Employment rights

[cattychrissy]

Hi everyone - I made a stupid, crass & tasteless joke at work the other day which happened to particularly upset one of my two bosses. I have apologised & grovelled which has apparently been accepted but feel that my job is under threat: can I be summarily fired for something like this or do I have right to some kind of representation? - tiny company - Two bosses plus two employees including me- thanks in anticipation!

[Hawkwalk]

depends on the content of the joke I guess. Can you repeat it on here??

[cattychrissy]

Probably not - any suggestions?!

[buildersmate]

As usual in these situations, it depends. Your term 'Summarily fired' implies the company dismissing you for gross disconduct. They would have to investigate the circumstances, including interview you to determine your side of the events, take a view that the contract had been fundamentally broken and inform you of you outcome, including putting it in writing. You have a right to be accompanied by a friend at every stage of the process. Make your own notes on any discussion/interview you are asked to attend.

[Carby]

Come on tell us the joke?

[shero101]

Was it verbal or by email ? I know of people who have been sacked for sending jokes round the office via email. It's classes as inappropriate use of company resource and can be classed as gross misconduct.

[ummmm]

Post the joke in the joke section

[cattychrissy]

Thanks everyone! - it was verbal and was not actually said to the offended person but to someone else and was overheard. I don't have a contract of employment - I just signed acceptance of a job description which covered hours/salary/holiday/job content etc - had nothing about conduct or anything. As regards to the content of the joke, holding my breath, one of my colleagues asked if the BNP badge I was wearing was made of gold. I said that it probably came from the dental fillings of dead people of a certain nationality. It turmed out that the offended boss' wife was of that nationality which I obviously I didn't know. I know that's no excuse and I should never have said it but I did!

[joko]

i would have fired you too.

if you did stay, i would make your life a misery

you are sickening.

[noxlumos]

I hope you do get sacked you tragic excuse for a person. That's not a joke, that's just 100% offensive and I'd have hoofed you out the door there and then. What a disgusting insensitive moron.

[joko]

you are obviously one of those unfortunate people who thinks offensive jokes are only offensive if someone to whom the joke refers happens to hear it...

and you are only sorry you said it because you got caught, not because it is an abhorrent thing to say and you should be ashamed of yourself!

it is interesting that you say "a certain nationality" rather than just say it - do you think that somehow makes it less offensive - because you didn't actually say the name?

not only would i have sacked you, i would make sure you struggled to get any work any where else.

i think your username seems quite apt for the sort of person you are.

[JanineG]

I can't believe that somebody would even think of that as being a joke in the first place - but please don't come onto this website looking for help to get out of your stupid mistakes. I hope that they do fire you. I don't think any amount of grovelling would or should make your bosses and colleagues think any higher of you now - the damage is done. How do you expect your boss to forget such a hurtful and offensive comment?

Do you think it would have been okay to say such a thing is nobody who was likely to be offended overheard you?

Shame on you. You're stupidity has really shocked me.

[cattychrissy]

Ok OK I give in. I was brave enough to tell you what I did - how many of you are brave enough to send me a link to a suicide site. Please do it.I am not joking.

[joko]

oh, you are really redeeming yourself now!

what a puerile, pathetic, self-centred thing to say!

brave??

some how its all OUR fault that you are a disgusting horrorshow of a person and we should feel guilty for telling you so, because you now want to kill yourself... mmm...

do you think anyone here would give a monkeys if you did?

the net is full of suicide sites - help yourself

[joko]

and by the way, jokes about suicide are not funny either - just so you know, next time you go to open your gob with another failed attempt at humour

[noxlumos]

You were wearing a BNP badge which triggered the whole conversation, so it's no good pretending it was a one off anomally, a slip of a usually sensible brain.
For God sakes wake up to the views you hold, do something about yourself and stop wallowing in your own self pity. Just when I thought you couldn't get anymore disgusting you pull an "it's all about me, me, me" stunt and expect sympathy, wallowing around in your own self pity because no-one likes a neo-nazi fool who is too crass to realise the extreme evil of their views.
Get a grip.

[cascarelli]

Wave goodbye to your job and any reference for a job in the future

[Memore]

where i work and most places that would be gross misconduct and you would be sacked if I was you I would resign and learn by it - I cant believe someone would think like that let alone say it -