"Air America" bumper sticker incident: Supervisor may have been joking.

[Eric J in MN]

Regarding the incident in San Diego County, California:

The supervisor who told a woman that she was fired for her "Air America" bumper-sticker may have meant it as a joke.

The supervisor, Beverly Fath, called Linda Laroca a "the Monday after the weekend incident to ask Laroca why she was not at work... Laroca...did not respond."

If this was a joke, it wasn't a funny one. I wouldn't appreciate it if someone joked to me that since I like Air America, I could be Al Qaeda.

There are two possibilities: Beverly Fath was joking at the time. Or that she was serious about firing Linda Laroca and told later that she can't fire someone for a bumper-sticker.

I have a low opinion of Beverly Fath's remark, even if was meant as a joke.

But I also have a low opinion of Linda Laroca's decision to proceed by seeking money from a lawsuit instead of earning her money by going back to work.

http://www.speakspeak.org/speak-blog/2006/03/11/update-regarding-woman-allegedly-fired-for-air-america-bumper-sticker/

UPDATE: I've been informated that Linda Laroca got another job. I respect her more in light of that.

[neuvocat]

1. Sort of like Ann Coulter

when she was "joking" about poisoning a supreme court justice. Its all serious until they start getting in trouble, then its a "joke".

[Eric J in MN]

3. The supervior's remarks were tacky either way.

But I'm less sympathetic towards the woman with the AAR bumper sticker after finding out that she could have returned to work but chose not to.

[IChing]

34. You don't get it nigger, We's was just joking now get back to work.

The management knew that the supervisor had broken California law but the trust had been broken and the action was illegal.
They would have found an excuse to fire her later when the media heat had simmered down whenthey should have fired the supervisor immediately to prove their sincerity to the law.

"I didn't realize you were black and you are fired" is the same according to California Law as her "political beliefs".

[rucky]

2. "Kidding on the square"

as Franken puts it.

[CAcyclist]

4. I don't have a low opinion of Linda at all

I would never,ever work again for someone who summarily fires me and then later asks why I'm not at work. I'd want that person to pay for my emotional distress. I personally wouldn't sue, because sueing to me would be just as stressful as going back to work for this person, but I'd do a lot of bad-mouthing.

[meti57b]

5. That's a ruse. Say anything you want and when it comes back on you ......

just say you were joking.

Or maybe the stupid boss figured out she couldn't get someone else to do the high level of work for the salary she was paying.

[raysr]

6. Or maybe say you "forgot"

that something like that would be hurtful, it's working for Libby. If had a chance to sue a puke for money I'd take everything they had, even their kid's clothes, their food, everything.

[SHRED]

7. Sticker Wars

http://www.am1360klsd.com/pages/whats_happening.html?feed=126318&article=415964?feed=126318&article=415964

[f-bush]

8. Bullshit

She has every right to seek a lawsuit and monetary damages. It is the only thing these redneck motherfuckers will respond to.

It takes lawsuits sometimes to make policy.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. So this person is saying she should let her boss treat her like shit

and go back to work as if nothing happened?

Yeah riiiiight. :eyes:

[Eric J in MN]

11. I'm saying that most jobs have bad aspects to them.

She could have returned to work and told her supervisor she was upset and also told her supervisor's boss she was upset.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. It's not like they messed up her paycheck

or forgot to give her a potty break.

This is about free speech and RWers who think they are in charge. I applaud this woman for standing up for her rights.

[SHRED]

13. and be looked at as a hanky wringer?

C'mon...get real.
They'll just talk about her when she walks away as a typical "bleedingheart liberal".
I know because this is San Diego County...where I live.

The hell with that boss.
Hit them in the only place they respond to here in RED county...the wallet.

[King Coal]

15. Eric, rethink your position.

Denying free speech is not merely a "bad aspect" of a job.

[Eric J in MN]

18. She wasn't ordered to remove her bumper sticker.

She could have tried to resolve the issue of the tacky remarks within the company before turning to the courts.

