I got a written warning for saying this at work?

[mduncan50]

Who's the victim of the statement? ISIS? Nobody should be giving a damn.

The substance of the discussions wasn't perfectly innocuous, but there was nothing inherently wrong with it. Someone's PC ticker may be on the fritz. Though it may not have much to do with anything specifically PC, discussing things remotely in that direction can in many cases set off alarms for no reason. It's to be expected.

Playing devil's advocate, maybe someone who's family had been victims of Russian atrocities thinking that it was being trivialized?

 

[SolidState]

Sounds like OP might be unwittingly and unknowingly working for an undercover ISIS cell.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Was this in the US? It sounds like it happened in the US. They tend to be the ones to ignore all common sense and critical thinking when it comes to what you're allowed or not allowed to say or think or do. Land of the free and all that jazz. That is, until you utter a thought of your own.

 

[anthony87]

A friend of mine got a warning in work recently for giving a freezing homeless man a cup of tea, said homeless man then proceeded to ask someone nearby if they had any spare change and the person who was asked freaked the fuck out and started blaming my friend for the homeless man being there.

In short, I find that most workplace warnings tend to be over trivial nonsense.

 

[JimB]

So what do you think, was I in the wrong or a victim of the now ultra-PC society that can't take a comment for what it is?

I think I wasn't there. I think I don't know the context, like what tone you took or whom you said this to. I think I can in no way give a fair opinion on a one-sided story devoid of any details, but I think I can tell you I am immediately suspicious, given that you phrase this to almost certainly be a begging the question fallacy.

 

[Abomination]

Don't think we're getting the whole story.

Did you just blurt this out in the middle of a meeting discussing the yearly revenue report?

Because that'd be worth a written warning.

 

[Disco Biscuit]

I find that most people that get in trouble for something and then say "But all I said was", that that wasn't actually all they said.

It's never just one side of the story.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

This is why I do not discuss politics in the workplace.

 

[brahm]

Maybe they're unpleased with your performance and are building a paper trail to dismiss you?

This. When workplaces start getting ticky tacky it is time to move on.

 

[Fat Hippo]

Huh, not discussing politics at the workplace? Is that an American thing? I'm not trying to be a dick, I'm genuinely curious. Now granted, I've only ever held temp jobs, a month at most, but I think I've ended up discussing politics and/or religion at all of them. It's never been an issue. Now granted, I don't hold any extreme political opinions, but I did end up disagreeing with co-workers on various matters. Never ended up causing any kind of kerfuffle though. But then, I've heard people say that you shouldn't talk about politics with friends and family either, so who the fuck are you supposed to talk about politics with?

If this is the situation, I find it rather depressing, and a loss for society as a whole. Public discourse should take place in people's daily lives and not just in the media. It's an important part of how people inform themselves, challenge their views, and finally reach opinions. If all of that gets banned...well it's no wonder politics in the USA have become this polarized. You tend to think of people with differing political views in a very negative light, until you actually talk to them and realize that they might be decent folks who reached different conclusions or have different priorities.

 

[thewatergamer]

I don't...how is ISIS even a political issue? It would be like saying "Oh can't say anything bad about Hitler or Nazis, we don't want to offend them!" If what you say is true then its ridiculous...side note, why are people so obsessed with "no politics" in the workplace? I haven't worked anywhere like that...As long as your respectful of other people's opinions their was never an issue for me, then again I've never worked anywhere super professional, but how does that make sense, if you are a professional adult working with other professional adults, you should be able to discuss politics without offending anyone correct?

 

[Nemmerle]

So what do you think, was i in the wrong or a victim of the now ultra PC society that cant take a comment for what it is? By the way ive worked there almost 3 years which is why im pissed off.

It's not a matter of right or wrong. You can be perfectly in the right and still get fired for it.

At the end of the day the rules of professional behaviour for a given workplace are what your boss sets. If their rule is that they only hire people who jump up and down when they walk in the door and shout the company motto at the top of their lungs, well that's what they're paying you for.... You conduct yourself as you please on your own time. You're being paid to behave as they want you to, and that's an end to it.

Now as an HR thing, if it went down as you seem to imply, it's unwise to go straight to written warnings if no-one's spoken to you before. It's also probably unwise of them to have rules that exacting. That's bad management.

I mean, there are ways to generate a paper-trail, and ways they should be using, but they're part of a more general performance management and improvement programme that they should be doing anyway. Most bosses don't. But then again most bosses are terrible. I mean someone should have sat down with you and asked where you wanted to be next year, you should know what skills you have to develop and what level of performance you have to deliver to get where you want to be....

