Should you be fired for a racial slur?
80- suiteorchids
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What do you think?
88- R P Chapman
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Far too general a statement to give a definitive answer. As with most things, it needs a little more context to understand the seriousness of the situation.
R P Chapman wrote:
Far too general a statement to give a definitive answer. As with most things, it needs a little more context to understand the seriousness of the situation.
Yep, more details would help. Generally speaking I like the idea of a zero tolerance policy for racism in the workplace. Also a zero tolerance policy for harrassment.
69- huck tooey
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Hard to answer without more detail. What was the context in which it was said amongst friends, in anger, over heard by a sensitive co-worker or customer. Give us more to go on. All that being said ..zero tolerence for any racist remarks or actions in the work place or anywhere else made in anger or to put some one down
99- Lisa HW
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In general, I think so - if it was spoken to anyone associated with work. Work is supposed to be a professional environment, and there's no place for any number of different kinds of talk at work. I suppose in some circumstances, if the offender doesn't intend to be offensive and for some reason thought the remark was "kidding around", a warning might do.
95- lrohner
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It depends on what you mean by a "racial slur". I would hate to tell a co-worker that she can't reach "Bob" because he probably went out to grab a cup of coffee, only to find out that he's Colombian and I just made a racist remark. Or maybe I offended Seamus when I asked him if he was going to grab a beer after work.
I don't use the "n" word, never have and never will. I find it personally revolting. And yet, every time my kids turn on any music, I hear it used over and over and over. But I would certainly hate to see anyone get fired for singing a popular song.
This is not intended to be a pun, but racism is far from being black and white. A zero tolerance policy would result, I suspect, in a whole lot of innocent people losing their jobs.
96- Len Cannon
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No, I think racial slurs should be encouraged in the work place. Of course you should be fired.
Don't you think it should be up to the person who owns the workplace to decide? For instance, here in Hubpages there are rules about what we may or may not say. We agreed to abide by them, and Hubpages management gets to decide what the rules are and how they are enforced. Isn't that how it should be everywhere? Owners decide.
92- Misha
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Aya Katz wrote:
Don't you think it should be up to the person who owns the workplace to decide? For instance, here in Hubpages there are rules about what we may or may not say. We agreed to abide by them, and Hubpages management gets to decide what the rules are and how they are enforced. Isn't that how it should be everywhere? Owners decide.
+1
93- Beth100
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Should be zero tolerance in a perfect picture. Reality is, it happens and its overlooked by the receiver, the sender and onlookers. There are too many mixed messages being sent out via music, videos, talks shows, paper, etc. How do you regulate that to enforce zero tolerance? Must be done on a per corporate basis.
94- Lita Sorensen
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I have seen the 'racial slur' zero tolerance policy turned in bizarre ways towards individuals, and actually sat in defense of a white man who was accused by a young black woman who was basically, 'sowing some wild oats.' In that instance, which was very contrived, I feel an injustice was done, and a handicapped man was fired who never found another job.
With people running around all over publicly and on the internet calling the President of the United States a racist, and those who openly support him a racist and asking that we tolerate that language (and to some extent, because even idiots have the right to what they, I guess, understand is free speech, we do tolerate that language), perhaps more tolerance should be shown in this instance.
Education foremost and reprimands secondly sometimes help. Firing someone on a zero tolerance policy for a single word at times, in my experience and from what I've seen, is a bit extreme.
In short, the issue is complex and shouldn't be settled based on simpleton political or other philosophies.
90- Writer Rider
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suiteorchids wrote:
What do you think?
Uh, yes!
- 80
- suiteorchids
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Thanks for your comments, This is in regards between co-worker, management or so forth. I personally agree with a zero-tolerance policy. However the reality is based on personal beliefs that were let of out of the bag so to speak. While we would all like to know whom we are working with or who works for us. The merit based on quality of work contributed I am sure is also a likely factor. Thanks again for partipating.
91- prettydarkhorse
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It should be an office policy, but it should be stated in the employment contract and properly defined. And it should not be outright removal from work but at least one warning, and then removal.
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- lrohner
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Lita Sorensen wrote:
I have seen the 'racial slur' zero tolerance policy turned in bizarre ways towards individuals, and actually sat in defense of a white man who was accused by a young black woman who was basically, 'sowing some wild oats.' In that instance, which was very contrived, I feel an injustice was done, and a handicapped man was fired who never found another job.
With people running around all over publicly and on the internet calling the President of the United States a racist, and those who openly support him a racist and asking that we tolerate that language (and to some extent, because even idiots have the right to what they, I guess, understand is free speech, we do tolerate that language), perhaps more tolerance should be shown in this instance.
Education foremost and reprimands secondly sometimes help. Firing someone on a zero tolerance policy for a single word at times, in my experience and from what I've seen, is a bit extreme.
In short, the issue is complex and shouldn't be settled based on simpleton political or other philosophies.Lita, I never thought this would happen, but I totally agree with you on every point. Well said.
Should you, depends on context.
Will they, depends on office policies or the state you are in.
If you work for the government, count on it.- 90
- Writer Rider
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bgpappa wrote:
Should you, depends on context.
Will they, depends on office policies or the state you are in.
If you work for the government, count on it.Hopefully it has more than to do with laws. Character should be a huge concern.
prettydarkhorse & lita covered the subject pretty well. Employers should not tolerate racial slurs in the workplace because doing so would not be right and because doing so can result in legal problems. However, I'm not a fan of mindless zero tolerance policies because they often result in actions that lack commonsense and fairness.
As several people already said, the question doesn't provide enough facts to allow a firm answer. For one thing, I don't believe "racial slur" has a generally accepted definition. Something that might be taken as a racial slur by one person might not be so considered by someone else. I would want to know exactly what was said or done and the context and intent of the remark or action. Whether the slur was directed at a specific individual or not might also be relevant. Further, before taking action against the employee I would make sure that I could prove that the accusation was true. I repeat: employers should not tolerate racial slurs in the work place.
I recently represented unemployment compensation claimants who quit their jobs as a result of repeated racist remarks by their supervisors. One was a Mexican-American dental assistant whose dentist persisted in telling insulting jokes about Latinos and African-Americans and making sexually offensive remarks to the women in the office. The judge ruled that this behavior by the dentist was good cause for the woman to quit without losing her eligibilty for unemployment compensation. The other case involved a claimant of Middle Eastern ancestry and appearance whose supervisor and others persisted in calling a terrorist. After objecting to his supervisor and the personnel department to no avail he quit. The judge ruled that post-911, calling someone a terrorist, even in jest, was not something an Arab-American employee should be expected to tolerate. He ruled that the employee was entitled to unemployment compensation even though he quit his job. In both cases the employees who quit may well have had grounds for a discrimination complaint against their employer for being subjected to a "hostile work environment."What I don't understand is why the question needed to be asked. I put these questions to you;
1. Why is it necessary to point out anyones differences?
2. Why do some feel it necessary to even use racial slurs do you not understand how offensive and unkind it is to others?
3. It's like being a bully why should the victim get thick skinned, why does one feel the need to bully another in the first place?
4. Why is it funny to make someone else feel uncomfortable?
5. Is your esteem so blown that this type of behaviour makes you feel better about yourself?
Yes a body should be fired if you don't understand how hurtful your comments to someone can be maybe you should be taught a lesson.
We as Americans are asking the world to become a more peaceful place and should all do our part. Each of us is responsible for our individual behavior and if firing will teach one person that responsibility then so be it.
33- Sexy jonty
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yes
