Sexual Harassment: Fire From My Job For A One-Time Joke
I picked up the pager (you know, the one used to signify that your table is ready) and jokingly suggested that the hostess page it repeatedly and I would put it in my pocket. Mildly amusing to me, but someone didn’t see it that way and fired me. The question is, is this action justified?
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2 Responses to Sexual Harassment: Fire From My Job For A One-Time Joke
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Does your company have an employee manual? If so, find the part about “grounds for termination” and anything about a progressive warning system when employees screw up. Like a 3-strikes and you’re out type of thing. If they circumvented their own policies and straight up fired you, it could be wrongful termination like @information_police mentioned.
Here’s a free report that explains desparate treatment. “10 Things That Managers Do To Get Sued…And Lose In Court”
According to harassment policies in places where I’ve worked (from Universities to huge multinational corporations) the only thing that would get you fired for a single occurrence would be if you actually make an overt sexual assault on someone or if you flat out made a sexual demand on a subordinate.
A joke like the one you made would be considered inappropriate because it made a coworker uncomfortable or feel threatened. It would warrant a face to face meeting with you, the person offended and an HR person. The person offended would get to explain why they were offended. You would be made to understand that your action was offensive or threatening and inappropriate. You’d probably be sent to a training class and warned that another inappropriate action would result in punitive action.
The reason they do that is because if they don’t, an employee could sue them for wrongful termination if they were not properly warned. So, if you think you were wrongfully terminated, you could see a lawyer to see if there is action you could take. You might also consider, though, that what you gain from such an action may not be worth what you lose.
A lawyer might be able to get them to sign an agreement saying they are forbidden from telling prospective employers about the incident since you did not receive due process from them.