Disgruntled (Former) Corporate Lawyer

There is burning bridges, there is napalming them, and then there is this.

Gold Star.

Comments

[Mr. Kruger]

I'm not sure whose burning whose bridge. I assume this was punishment for getting knocked up so the memo seems justified. Term 4e, anti-dis rule, looks Supreme Court-worthy to me.

[Babu]

Is crying at work reasonable justification for termination? There are a few people I work with who cry on a regular basis (currently hiding in my cube to avoid one of them now).

[jackie]

"Is crying at work reasonable justification for termination?"

It's a reasonable justification for putting a foot up someone's ass.

1) Nothing, and I mean nothing, at work is that deep that you should be crying about it.

2) If it is something personal, and it is bringing you to tears, go home, you have no business being at work.

Crying at work is pretty much completely unacceptable.

[jackie]

I really like this one too, noted in the comments to link in post...

Looks like Paul Hastings is 2 for 2. Remember this gem from a few years back?

From: [REDACTED] Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 1:11 PM Subject: FW: Goodbye…

As many of you are aware, today is my last day at the firm. It is time for me to move on and I want you to know that I have accepted a position as “Trophy Husband”. This decision was quite easy and took little consideration. However, I am confident this new role represents a welcome change in my life and a step up from my current situation. While I have a high degree of personal respect for PHJW as a law firm, and I have made wonderful friendships during my time here, I am no longer comfortable working for a group largely populated by gossips, backstabbers and Napoleonic personalities. In fact, I dare say that I would rather be dressed up like a pinata and beaten than remain with this group any longer. I wish you continued success in your goals to turn vibrant, productive, dedicated associates into an aimless, shambling group of dry, lifeless husks.

May the smoke from any bridges I burn today be seen far and wide.

Respectfully submitted,

[Assman]

Crying at work is pretty much completely unacceptable.

If you're a guy. Estrogen, I hear, is a motherfucker.

Post-miscarriage (as well as post-partem, during pregnancy, etc.), with all those hormones rushing in and out, it's not always up to them. They're liable to start crying over anything, and for no reason.

Or so I'm told.

[Faith]

Indeed, Assman.

Until any of you men have to have your uterus scraped in a D&C procedure, and then return to work while dealing with (a) the loss of a child and (b) the change your body goes through from being pregnant and then suddenly NOT being pregnant anymore, you can keep the comments about crying at work to yourself.

I got the idea that she was crying when she was terminated. I got fired from my last job and it made me cry, mostly because of the bullshit reason I was fired over. IMO, when one is fired for bullshit reasons, it makes it hard to not react in some way. In my case (as is the case for many women), I cry when I get fucked over like that.

I've never seen a male colleague get fired, so I don't know how they usually react. But if you'd tell me it was with all manner of proper decorum and respect for the person/company firing them, I'd think you might not be completely telling the truth.

[Babu]

Nah, the person I was referring to cries when her car gets a flat tire, a pipe bursts at her house, her kid gets sick, someone has a heated discussion with her, or if just the daily grind of being a human being is too tough for her.

I know estrogen makes you cry, but if you feel it coming on, GTFO of the office. This isn't your bedroom, this isn't the place for that. I've been through some rough shit over the years, loss of relatives and friends, the ending of relationships, the yankees fucking up every postseason since I've been here, etc...and I have never once, not once, cried here (or at all for that matter). Suck it up people, life is tough.

[Babu]

And one more point, if you are claiming that crying at work is acceptable for women. Lets say men sometimes get raging hard-ons, they don't choose those moments to go wander around work, because if they did, it would make people uncomfortable and embarrass them.

[Ocho Ocho]

Miscarriage is pretty fucked up. I have not cried at work, yet. I have wanted to. I cannot rule out tears or alternatively, a homocidal rampage, if I lose a child and get fired in same week on what I believe to be bogus if not fraudulent grounds.

Actually, I did cry at work when my mother died. I got the call while at work. It was expected but still.

[Assman]

Most people I know find an empty stairwell or something to go cry in. I mean... I know you have to, but hearing that stuff isn't good for the workplace.

[daveNYC]

The classic 'sudden bad performance review'. Bonus points for not actually coming up with any reasons for the bad performance review.

[Itchy]

And one more point, if you are claiming that crying at work is acceptable for women. Lets say men sometimes get raging hard-ons, they don't choose those moments to go wander around work, because if they did, it would make people uncomfortable and embarrass them.

So, you assume that the women who decide to cry at work for whatever reason do so while wandering around the office? Just wandering around wailing like a banshee for all to see?

Dude, I work in an office where the work force is 98% female and I've been there for 12+ years....not once have I seen women just wandering around the halls crying. Not once. If/when it occurs, it's behind closed doors.

We may be emotional at times, but the majority of us can still be professional at the same time. I don't want anyone seeing me cry at work any more than I want to see anyone else crying at work. But shit happens and it normally doesn't wait 'til after 5pm to do so.

[Faith]

Ok, again in my case, I tried to stop it from happening...I did. It was useless. My boss that fired me left and told me to feel free to take the time needed to compose myself and closed the door behind him. I took 5 minutes in there, and then went to the bathroom to wash my face. 5 minutes later, I was still not able to compose myself to what I thought was a satisfactory level of presentation. So I left the office out the back door, and went home to calm down.

I agree that crying out in the open in the office is not something anyone sees as professional. Which is why I do it in an office, or in the bathroom, or leave if need be. But like Itchy said, it's not like we're talking about walking through the office halls wailing at the top of our lungs here. It's an emotional reaction to a bullshit situation that I'm talking about here. They happen, we deal with it accordingly.

And if you tell me that a man getting a hard on is the same goddammed thing as a woman crying over her losing her job for bullshit reasons, then I'd see this discussion as officially being closed.