial issues (at least more anecdotal ones like this as opposed to say, Ferguson)....? My goodness there's a lot lately.
 
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