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My husband is a very hard worker and has, or rather had, an excellent work record. He works in the hospitality business and has received numerous complimentary e-mails about the efficient way he runs events. He's always on time for work, does a great job, and takes at most two or three sick days a year (and that's only when he has something as bad as the flu). Anyway, a few weeks ago he heard that a co-worker was quitting. He was on vacation at the time so since he wasn't going into work that week, he called another co-worker and asked if she knew if it was true. That co-worker then spoke to another co-worker about it. Eventually one of these conversations made it back to the big shots and they had a fit over it. Apparently it isn't true and the employee isn't quitting but the fact that this rumor spread a bit before coming to an end has upper management severely ticked off. My husband was called into his manager's office today and questioned extensively...who told him, who did he tell, was it by phone or text, does he have a record of any phone calls or texts regarding it, etc. And then given a written warning stating that he was "disruptive to the work environment". He was also told that HR will probably get involved. WTH??? I don't see what the big deal is. Am I missing something? It's like they want to control what employees talk about. It seems like Big Brother to me. I understand getting written up for not doing your job, excessive lateness or absenteeism, being rude to customers, etc. but simply asking another co-worker if it was true that someone was quitting??? Isn't this crazy?
Been in a very similar situation as the one you have outlined above. In this case, a departing employee had mentioned to me how he had intensely disliked certain employees there. Then, in a typically freeflowing and unfiltered conversation with a fellow coworker, I had said the ex employee did not like very much. Nothing unusual or uncommon given our communication style. Then, low and behold, she goes to the top office and tearfully complains about what was said to her. The boss and asst boss asked her if she was comfortable with me around. To which she replied she was not comfortable. I was fired from this position.
In hindsight, I think who you talk to is more important than what is said. The individual I encountered was mentioned to me as somebody to be very careful what is said to her. I learned my lesson well.
You people are ALL so disingenuous. I bet every one of you has at some time talked about a co worker to another co worker. I have often called people I work with when I am on vacation, if I haven't left town. We are friends and talk all the time. How many of you would actually call a person you heard quit before asking someone else? What a bunch of self righteous hypocrites.
To the OP, your husband did nothing wrong. He is allowed to speak to anyone he wants on his own time. The employer overreacted, and he should consider a job change if this is their SOP. These other posters are full of cr*p if they claim they have never engaged in 'shop talk' with another employee. Don't throw stones if you live in a glass house.
I do realize he was wrong but I think a verbal warning would've been more appropriate. He's been looking for another job since before this happened anyway, mostly because he already had bad vibes about management. Their overreaction to this situation certainly confirms his feelings. I think they already wanted to get rid of him and are using this error on his part to start a paper trail. In the grand scheme of things, it's not a big deal - he'll be long gone of his own accord before they find some other excuse to write him up.
So he has not learned anything from this situation and neither have you.
OMG, I never said I didn't learn anything. I already said I realize now that he was wrong. That said, this certainly isn't something he's going to hang his head in shame over. That can be reserved for the drunk drivers, drug addicts, murderers, rapists, thieves, etc. of the world. We all make mistakes in life; some big and some not so big. This most definitely falls into the not so big category - no need to look in the mirror and play the blame game over this one.
Sorry OP, but your husband made a mistake. He's human. My suggestion is to have him just go on ahead and put his bruised ego in his pocket and work on getting over it. I know it must be embarassing to bear the brunt of the gossip mill train (it's happened to me!), but he should report to work, hold his head high and continue on with his job as usual. They'll (fellow employees) find something else to fixate on and gossip about next month, no doubt.
It's not every little detail. When someone starts changing a major detail that it impacts how things played out, people are going to question it.
It's like being " a little bit pregnant".
The OP said her husband called a coworker about someone quitting, now that has been changed to the husband got a call, well which is it? It does matter in this scenario.
Because in this case it makes him either the s**t stirrer if he made the call and started it or just a featured player in this, I vote for s**t stirrer.
Nothing changed; I didn't want to write every little detail and have my post turn into a novel. It was both - he got a call from a co-worker who gave him the "information". A few days later, he called another co-worker about something else and figured he'd ask her if she knew it was true while he had her on the phone.
I don't think it's a matter of right or wrong but knowing who you work for. I once worked for some really nutty people where I got into trouble for just getting an email. A co-worker sent me an email at work telling me she was fed up and going to walk out one of these days without giving notice. I immediately zapped the email and told no one.
Well, she did it a couple of weeks later. I got called on the carpet and was fired. Why? Because while wiping her hard drive of emails after she had gone, they came across her email to me. Their reason for firing me was, get this, I should have gone running to our supervisor and snitched on her. Since I didn't, I was not a loyal employee and didn't deserve to work there.
I called her up when I got home and she told me she did delete the email but of course IT can always recover anything deleted or not and the that's what they did.
So the OP's spouse should have thought about what he was talking about and to whom because you never know what kind of people you might be working for.
Wow, I'm so sorry you were fired for such a ridiculous reason. I would've done exactly what you did - immediately delete the e-mail and keep my mouth shut. You did the right thing!
Gossip is usually covered in employee conduct. In addition, an employer can set a precedent in discipline. Many employees fail to realize that an infraction of gossip or rumors needs to be handled the same in each situation. The employer cannot say this gossip from this employee seems worse or better than what this gossiping employee said. It needs to be treated the same each time, or it becomes unenforceable. A more severe infraction like saying someone has "AIDS" would fall under unprofessional conduct or harassment--much more serious.
Yes, he deserves the discipline. The company has a policy and procedure, and your husband is not exempt from following them. They can't make an exception; it would set a precedent leading to claims of discrimination.
Been in a very similar situation as the one you have outlined above. In this case, a departing employee had mentioned to me how he had intensely disliked certain employees there. Then, in a typically freeflowing and unfiltered conversation with a fellow coworker, I had said the ex employee did not like very much. Nothing unusual or uncommon given our communication style. Then, low and behold, she goes to the top office and tearfully complains about what was said to her. The boss and asst boss asked her if she was comfortable with me around. To which she replied she was not comfortable. I was fired from this position.
In hindsight, I think who you talk to is more important than what is said. The individual I encountered was mentioned to me as somebody to be very careful what is said to her. I learned my lesson well.
Wow, I'm sorry you were fired for that. Thanks for sharing and your advice.
He was talking to his co-worker about other stuff and raised the question during their conversation. He didn't call her specifically to discuss the other employee. I do think he could've waited until he was back at work to find out for sure one way or another. However, I think more fuss was made of the situation than was necessary. It doesn't really matter - he's not happy at the job and just started looking for another job shortly before this happened - it's just going to make the rest of his time there a bit awkward.
I don't see why his remaining time there should be awkward. People get in trouble occasionally for something. It's not a big deal.
He shouldn't have asked the coworker, unless the coworker was a true friend (which apparently he wasn't, or was a known blabbermouth).
Rumors about others being fired or quitting are serious rumors. Care must be taken when repeating things like that. It must not get back to management that you were involved in spreading the rumor. Rumors like that could actually cost that co-worker his job, if the supervisor thinks that the employee is looking for a new job.
The interrogation was over the top. What were they thinking? I'm thinking that maybe they were thinking of a lawsuit by the employee who was the brunt of the rumor, or that employee is friends with someone in HR or management. There was something going on there that made this rumor hit the level of frenzy it did.
Over the years, I heard rumors of others being fired or leaving. We were usually careful to repeat that only in person, in a whisper, and to close co-workers/friends.
I was called on the carpet and interrogated once for doing something. It was ridiculous. Others I've known have had similar things happen. It's not a big deal.
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