Colleague Caught Mocking Coworker's Attire

[Anonymous]

It's kind of creepy, but I would never fire someone for that unless it represented a pattern of bad behavior. He should get a slap on the wrist, be told to be more careful about sending text messages, and nothing more.

But I don't work in a high-security facility. That would raise a much different set of issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do not have a contract or some other protection, you can be fire at any time for any reason. Or no reason at all. Employment at will.

Including for breaching professional dress codes.

Actually dress codes are generally inherently sexist, so unless it’s stipulated and signed off by legal very carefully, they can’t just fire for that.

Her outfit sounds colorful, but not outside the standards for a normal office dress code. It sounds like she is wearing pants that are not jeans, closed-toed shoes that are not athletic shoes, and a cardigan/shell.

But a colorful (but not illegal) personal life and eccentric fashion sense does not mean someone should be fired.

On the other hand, sending a shitty comment to the wrong person is also usually not a fireable offense either. The photographer probably got a verbal warning to knock it off, and that is noted in his file.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A freak, a snitch and a peeping tom.

Photographing someone in public who is screaming for attention is not "peeping "

Correct. Don't want to be mocked in public? Don't dress like an idiot. Simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I think the person who escalated this to HR is out of line. If he was really just trying to text his wife and otherwise not bully this woman in the office, then of course it’s not nice but he’s also not trying to hurt or embarrass her. But now there will be a whole “thing” about it and the woman will KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that people are making fun of her. What’s more cruel, really?

Disagree. By receiving the text, she was exposed to what is potentially a hostile work environment, even though the text was not about nor meant for her. Don't any of you receive this type of workplace training? In our offices, it is mandatory.

[Anonymous]

It is unlikely that the text and photo were the first time this "coworker" took photos or made disparaging remarks. HR probably did nothing this time, but is case building on him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:in our office you can be fired just for using your camera to take pictures inside the building. so, yes. He is in trouble. and he should be.

+1

...and I might have sent it to HR too. Who wants to work with toxic people who have this behavior?

We're all adults. If her outfit were distracting or inappropriate it's her boss's responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP stop trying to text pics of your coworkers from work.

This. Op, is totally the person who did this. Too easy.

+1
And she's a woman texting a friend or her husband. Typical DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I think the person who escalated this to HR is out of line. If he was really just trying to text his wife and otherwise not bully this woman in the office, then of course it’s not nice but he’s also not trying to hurt or embarrass her. But now there will be a whole “thing” about it and the woman will KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that people are making fun of her. What’s more cruel, really?

NO. The man needs to be told to stop. He's a nasty piece of work.
And HR needs to build evidence of the hostile work environment with him and OP and maybe others hating on this poor woman.

Even OP admits the colorful dresser does her work correctly!

This is harassment at work. If the idiot transgresses again, he should be fired for cause.

OP, you're horrible too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly I think the person who escalated this to HR is out of line. If he was really just trying to text his wife and otherwise not bully this woman in the office, then of course it’s not nice but he’s also not trying to hurt or embarrass her. But now there will be a whole “thing” about it and the woman will KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that people are making fun of her. What’s more cruel, really?

Disagree. By receiving the text, she was exposed to what is potentially a hostile work environment, even though the text was not about nor meant for her. Don't any of you receive this type of workplace training? In our offices, it is mandatory.

+1
Horrible behavior and really gross how some pps are justifying it or downplaying it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One incident is not a "hostile work environment." And those claims are VERY hard to prove, in any event.

Was he a jerk? Cruel? An a$$? Yes. Should he be disciplined? Yes. FIRED? Come on folks. He's not getting fired unless there is a ban on cameras in the office or related.

This is accurate. He should not do it again but one incident does not constitute a hostile workplace. Him being counseled sounds like the appropriate response at this time. If it escalates, that's another matter.

[Anonymous]

If I were the boss I would fire him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He should be. Cruel at best, discriminatory at worst.

How so? Discriminatory against weird people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He should be. Cruel at best, discriminatory at worst.

How so? Discriminatory against weird people?

OP mentioned her mental health and sobriety. Read up on the EEOC.

[Anonymous]

Sad to think a professional person is taking a sneaky picture of another employee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One incident is not a "hostile work environment." And those claims are VERY hard to prove, in any event.

Was he a jerk? Cruel? An a$$? Yes. Should he be disciplined? Yes. FIRED? Come on folks. He's not getting fired unless there is a ban on cameras in the office or related.

This is accurate. He should not do it again but one incident does not constitute a hostile workplace. Him being counseled sounds like the appropriate response at this time. If it escalates, that's another matter.

That doesn't matter and does not apply in a company's internal assessment of the situation. The workplace policy must have a lower standard than the legal standard used in court for obvious reasons.

A company cannot and should not wait until the behavior rises to the level of a legal cause of action for the offended employee -- obviously that would be too late to prevent a hostile workplace from forming, and too late to prevent liability. It may be one act for this guy (we don't actually know that anyway), but he's not alone in creating the total workplace environment, so a company policy cannot tolerate any behavior that would contribute to a hostile environment. They are on notice of his behavior now and must take immediate action to make the conduct stop -- what action is required here depends on facts we don't have, and an assessment of the risk of him doing it again, which we also can't do.

But, they don't have to give him a pass based on legal standards that would be used in court against the company.