Is it dismissal offence?

atothec

JamoLew said:

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 ?

Have seen them on the canteen but never had conversations with them and they classed it as I degradated someone I don't know, and used bad language at work place, I know it's crazy and a lot of people who I have told what is going on think exactly the same 

atothec

MalMonroe said:

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.

That's great advice and thank you very much for the link

atothec

JamoLew said:

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)

I will update soon as I receive the written report as they said they will send it to us all involved and you all will laugh at it 

atothec

maisie_cat said:

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

Yes that was they way I intend it but with a smile and joking voice and welcoming them to help us, but obviously they didn't think that way 

atothec

ratechaser said:

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?

Honesty as I mentioned before, it's crazy how they try to use me as an excuse not to come to help up and the day after, and apparently one of them has had written warning for taking furloughed money for 10 days pretending to have covid and lied as she didn't have it so there it is it. 

elsien

atothec said:

JamoLew said:

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)

I will update soon as I receive the written report as they said they will send it to us all involved and you all will laugh at it 

Please don't make things worse by posting a written investigation response to you up on here. That really would be asking for trouble.

Thrugelmir

atothec said:

JamoLew said:

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)

I will update soon as I receive the written report as they said they will send it to us all involved and you all will laugh at it 

Why make so much noise about a trivial matter. All that's required is an apology and move on. The matter is then closed.  

atothec

Thrugelmir said:

atothec said:

JamoLew said:

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)

I will update soon as I receive the written report as they said they will send it to us all involved and you all will laugh at it 

Why make so much noise about a trivial matter. All that's required is an apology and move on. The matter is then closed.  

That's what I thought at first when it come to my attention, but on Tuesday I was called in meeting with management and HR as they raised greaveance for using refugees word towards them 

Mickey666

Thrugelmir said:

atothec said:

JamoLew said:

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)

I will update soon as I receive the written report as they said they will send it to us all involved and you all will laugh at it 

Why make so much noise about a trivial matter. All that's required is an apology and move on. The matter is then closed.  

Why apologise if the OP has done nothing wrong? 

I'd stand my ground and argue my case on the basis that 'refugee' is a perfectly appropriate word to use to describe a group of displaced worked 'forced' to move from a different part of the company because of conditions in that part of the company (ie no work for them).

People can be political refugees, economic refugees, natural disaster refugees, conflict refugees.  The key point is that they are displaced from their normal places of home or work because of circumstances beyond their control and through no fault of heir own.

If someone is offended by the word 'refugee' then they should take it up with the English scholars who compile the dictionary definitions.  They certainly should not be protesting against someone using the word in a perfectly reasonable context.

Losing a job is not nice, but if this is really how this company is going to behave then I wouldn't want to work for them anyway.

I'd request a one-on-one meeting with the most senior HR person in the company and explain the above position in very robust terms, making it clear that if I am sanctioned in any way for using a perfectly reasonable word in a perfectly reasonable context then I will be taking the strongest possible action against the company, which will very likely involve a great deal of publicity - for the company and for the HR people personally.

I'd then suggest that HR have a meeting with the offended persons to explain the position and give them a brief lesson on English language, the dictionary definition of 'refugee' and its reasonable use in this situation.  They should also explain that no offence was intended and that the company was not going to take any further action.  I'd also tell HR that if they insist on pursuing this issue then I'd want to speak with the MD before they do so.

Ultimately, it will be up to company to decide whether to take this farce further and to sanction the OP.  I'd just be making it absolutely clear that I wasn't going to stand by passively and take it.  I would be defending myself as vigorously as possible - within the company or without.  Including legal action where appropriate.

JamoLew

Dare I ask if the OP is in a union ?  (Haven’t noticed any mention and cba re-reading)