Judge sides with man fired for posting 'Dilbert' comic in office

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dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,572
3,401
136
Originally posted by: takeru
Originally posted by: LikeLinus
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

Few problems here:

1. You do not know this companies P&P. Do you work for this company and know what their BB is meant?

2. Enlightenment? WTF are you talking about? He posted it as a joke to cheer people up and found it funny. He's not the freaking Dalai Lama here.

3. So you feel that the company firing him and THEN challenging his unemployment benefits was the best solution for the company? You think this "improves" the company?

Why couldn't the company simply ask him to take it down and have a talk with him about no longer putting cartoons up? The REASON they fired him is layoffs were company and it was an easy out and they didn't want him getting unemployment.

The only thing utterly foolish in this is the company?s reaction and mismanagement of the situation. Now they've been rejected by a judge who agreed it was not intentional misbehavior.

"It's a slap in the face and insubordinate"

I had a supervisor in my previous job that liked to use that term a lot. Its like her battle cry. "INSUBORDINATION!" Well anyway long story short she was a kiss up and lied to her subordinates to get her way. your overall post reminds me heavily of her. its a cartoon. if management doesn't like it, they could have just removed it from the board and discussed the matter with him. over-reaction with a chunk of superiority complex. :|

RESPECT MAH AUTHORITAY!!!! :|
 

JulesMaximus

No Lifer
Jul 3, 2003
74,456
854
126
I've stuck Dilbert comic strips up near my desk. Anyone who can't stand a little office humor needs to pull the stick out of their ass. Seriously, who would want to work for someone who couldn't stand a little humor in the workplace?

One of the engineers has one on her wall and I've seen them hung up in other parts of the building as well.
 

dmcowen674

No Lifer
Oct 13, 1999
54,894
47
91
www.alienbabeltech.com
Originally posted by: Xstatic1
DES MOINES, Iowa ? A judge has sided with a man who was fired for posting a "Dilbert" comic strip that made fun of managers on an office bulletin board.


"Dilbert" creator Scott Adams said it might have been the first confirmed instance of a worker being fired for posting a "Dilbert" strip in a workplace.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317469,00.html

PIC of comic strip: http://www.charlotte.com/news/story/412299.html click to enlargen

Scott Adams is way behind the curve ball here.

A co-worker of a place I worked in Atlanta back in 1996 was fired for insubordination for putting a Dilbert cartoon on the outside of his cubicle wall in the aisle.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,853
1,048
126
Originally posted by: Xavier434
Originally posted by: rh71
The employee was stupid in posting this publicly. He easily made himself a target. He risked this just to be popular.

People post Dilbert comics around the office all the time...you people need to lighten up. Management was already taking away their jobs. The least they could do is show a little flexibility when it comes to those employees trying to make light of a crappy situation.

Except in this case there was a target here and it was obvious who it was. Again, why put your name next to this? Asking for trouble...
 

Goosemaster

Lifer
Apr 10, 2001
48,777
3
81
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

:laugh: 10/10
 

Anubis

No Lifer
Aug 31, 2001
78,716
417
126
tbqhwy.com
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

yea i have to apoligize, i pissed in your cornflakes this morning, honestly i thought you would take it better, my mistake
 

Xavier434

Lifer
Oct 14, 2002
10,377
1
0
Originally posted by: rh71
Originally posted by: Xavier434
Originally posted by: rh71
The employee was stupid in posting this publicly. He easily made himself a target. He risked this just to be popular.

People post Dilbert comics around the office all the time...you people need to lighten up. Management was already taking away their jobs. The least they could do is show a little flexibility when it comes to those employees trying to make light of a crappy situation.

Except in this case there was a target here and it was obvious who it was. Again, why put your name next to this? Asking for trouble...

I understand and I probably wouldn't be that guy who would post the comic during that situation for the exact reasons you are saying, but I also wouldn't be that supervisor who would take action even if the comic was directed towards me. Those supervisors are assholes and need to lighten up.
 

razor2025

Diamond Member
May 24, 2002
3,010
0
71
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

People like you are the reason why office work is such a sh*t job. Companies are made of PEOPLE not drones. The casino managers were definitely in the wrong here. What they should've done was to ignore the comic entirely. Employee morale is already low by the casino closing announcement, why make it sink even lower by whining about a simple comic? A sensible manager would at least ignore the comic. A better manager would use the comic as opportunity to communicate with employees.