And this sort of thing gets folded into that process, unless it's something truly egregious.

If I sit down with one of my directs, to talk about something, for instance... well, I hold weekly one to ones with my directs. I have a small pad of paper and I might write,

'23-3-2016 SonOfVoorhees

Professional deportment
Spoken to about avoiding political comments'

And that would be one of the points that we covered in that meeting, along with a whole bunch of other stuff. And then if it got around to us having a dispute where I wanted to fire you... well, shit, I've got six months of those things - I've got 24 documents backing me up that you weren't working with me. Ain't no-one gonna argue with that.

But that's a side issue, you've got a terrible boss. You're not in the wrong. Neither's he or she, really. They're perhaps behaving unwisely. It shouldn't be as big of a thing as it is, but that's probably a manifestation of more general incompetence.

... Now if they tried speaking with you about it, telling you it wasn't acceptable to them, and you argued with them on the other hand... that's totally written warning territory. There is a certain amount of 'It depends quite what you said.'

 

[Something Amyss]

What does he have to gain?

Well, and I'm operating from the hypothetical that this isn't what he said, he gains the validation one tends to get when one gets a group of people--even strangers--on their side.

Why do people tell tall tales in general? Why do they stretch the truth about such occurrences in real life? What benefit?

 

[Worgen]

Being PC is like showering. There is no law against not showering but it makes the environment around you more pleasant, same as being PC.

Keep in mind what happened here doesn't sound like a pc issue at all, it sounds like office politics which tend to be overly sensitive.

 

[Parasondox]

As rebellious as I am, there is one thing you should do in a work place no matter how innocent it could sound.

Keep your political and religious opinions to yourself and shut up.

Yes, as much as your statement could be small to you, could mean problems to a few more. It's pointless to even try and fight it. Work environment can be complex as fuck. Trying to get involved leaves you in a fast eating quick sand that can get drag you into hell. Whether it's work place politics or world politics, just keep it shut. Yeah, freedom and all, blah blah, but really where is the line and limit?

 

[KissingSunlight]

Nemmerle said it best, "You've got a terrible boss." I worked for a company that had the "Adria Richards" rule years before Donglegate happened. A middle-aged female employee said, "Hello, girls." to 2 women half her age. She got written up for sexual harassment. I got written up for asking for a promotion. I was never happier when that company went out of business.

Having experienced something like this, I would operate under the assumption that they are trying to push you out. Just start looking for something else. You have every right to be angry. In the long run, it doesn't matter if you are right. If they want you gone, they will find a way to let you go.

 

[NiPah]

Eh... I once got a written warning for something I didn't even do, so.. y'know. Warnings are kind of bullshit. If your boss wants to give you a warning, they will find a reason to.

My warning conversation went something like this:

Boss: So [x] bit of paperwork didn't get done.
Me: Yeah, I know.
Boss: And who was responsible for it that day?
Me: [Co-worker].
Boss: Ye-Wait what. (Checks paperwork) Oh. Well.... I'm still giving you a warning.
Me: ????????????????????????

Bah, days like that are best ended vegging out on the sofa watching anime.
I had a boss that tried like hell to get me fired once, had to cover myself on everything and leave a paper trail on what was happening, he ended up getting fired and I moved up, tis life.

 

[DoPo]

Having experienced something like this, I would operate under the assumption that they are trying to push you out.

Just wanted to mention something that fits with this: the above is called "constructive dismissal" - it's when a company tries to force an employee to quit by arranging so that the workplace is one the employee no longer wants or likes. It's not like firing because the employee left themselves, but the decision to leave is not entirely voluntary but due to machinations by the employer.

Constructive dismissal is also illegal and they can be sued for it, if found to be doing it.

 

[JoJo]

To provide a little dissent, I've never had any problem discussing politics in my workplace. Obviously it goes without saying that you should avoid anything too controversial or offensive, but mainstream fare should be fine. I've had some friendly debates with our cleaner recently over the upcoming EU referendum (I'm in favour of staying in, he's on the leave side), and we shared our disappointment last year over the surprise Tory victory.

 

[Disco Biscuit]

To provide a little dissent, I've never had any problem discussing politics in my workplace. Obviously it goes without saying that you should avoid anything too controversial or offensive, but mainstream fare should be fine. I've had some friendly debates with our cleaner recently over the upcoming EU referendum (I'm in favour of staying in, he's on the leave side), and we shared our disappointment last year over the surprise Tory victory.

I don't know how it works where you are, but where I've worked cleaning staff is usually contracted outside a company. Unless you work for a janitorial service I guess, then that would be mad. Point is, there might be a difference between a chat with the guy mopping up, and guy at reception.