Man Fired for Voting for Obama

[ploto]

I only talk politics with the three others in my work group, and not other employees. Being a technical field dealing with real sciences, only one is a liberal, so it's 3:1!

He sometimes asks us to stop, but we try not to piss each other off.

Seems to me like he could complain to HR that you are creating a hostile work environment for him, especially if he has asked you to stop multiple times.

[Wild Cobra]

There was a threat in the "recently rehired should clean out there desks", and "if they dispute such an act, they should reconsider their vote."

Doesn't matter. It was an obvious parody of following Omobanomics. Now considering the new hire part, are you saying he was a recent hire? He has six months of do ented sales. He doesn't make that claim in the suit.

I have had similar emails during election season that cut both ways. Haven't you?

Look at the economy and how many people lost their jobs. This was a sales job, for goods and services, and they likely had to scale back and let someone go.

It is ridiculous to think that an email, that is obviously a joke, carries such weight. Really now, is $300,000 is sales enough to carry a salesman, to pay his wages out of? That seems like a rather low amount to me.

[Wild Cobra]

Seems to me like he could complain to HR that you are creating a hostile work environment for him, especially if he has asked you to stop multiple times.

I guess I wasn't clear. He willingly participates, but doesn't like to cover some topics.

[Wild Cobra]

I would like you all to remember, this is a parody email, like one of thousands send across the workplace between people. I cannot recall the thousands I have received at one particular employer of jokes, political satire, etc. You can bet the owner send other joke emails to his employees if he sent this one.

The email in question is dated 10/29/08. Check these out:

How would you like to get this memo from your boss?; 9/26/09

I got this email-memo at my job this morning ; 10/23/08

ytalk political forum; 10/27/09

You can find this all over the internet, so many thousands with some slightly modified words.

[LnGrrrR]

Regardless of the facts in this case, I don't think employers should have the right to fire employees who use their freedom of speech while off the job, with some exceptions. An employer should not have the right to control any legal behavior while you are off the job, with some exceptions. The exceptions would be wrt confidential information of the employer (trade secrets, customer list, etc.) and deliberately harming the employer's reputation.

I could see issues with this. Let's say you have an employee who is a proud supporter of NAMBLA, or the KKK, or something else that's heinous on their off-hours. If people who patronized your company discovered this out, they would absolutely hound you.

Not long ago, there was a thread about Obama wanting an insurance company, which had Medicare contracts, to shut up. According to some here, Obama should be able to "fire" the company at will.

I'd say the difference is that I believe the Medicare/Medicaid is under contract. Plus it's a government action, so that puts more spin on it.

[Oh, Gee!!]

My instinct tells me he was fired for being outspoken about Obama and probably was a disruption to the workplace environment.


The boss writing a joke email, or the fanatic who disrupts the workplace? Yes, I know he might not be a fanatic, but that scenario is more likely to me.


This is a frivolous lawsuit.

well, my instinct tells me that he was the best employee who ever worked for this two-bit company, and that he was completely respectful and polite every second of the day. my instinct tells me that he has a good case and will get every single penny prayed for in his suit. Yes, I know that this is complete conjecture on my part, but that scenario is more likely to me

[Wild Cobra]

well, my instinct tells me that he was the best employee who ever worked for this two-bit company, and that he was completely respectful and polite every second of the day. my instinct tells me that he has a good case and will get every single penny prayed for in his suit. Yes, I know that this is complete conjecture on my part, but that scenario is more likely to me

LOL...

What a joker you are today.

Please notice that I revised my opinion after that initial posting.