Disputing the fired guy's unemployment benefit is even more despicable.
 

razor2025

Diamond Member
May 24, 2002
3,010
0
71
Originally posted by: Xavier434
Originally posted by: rh71

Except in this case there was a target here and it was obvious who it was. Again, why put your name next to this? Asking for trouble...

I understand and I probably wouldn't be that guy who would post the comic during that situation for the exact reasons you are saying, but I also wouldn't be that supervisor who would take action even if the comic was directed towards me. Those supervisors are assholes and need to lighten up.

Inability to take criticism is a sure sign of a bad manager/supervisor.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
82,854
17,365
136
Originally posted by: Injury
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.
I really think that getting bent out of shape by a 3 frame black and white comic shows some serious insecurity and to be insulted by it shows that you lack the level head that it takes to properly manage a company. Anyone who can't take a fair ribbing should by no means be in a management position. You're way out of context to consider this comic strip "hateful" and to compare it to putting kerosene on a fire.
This is gonna make me sound like the devils advocate but I agree with both people. (Except for the kerosene part.)

I have been lucky enough to avoid a Dilbert career but I would hope the bosses could take a little dose of very minor abuse like this.
If they couldnt I dont think I'd want to work there anyway.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,055
12,245
136
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

You should ask yourself...for every decision you make, is this good for the company?
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,830
3
0
Originally posted by: angminas
You really think putting cartoons on the bulletin board is the way to enlightenment? I wonder if you've ever been in management. That strip is caustic even by Dilbert standards. It's a slap in the face and insubordinate, not to mention a misuse of company resources (the bulletin board is not meant for that purpose). It does nothing to improve the company- it only destabilizes. Publicly posting a hateful comic strip at work to improve management practices is like trying to smother a bonfire with kerosene. The best thing you can say about it is that it's utterly foolish and misses the point. Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

For reference, I am treated very poorly by my management. That doesn't mean being rude would make me some kind of folk hero.

You are pathetic. For your whole life you will be treated poorly by management, then you will die a pathetic man, and you'll probably feel good about it because on some level you believe you were born to be a slave to others.
 

imported_Section8

Senior member
Aug 1, 2006
483
0
0
There must be more to this story than what is in the articel. Who gets fired for posting a widely distributed comic like Dilbert? They must have a real whacked out conduct and discipline policy. If you can fired for a Dilbert then what would they do if you told your boss to F off, take you out back and shoot you? Usually there is progressive discipline. I suspect there were other issues we do not know about.
 
Feb 6, 2007
16,432
1
81
Originally posted by: Number1
I would have fired him.
It is my experience that people who have attitude cartoons posted in or around their workplace usualy mean what the cartoon says.
You want to make fun of your bosses, fine, just don't expect them to treat you nicely.

It all depends on your repoire with your boss. I called my boss an egotistical fascist on Wednesday, and she laughed hysterically. In context, it was funny, as she had accidentally called herself a fascist earlier (trying to say fashion conscious), and then jokingly remarked that her favorite person in the organization was herself. Hence, calling my boss an egotistical fascist and not getting fired.

There's nothing inherently bombastic about the strip. It's a humorous observation that upper management seems to be out of touch with the real needs of the employees, and the employees have to spend their time fixing problems developed by people who don't realize just what needs to happen because they just don't know how the office runs at the lower levels. It's true everywhere (I work at a school, and I can verify that the administration creates some pretty stupid policies that we have to implement because they don't realize the negative effects the policies may have).

That, and if you announce that the workplace is shutting down and everyone is fired, you're probably not looking at shiny happy employees. Obviously people are going to be pissed at the management. If a Dilbert cartoon is the worst that happened, shit, those are some passive employees. I'd be jumping up on desks calling out all the managers on their bullshit and every single mistake they'd ever made.

People getting all upset over a cartoon... I thought that only happened in the middle east.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
0
0
Originally posted by: FoBoT
i thought lemurs were from Madagascar , not Iowa

Only from Madagascar and are really small. Think they're even matriarchies (just had Anthropology mid-term;)).

