Is it dismissal offence?

JamoLew

I think they are being a right pair of Snowflakes.

The world is going mad if this goes any further (not saying it won't however)

The way people are getting so easily triggered and offended we will soon have workplaces and a society where people are just too afraid to even look at and speak to each other (although that will probably cause offence to someone)

Personally, if your account is 100% accurate then I wouldn't class the use of that word in that circumstance to be degrading - especially if there is precedent or it's a bit of a "standing joke" between departments.

I would want to know why they felt offended or degraded by it rather than some manager assuming offence on their behalf

One thing that needs to be asked though - is if there is any history between you and other colleagues - have YOU made complaints about "joking" language used directed at you and they are just using this as a way of revenge ?

Marcon

atothec said:

oh_really said:

atothec said:

oh_really said:

Certainly a training issue to be addressed,  possibly grounds for disciplinary.

Is there history between the two groups?

Are they subordinate to you as you mention you had them mopping floor?

Well that's what next stage is the disciplinary, and it's a routine we do to staff that aren't fully trained in the line to perform duties that doesn't require experience. 

That makes little sense, going to disciplinary to address performance issues due to lack of training. I would have sky high expectations of overturning at appeal.

I think I didn't explain it correctly, in the meeting they didn't pay attention to me asking them to perform mopping of the floor, the main reason is thst I used the word REFUGEES and the HR guy made it clear thst is very degrading word 

The HR guy lives in cloud cuckoo land. It's a word in common usage and unless used in a context/tone of voice where there is clearly an intention to give offence, should be treated as such.

Unfortunately, our lunatic laws not only give people the right to object to pretty much anything, they can also object because they think someone else might have been offended.

Apologise if you have given offence as none was intended and hopefully it will go no further. The chances of a dismissal on such flimsy grounds, unless you have a history of upsetting people and a string of warnings about doing so, are close to zero.

TELLIT01

If HR use the dictionary definition it may be considered that way.  In common parlance it has long meant somebody displaced from their normal working environment, often to help out another department and outside their comfort zone.

Manxman_in_exile

I do not see how the term "refugee" as used by the OP to refer to two english colleagues could possibly be construed as offensive.  In fact, if the OP is from a non-UK background or country, I would be questioning the motivation of the two english complainers in making an issue of it. 
 
I suppose HR are under a duty to investigate this sort of complaint, but if it goes anywhere then the world truly has gone raving mad.

Good luck to the OP

MalMonroe

atothec said:

Undervalued said:

atothec said:

Hi so to keep it short and hopefully make sense, 
Other day couple of colleagues from same company but different department came to work with us as they department is quite,
I jokingly and these are exactly what a said to them GOOD MORNING REFUGEES FROM(name of they department) ARE YOU COMING TO HELP US TODAY, and they both said good morning to me, after a while I asked them to mop floor as machine was broken down, anyway they stayed there 4 hou9and took rest of day holiday as they were bored and they didn't mention anything about being upset for what I said to them, day after they refused to come and they raised GREAVEANCE against me as I offended them and now HR is investigating and I have been called in meeting yesterday about which I explained what happened and what I meant, but the HR made it clear that they not happy I used the word REFUGEES,
I'm very worried about loosing the job. 

(f,y,i. The people who I said that they English, and I'm foreign thst shouldn't matter really as its equal opportunity) 

Possibly!

To dismiss fairly (in law) an employer needs a "reasonable belief" that the misconduct took place and dismissal must fall within the range of sanctions a reasonable employer might choose.

However, if you have been employed for less that two years you cannot claim unfair dismissal (except in limited circumstances that don't apply here). In which case the employer could dismiss for no reason at all as you would have no redress.

Been employed there 11 years so do you think I should take legal action if I get dismissed, as that is the exact words that I have used towards the two, and in interview with HR I admitted to it 

Yes, I do think you should take action if you are dismissed. You can take this to an Employment Tribunal. They can't just dismiss you for using a word that is, in all honesty, inappropriate but which was not meant in any discriminatory way. 

I think that what should have happened after they reported you is that HR should have had a word with you, told you it wasn't the best word to use (which they did) made a note on your employee file and left it there. 

You've worked there for too long for them to just dismiss you for what is quite a minor and unintended incident. 

You could contact acas to discuss this and get some clarification : https://www.acas.org.uk/contact

But if you are dismissed, I would definitely consider taking this company to an Employment Tribunal for unfair dismissal. It costs nothing for you to bring a case.

Manxman_in_exile

MalMonroe - how on earth can the word "refugees" be considered inappropriate in this context?

As the people complaining about it are english and the OP (I presume) is not, if I were in HR I'd be wondering if there was an underlying racist motive on behalf of the complainers.

It's ludicrous.

JamoLew

Agree with @Manxman_in_exile

  I guess as with most things nowadays that people take “offence” with,the point is whether:

the word on its own  is offensive (imo - not)

when used in in certain contexts (imo -possible)

when used in this context (imo - absolutely not)

I do wonder if there is more to this then is being let on (as I already alluded in my previous post)

Mickey666

Manxman_in_exile said:

MalMonroe - how on earth can the word "refugees" be considered inappropriate in this context?

As the people complaining about it are english and the OP (I presume) is not, if I were in HR I'd be wondering if there was an underlying racist motive on behalf of the complainers.

It's ludicrous.

It could even be argued as being entirely appropriate and accurate in the context of the two employees concerned being displaced from their normal place of work and effectively 'forced' to work in a different part of the company.

Yes, of course that's stretching the dictionary definition somewhat is somewhat ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as being offended by the word in an off the cuff comment.

Ludicrous doesn't really begin to describe it.

maisie_cat

I would have said that you used the term in the sense of displaced persons, which they were, displaced from their department.

ratechaser

I'd actually turn this one around and say that if they are arguing that 'refugee' is a pejorative term, then it is they who are thinking and acting inappropriately. 

In a better world than we appear to live in, we should be welcoming refugees, not perceiving them negatively. And I'm sure you were welcoming them, correct?