selective termination?

[dk1965]

What is the name of your state?Connecticut
Recently i did something stupid in my company. I was sent an e-mail from one of my customers, and I forwarded it to 3 of my co-workers in the same company. As it turns out, about 15 forwards later this e-mail was found to be offensive by someone in our company, and now it seems as if I am going to lose my job over it. I did not do anything different than anyone after me did, by forwarding this e-mail, and I did not send it directly to anyone that found it to be offensive. My problem is this... I am being terminated from my job, while everyone else that forwarded this e-mail remains employed. Even the person who directly sent this letter to the offended person is remaining employed. Now I know that forwarding anything questionable is against company policy, but can they only terminate me?? Everyone that forwarded this message is just as guilty as I am. I am being held responsible for someones actions waaaaay down the e-mail trail that I do even know, and none of the other emloyee's are being held to the same standards as I am... This cannot be right. Is there something I can do??

 

[BelizeBreeze]

What is the name of your state?Connecticut
Recently i did something stupid in my company. I was sent an e-mail from one of my customers, and I forwarded it to 3 of my co-workers in the same company. As it turns out, about 15 forwards later this e-mail was found to be offensive by someone in our company, and now it seems as if I am going to lose my job over it. I did not do anything different than anyone after me did, by forwarding this e-mail, and I did not send it directly to anyone that found it to be offensive. My problem is this... I am being terminated from my job, while everyone else that forwarded this e-mail remains employed. Even the person who directly sent this letter to the offended person is remaining employed. Now I know that forwarding anything questionable is against company policy, but can they only terminate me?? Everyone that forwarded this message is just as guilty as I am. I am being held responsible for someones actions waaaaay down the e-mail trail that I do even know, and none of the other emloyee's are being held to the same standards as I am... This cannot be right. Is there something I can do??

Of course it's right. You have no special rights to forward offensive materials and the fact that others forwarded it after you is irrelevant.

 

[cbg]

Look at it this way. They could not have forwarded to anyone else, if you had not forwarded it to them. Yours was the initial error. Yes, they can terminate you and only you.

 

[dk1965]

As I stated, I know that I broke company policy. I know that I was in the wrong. My problem/confusion with this is that everyone broke the same policy I did, and I am the only one being punished for the action. That is what seems wrong to me.

 

[cbg]

Whether it's fair or not, it's legal.

 

[BelizeBreeze]

As I stated, I know that I broke company policy. I know that I was in the wrong. My problem/confusion with this is that everyone broke the same policy I did, and I am the only one being punished for the action. That is what seems wrong to me.

so if everyone was having sex in the break room and you didn't would you sue the company for not providing you a hooker?

 

[mitousmom]

so if everyone was having sex in the break room and you didn't would you sue the company for not providing you a hooker?

No, but if you found the sexual activity offensive, you could probably file a EEOC complaint alleging that your employer didn't maintain a working environment free of sexually harassing behavior.

Unless your employer is treating you differently because of your sex, race, religion, national origin, age or color, it can terminate only you for emailing the ultimately offensive message.

 

[dk1965]

No, but if you found the sexual activity offensive, you could probably file a EEOC complaint alleging that your employer didn't maintain a working environment free of sexually harassing behavior.

Grasping for air here...
There are so many e-mails that could be considered offensive by someone sent around that company it is a joke. The majority of them come from our supervisors who are the only ones who have access to the internet to create an origional message in the first place. My e-mail was a drop in the ocean in our company. I am most likely answering my own comment, but due to the one e-mail (of hundreds out there) someone complaines about having come indirectly (15 forwards) from me... I am the one that loses?

 

[cbg]

Yes, you are the one who loses.

Yes, you are grasping at straws here. The sooner you accept the fact that firing you and only you was legal, the sooner you can get on with your life. This is not going to be an illegal firing no matter how hard and how long you protest.

And mitousmom was referring to Belieze's comment, not your e-mail.

 

[eerelations]

As has been said to you before, firing you (and no one else) for this may be unfair, however, it's completely legal.

 

[turbowray]

so sorry

but i must repeat what the previous posters answered to your question "you sent the original one and though it seems unfair,because it was sent by you first,you are liable for this person getting offended" unfair and illegal are two different things...this is unfair it is NOT illegal so you have no legal recourse here. Sorry!!