Racist idiot fired for comments while filmed outside of work. Will there be more consequences for the company?

[repoman]

This is an interesting case because of the wrinkle of social media.



https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/12/pennsylvania-man-insults-activists-makes-racial-epithet-to-videographer-then-tells-mom-to-teach-girl-good-morals/

The video taken during a protest against tracking in western Pennsylvania where the camera man was a black guy. Seems like the camera guy does of a lot of social stuff and has a modest gofundme page that was around before this incident. He has a very good camera at least.

Anyway, the guy was fired right away for his comments, but people are asking for more response. Usually, I would think go pound sand. But this guy was just so quick with the racism that my guess is that he was as open at work with it - at least with one or two people he felt it out with. They may be in a bad spot now.

one Facebook comment:

 

[whichphilosophy]

This is an interesting case because of the wrinkle of social media.



https://photographyisnotacrime.com/2015/12/pennsylvania-man-insults-activists-makes-racial-epithet-to-videographer-then-tells-mom-to-teach-girl-good-morals/

The video taken during a protest against tracking in western Pennsylvania where the camera man was a black guy. Seems like the camera guy does of a lot of social stuff and has a modest gofundme page that was around before this incident. He has a very good camera at least.

Anyway, the guy was fired right away for his comments, but people are asking for more response. Usually, I would think go pound sand. But this guy was just so quick with the racism that my guess is that he was as open at work with it - at least with one or two people he felt it out with. They may be in a bad spot now.

one Facebook comment:
View attachment 5178

What consequences is the company supposed to expect. If he robbed a bank would the company also be liable? Whether he was like that at work wouldn't matter now since he has been fired.

 

[repoman]

The only evidence I found was an anonymous comment on the website I linked that said this:

"My daughters ex was his supervisor at MMC and had written this POS up numerous times for making racial slurs. This thug does not represent the good people of Butler County. (My daughters ex is no longer employed by MMC, he's moved on months ago to a better career)."


It may be totally fake. But if real, maybe it could be a problem.

This may be a post from an MMC employee about it. If so, stay the hell of Facebook about this topic:

 

[Keith&Co.]

So, MMC 'made the right call' as soon as the problem became a public issue? Not while it was just an internal problem (if the poster's girlfriend's boyfriend's account is to be believed). So, they weren't worried about the racism itself, but how his employment reflected upon the company.

The Military has done that a few times, treated problems differently. Like it's completely different issues if it's within the command and if it's showing upon CNN. it's not what i would call 'making the right call.'

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

A troll in the wild.

The odd thing about what he said, I've read almost all those comments verbatim in Yahoo News comment sections of articles. The hive mind stuff is quite discerning. No original thoughts in his head.

 

[TV and credit cards]

If there is written documentation with the company of this employee's behavior, making the right call when others are looking wasn't the right call.

Good luck contributing to the tax base in the future, John Pisone. Google's memory is long.

 

[ZiprHead]

Ironic that he was complaining about people without jobs. I guess he'll see how it feels.

 

[Valjean]

One has to feel sorry for this poor clodhopper; so provincial that the cameraman is only the 10th Afro-American he's ever laid eyes on.

The demonstrators, though, did nothing to challenge his representation of them as stupid layabouts living off the dole. nor did they explain their objections to fracking. "Protecting the community?" What does that mean?
They could have pointed out that they were employed just as he was. They could have questioned him on the fracking controversy.
They could have asked him what school he graduated from...

 

[Will Wiley]

Is he being a good Puritan?

 

[Arctish]

I don't think he should have been fired for comments made outside of the workplace. He has the right to speak his mind if he so chooses. But I do think he should have been fired long ago if he made similar comments at work. The stuff he was spouting is toxic, and should not be tolerated in a work environment.

 

[crispy]

I don't think he should have been fired for comments made outside of the workplace. He has the right to speak his mind if he so chooses. But I do think he should have been fired long ago if he made similar comments at work. The stuff he was spouting is toxic, and should not be tolerated in a work environment.

100 % agree. Work and private life are separate things. Otherwise we are all slaves to our jobs, even in our spare time.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

I don't think he should have been fired for comments made outside of the workplace. He has the right to speak his mind if he so chooses. But I do think he should have been fired long ago if he made similar comments at work. The stuff he was spouting is toxic, and should not be tolerated in a work environment.

I guess I wouldn't want to be fired if I were being a prick outside work either, but it is pretty common that we are indentured servants until we are old and get retired.

 

[barbos]

Can he sue his employer? or he is too dumb to do that?

 

[ZiprHead]

He can sue. Doubt he would be successful. His statements negatively affected his employer. I believe they are within their rights.