Don't have much to say about the story itself. Managers need to get some balls if they can't take a comic strip.
 

jagec

Lifer
Apr 30, 2004
24,442
6
81
Originally posted by: angminas
Publicly posting a hateful comic strip ...
Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

Shens. You're on the internet, there's no WAY your skin is that thin, or that you are so unaware of the world that you consider vanilla-pudding Dilbert to be "hateful" and too coarse for public viewing.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,055
12,245
136
Originally posted by: jagec
Originally posted by: angminas
Publicly posting a hateful comic strip ...
Dilbert comics are meant to be enjoyed in privacy.

Shens. You're on the internet, there's no WAY your skin is that thin, or that you are so unaware of the world that you consider vanilla-pudding Dilbert to be "hateful" and too coarse for public viewing.

It's a well-known fact that Scott Adams is a misogynistic anti-Semite Marxist Socialist who includes subliminal message in his comics!
 

angminas

Diamond Member
Dec 17, 2006
3,331
26
91
Originally posted by: Throckmorton

You are pathetic. For your whole life you will be treated poorly by management, then you will die a pathetic man, and you'll probably feel good about it because on some level you believe you were born to be a slave to others.

You're completely wrong about me. You were even warned by my sig that you can't read my mind. Toss in insulting me simply because you disagree with me? F-

A lot of folks are missing the point. What NET OVERALL good did posting the comic do? People got pissed and someone got fired. Do you think the man's friends were still laughing when they saw him get canned? Do you think management was reformed and the workplace made better? Do you think misunderstandings were clarified and strong new working relationships were formed? How do you think his family felt? That Dilbert strip is very true and some would find it funny, but making wise communication choices isn't just about whether something is true or funny or convenient. I don't see how posting a comic is some kind of laudable progressive heroic act, especially in a company where this firing could be reasonably predicted to happen.

This doesn't mean management is always right, or anywhere near it (and I find it very sad that I have to specifically clarify that in a forum filled with intelligent people), but it does mean that when your car won't start, you don't fix it with a baseball bat. You go in there and get your hands dirty. We would look at baseball bat man with scorn as he tries to fix his problem with attacking and negativity...why is it so ultra cool to post a nasty comic? As if it did any more good or took any more guts than the bat thing.

For reference, Dilbert is one of my favorite comics. That particular one is nastier than most. When it's used as a weapon, it becomes very personal and hateful, and it's sure as heck not like it makes things better. Surely we can do better than that! If not, we are just as bad as the management who inspired the comic in the first place.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
58,055
12,245
136
Originally posted by: angminas
A lot of folks are missing the point. What NET OVERALL good did posting the comic do? People got pissed and someone got fired. Do you think the man's friends were still laughing when they saw him get canned? Do you think management was reformed and the workplace made better? Do you think misunderstandings were clarified and strong new working relationships were formed? How do you think his family felt?

What NET OVERALL good did them firing him do? Do you think it was good for company morale? Do you think it confirmed his co-workers beliefs that the company was being managed by incompetent Pointy-Haired Bosses (or drunken lemurs, as the case may be)?
People like those doing the firing are the ones who ruin it for everyone.
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,853
1,048
126
Originally posted by: MmmSkyscraper
Originally posted by: razor2025
Inability to take criticism is a sure sign of a bad manager/supervisor.

QFT.

criticism != butt of a joke

Not even close. We all know the intention and it was not simple criticism. I'm sure if you were in any kind of position of authority, you'd love for your grunts to gather up, point, and laugh - and for all to see. Not acceptable. He should be reprimanded (although not necessarily in this way) in some form. Just saying "learn to take a joke" after the fact is not an excuse. For that, all I could say is learn professionalism.
 

MmmSkyscraper

Diamond Member
Jul 6, 2004
9,475
1
76
Originally posted by: rh71
Not even close. I'm sure if you were in any kind of position of authority, you'd love for your grunts to gather up, point, and laugh - and for all to see. Not acceptable. He should be reprimanded (although not necessarily in this way) in some form. Just saying "learn to take a joke" after the fact is not an excuse. For that, all I could say is learn professionalism.

When I had grunts, we took the piss out of each other royally. I'd probably have been the first to put a Dilbert cartoon up on the wall. Damn, I had a Dilbert desk calendar which I'd pass around each day.

That company were looking for an excuse to can people and they fucked up. Don't have a notice board if you don't want the staff putting stuff on it. I bet it got loads of use otherwise, displaying all the legal BS they have to display and nothing else.