[salin]

21. tacky remarks... = "your fired?"

the comments about the joke - came later - so as the employee experienced it she was fired which seems a little more than just takcy remarks or behavior.

How many people show up for work the next work day after they have been fired? Should that be sop just to find out whether or not one was *really* fired? :shrug:

[Eric J in MN]

23. I'm saying that after she was called and told it was a joke

she should have returned to work.

[salin]

33. gotcha - misunderstood ya

while I see your point... not sure about that - rather depends on the work context before the remark (as in whether or not I believed it had been a joke.)

[joefree1]

25. Not just saying "you're fired" ...

From one of the articles ...

Laroca's suit claims that Fath also told the woman she could be a member of al-Qaida, then allegedly followed up with, "I am going to just have to fire you."

[boobooday]

10. I think the supervisor was way out of line

And I would not want to work for someone who thought it was "funny" to compare me to Al Qaida because I listen to AAR. Definitely a hostile environment. And she let Laroca walk away thinking she was fired, apparently. For a bumper sticker. And left her free to stew about it all weekend? The supervisor is an idiot.

I think Laroca is right to sue. The supervisor's joke revealed prejudice, and smacked of intimidation.

[Nutmegger]

14. It wasn't a joke

This is what they do. It's all fun and games until it becomes serious. Screw 'em all.

:mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr:
:grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad:
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:grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad::grr::mad:

[sandyd921]

16. We don't know the whole story

You say you "have a low opinion of Linda Laroca's decision to proceed by seeking money from a lawsuit instead of earning her money by going back to work.". We don't know all the facts of this case. There could have been a long-term pattern of harrassment by this supervisor and this was the last straw for Linda Laroca. Without all the details of the case...

[SharonRB]

20. It couldn't have been very long term

She had only worked there for three weeks. I heard her story twice yesterday -- on Franken and on Ed's show. When I heard it the second time, I heard about the fact that the boss called her Monday and wondered why she wasn't at work and then said she was kidding. Either she was covering her butt when she realized she couldn't fire her, or she really was kidding. I realized this may have been blown out of proportion, but either way, the boss was out of line for saying Linda might be part of Al Qaeda.

[Eric J in MN]

24. You seem to be the only one who agrees with me so far (nt)

nt

[SharonRB]

37. I don't disagree or agree with you, but I'd at least give the boss the

benefit of the doubt until all the facts are presented. Either she's telling the truth and was just kidding, or she realized she/the company could be sued and she's covering her butt. In either case, she was wrong to say what she did.

[Eric J in MN]

22. It's possbile, but neither of the North County Times articles

on this case mention any other incidents.

If it turns out there were other incidents, I may change my position.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/03/09/news/sandiego/20_24_273_8_06.txt

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/03/11/news/top_stories/22_00_163_10_06.txt

[freethought]

17. One big whole in Mrs. Faith's claim here.

I have read a few posts and articles on this incident. And from what I read Mrs. Faith simply said "You're fired." and walked away. A "Hey, just a joke!" or a "Just kidding!" would have avoided this whole mess. If I was Mrs. Laroca
, I would not have taken it as a joke either and would have been equally as shocked.

More than likely Mrs. Faith was read the riot act by her own superiors when she told them her reasoning for firing Mrs. Laroca Knowing perfectly well the company could get sued and be subject to unwanted publicity. Mrs. Faith's bosses probably told her to spin it as a joke in hopes of avoiding a legal tangle and bad publicity.

My two cents anyway.

[Eric J in MN]

27. It's not a completely horrible company if Beverly Fath was sincere, but

...her bosses told her to recant.

[INdemo]

32. Thats it,thats exactly what happen

my advice,proceed with law suit and dont give those damn Republicans any slack.

[Nikki Stone 1]

41. Freethought, your take on it sounds the most plausible of any

Good post

[joefree1]

19. So I can yell fire in a theater then get three or four days to recant?

I heard Ms. Laroca on Ed Schultz. After the Supervisor told Ms. Laroca she was fired there was an uncomfortable silence after which the supervisor drove off. Doesn't seem like she was joking. The Supervisor just realized she crossed the line by Monday.