Considering he was fired with cause, he may not even be able to collect unemployment benefits. I'm sure he'll blame this all on the darkies.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

I don't think he should have been fired for comments made outside of the workplace. He has the right to speak his mind if he so chooses. But I do think he should have been fired long ago if he made similar comments at work. The stuff he was spouting is toxic, and should not be tolerated in a work environment.

Making your employer look bad is generally a firing offense. If you're going to be an asshole on your time leave your employer completely out of it.

 

[repoman]

So, the fact that the protestors were against fracking projects that I say a snippet (can't find now) saying the the racist's company (MMC) could get a lot of business from may have been a factor even if he had NOT spouted racist crap. Maybe he went there to hassle the protestors because he wanted to help himself get more work.

Also, he acted a bit like he was drunk, sleep deprived or suffering a head injury. Something about him was off.

 

[credoconsolans]

I don't think he should have been fired for comments made outside of the workplace. He has the right to speak his mind if he so chooses. But I do think he should have been fired long ago if he made similar comments at work. The stuff he was spouting is toxic, and should not be tolerated in a work environment.

100 % agree. Work and private life are separate things. Otherwise we are all slaves to our jobs, even in our spare time.

You are free to speak your mind no matter how malignant outside the workplace...as long as you keep it private, just between you and your buds down at the pub.

The second you go on TV or social media with it though...? Suddenly your boss is VERY concerned with your opinions since they employ you and don't want people thinking they share YOUR opinions. Image is very important to companies.

 

[fromderinside]

100 % agree. Work and private life are separate things. Otherwise we are all slaves to our jobs, even in our spare time.

You are free to speak your mind no matter how malignant outside the workplace...as long as you keep it private, just between you and your buds down at the pub.

The second you go on TV or social media with it though...? Suddenly your boss is VERY concerned with your opinions since they employ you and don't want people thinking they share YOUR opinions. Image is very important to companies.

Possible overreach everywhere. Was the guy off property and off the clock when he spouted. If so he has a worker case against the company. if company introduces policy it has to hew to work behavior unless there is a morals clause or criminal behavior clauses in employee contracts that passes muster with current legal conditions.

All a company can really do is issue business ethics policy which is a lot different from man in the street ethical expectations. For instance companies can instruct their employees to shade or hide the truth if profit or corporate risk is involved. That kind of information is only permitted/required to be spoken if accompanied with a subpoena.

 

[J842P]

You are free to speak your mind no matter how malignant outside the workplace...as long as you keep it private, just between you and your buds down at the pub.

The second you go on TV or social media with it though...? Suddenly your boss is VERY concerned with your opinions since they employ you and don't want people thinking they share YOUR opinions. Image is very important to companies.

Possible overreach everywhere. Was the guy off property and off the clock when he spouted. If so he has a worker case against the company. if company introduces policy it has to hew to work behavior unless there is a morals clause or criminal behavior clauses in employee contracts that passes muster with current legal conditions.

All a company can really do is issue business ethics policy which is a lot different from man in the street ethical expectations. For instance companies can instruct their employees to shade or hide the truth if profit or corporate risk is involved. That kind of information is only permitted/required to be spoken if accompanied with a subpoena.

Legally, Pennsylvania is an at-will work state. So you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all except a few prescribed by law, things like "race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin or non-job related handicap or disability."

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100 % agree. Work and private life are separate things. Otherwise we are all slaves to our jobs, even in our spare time.

You are free to speak your mind no matter how malignant outside the workplace...as long as you keep it private, just between you and your buds down at the pub.

The second you go on TV or social media with it though...? Suddenly your boss is VERY concerned with your opinions since they employ you and don't want people thinking they share YOUR opinions. Image is very important to companies.

Again, an employer is free to fire you for ANY reason at all, even if it's something you stated in the privacy of your own home and they get wind of it somehow.

 

[fromderinside]

Possible overreach everywhere. Was the guy off property and off the clock when he spouted. If so he has a worker case against the company. if company introduces policy it has to hew to work behavior unless there is a morals clause or criminal behavior clauses in employee contracts that passes muster with current legal conditions.

All a company can really do is issue business ethics policy which is a lot different from man in the street ethical expectations. For instance companies can instruct their employees to shade or hide the truth if profit or corporate risk is involved. That kind of information is only permitted/required to be spoken if accompanied with a subpoena.

Legally, Pennsylvania is an at-will work state. So you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all except a few prescribed by law, things like "race, color, religious creed, ancestry, age, sex, national origin or non-job related handicap or disability."

This firing falls right in the wheel house of that menu you just wrote. If the guy is off work and off site, he's got a case.