Is it dismissal offence?

pinkshoes

There are always people who are going to get offended by what isn't at all offensive.

There was clearly no malice meant in what the OP said and the whole "getting offended" by it is ridiculous.

Generation bubble wrap...

JamoLew

pinkshoes said:

There are always people who are going to get offended by what isn't at all offensive.

There was clearly no malice meant in what the OP said and the whole "getting offended" by it is ridiculous.

Generation bubble wrap...

100% agree 

I cant fathom that anyone in that circumstance could deem the use of the word refugee as offensive 

I am still convinced there is more to this the we (and probably the OP) are aware of

OP - all I can advise (as others already have), in the meeting be calm, be truthful, listen to what is said.

Accept that they took "offence" to your word - they did for whatever reason

Explain your understanding of the word and that you thought you had used it in an appropriate manner - imo you did, but acknowledge that is was maybe misunderstood and/or misinterpreted and that no malice was intended

If needs be (and this would grate me as well) - apologise for any any offence you may have inadvertently caused - it defuses the situation rather that inflames it

Anyanka1

Thrugelmir said:

Anyanka1 said:

This whole thing sounds nuts to me:  Since when is "refugee" a derogatory term?  

How do you greet somebody in a professional capacity when you first meet them?  

Assuming they had the courtesy to introduce themselves, by their name.  Assuming they did not, I would introduce myself and expect them to furnish their name.  In the absence of either, I would probably ask how they are.  In the circumstances quoted, I might <shock, horror> make some reference to the fact they had been seconded from another department with no expectation they would be snowflakey enough to take offence.  Whatever happened to backbone?  Yeah, I'm a fossil.

atothec

JamoLew said:

pinkshoes said:

There are always people who are going to get offended by what isn't at all offensive.

There was clearly no malice meant in what the OP said and the whole "getting offended" by it is ridiculous.

Generation bubble wrap...

100% agree 

I cant fathom that anyone in that circumstance could deem the use of the word refugee as offensive 

I am still convinced there is more to this the we (and probably the OP) are aware of

OP - all I can advise (as others already have), in the meeting be calm, be truthful, listen to what is said.

Accept that they took "offence" to your word - they did for whatever reason

Explain your understanding of the word and that you thought you had used it in an appropriate manner - imo you did, but acknowledge that is was maybe misunderstood and/or misinterpreted and that no malice was intended

If needs be (and this would grate me as well) - apologise for any any offence you may have inadvertently caused - it defuses the situation rather that inflames it

Already have apologised in the meeting, and yet I'm being taken for disciplinary hearing. 

baza52

atothec said:

JamoLew said:

pinkshoes said:

There are always people who are going to get offended by what isn't at all offensive.

There was clearly no malice meant in what the OP said and the whole "getting offended" by it is ridiculous.

Generation bubble wrap...

100% agree 

I cant fathom that anyone in that circumstance could deem the use of the word refugee as offensive 

I am still convinced there is more to this the we (and probably the OP) are aware of

OP - all I can advise (as others already have), in the meeting be calm, be truthful, listen to what is said.

Accept that they took "offence" to your word - they did for whatever reason

Explain your understanding of the word and that you thought you had used it in an appropriate manner - imo you did, but acknowledge that is was maybe misunderstood and/or misinterpreted and that no malice was intended

If needs be (and this would grate me as well) - apologise for any any offence you may have inadvertently caused - it defuses the situation rather that inflames it

Already have apologised in the meeting, and yet I'm being taken for disciplinary hearing. 

you never replied to say whether YOU would of been offended if they had called you an immigrant?
Would you expect HR to take the same action you are facing?

JamoLew

But he didn’t call them immigrants - that word can have much more racist undertones (but even then, not in itself an offensive word)

He referred to them as refugees which in effect - they were

baza52

JamoLew said:

But he didn’t call them immigrants - that word can have much more racist undertones (but even then, not in itself an offensive word)

He referred to them as refugees which in effect - they were

you are correct and i used the wrong word. My mistake.
Same question still applies tho.

baza52

JamoLew said:

He referred to them as refugees which in effect - they were

the definition of the words suggest they were not refugees tho does it.

refugee

noun

noun: refugee; plural noun: refugees

1. a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

   "tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes"
   
   
   I dont see how going to a temporary location to work would make them refugees

JamoLew

Micky666 In Page 3 expanded on that definition and perfectly explained how it could be applied in this particular case.

I am genuinely and truly staggered that:

a) the 2 employees in question were/are genuinely offended by that word/comment in the context and scenario it was made

b) it has been allowed to go as far as it has

baza52

JamoLew said:

Micky666 In Page 3 expanded on that definition and perfectly explained how it could be applied in this particular case.

I am genuinely and truly staggered that:

a) the 2 employees in question were/are genuinely offended by that word/comment in the context and scenario it was made

b) it has been allowed to go as far as it has

it does not matter what definitions of the word it only matters how the 2 employees took it meaning and if anything was implied by the OP when saying it.

For example i could say to a colleague "go home" it could be taken as go back to where you live or it could taken as go back to where you came from. Its not what you say its how you say it that makes a difference.