But this will all come out in court. We liberals still get our day in court. At least right now we do. Who knows what the legal system will look like next year.

[Catrina]

30. Yes, she also suggested that for all she (the supervisor) knew, Mrs.

Laroca might be working for Al Queda! If a boss said that to me in the climate in which we live, I would take her telling me I was fired seriously, and if she called me back when I didn't show up for work, I would be very suspicious of her ~

I think all such 'accusations' ie, 'you're a traitor' etc. coming from the rightwing should always have been taken seriously and those issueing them, sued. Accusing someone of treason is accusing them of a crime punishable by death. They should have been forced to prove their accusations in court, made to pay for them and had this happened, we would have had far less of this kind of hateful rhetoric.

Let Mrs. Laroca's decision to sue them be a lesson to all freeper types that they better have proof before they make accusations against US citizens who dare to exercise their right to disagree with the government ~

I am glad she is doing this ~ the Dixie Chicks and others should have done it also. For proof of the false claims made against them, they had only to go to freeperville ~

Good for her, and too bad for the freeper boss who now says it was a joke. And btw, Justice Stephens might want to consider suing Ann Coulter for her little 'joke' ~ since Homeland Security doesn't view a death threat against a federal judge by a rightwinger in the same way they would were it a liberal threat against a rightwing judge.

[LincolnMcGrath]

Sleep with me now or look for another job lady!

Just Kidding

[movonne]

26. I heard her on the radio yesterday and she has another job..

[Eric J in MN]

28. OK, I'll update that.

nt

[tjwash]

29. Oh, she means sort of like calling someone that's slightly overweight...

...a "fat disgusting fuck" and then when they punch your lights out, you lie sobbing on the floor crying that "I was only joking, sheez". :eyes:

[Rainscents]

31. Supervisor was NOT joking

at the time when she said "You're fired" to Linda... Supervisor knows, she F%#K UP by firing her and she had to make up story to cover her ass!

[jean]

35. Sam Seder interviewed Laroca and her attorney yesterday

Laroca took another job after this incident, was laid off and is scheduled to start yet ANOTHER job on Monday.

Her attorney has filed the paperwork for this lawsuit and is waiting for response. He said this incident broke many of California's workers rights laws.

The 'you're fired' comment was said with such seriousness and finality, Laroca took it to mean just that: She was fired. Since she'd had a recent favorable review and they made no complaints about her performance, her attorney believes they wanted her 'back' so she could be set up and fired in a way that would take the company out of legal jeopardy.

[monobrau]

36. Bullshit

There are lots of great folks in San Diego, (I have relatives down there) But it is swarming with jingo pigs, just like any military town. Interestingly enough, my Marine officer brother-in-law is against the Iraq invasion and thinks we abandoned Afghanistan.

[Kerrytravelers]

38. Linda explained why she didn't go back with Sam Sedar on AA yesterday.

How can she trust them? If she was fired over a bumper sticker, who is to say that they wouldn't take the time to cook up something else to fire her over to get around the lawsuit? I don't blame her at all, actually. I believe her reasoning makes perfect sense. :)

[Generic Other]

39. I think the company should pay her for the emotional distress inflicted

And their supervisors need some labor-relations training.

Christ on a Triscuit!

[The Gunslinger]

40. I had jokes like that at my job.

The day of the election A big boss from Corporate was in town and we had a meeting. He asked Who voted for Kerry. a couple of us raised our hands(not a lot It was in N.C.) When we did. The Big boss said to us "Your fired" We never got fired, but he never said he was joking either.

[xxqqqzme]

42. Laroca said in an interview, when asked why she

didn't go back to work when her old job was offered, why would I go back to work in a place that clearly didn't want me there. They were only doing it because the firing was illegal. Would you go back to work after being treated like that?

Like I said before - where this happened - Vista, CA is a spawl bedroom community filled 2 overflowing w/ fundie rong wingers. Some of the most racist, homophobic, narrow minded people I have ever met came from there. I know there are other voices but believe me they are in the minority.