All businesses should have an Employee Handbook, handed out to each new hire as they "come on board" - and at the end of each handbook, there usually is a page that asks the new hire to sign and turn it in to the HR Dept. attesting to the fact that they (the new hire) actually read the handbook and understood what the handbook said.
One of three things happened...
#1.) Said hire didn't really read the handbook, signed the paper, handed it in and became another "company clam" - causing no problems and pretended they were a little mushroom...locked away in their dark little cubicle, higher-ups shoveling more 5hit on them and they, not complaining...
#2.) Said hire didn't really read the handbook, brought in the flag, hung it on a pole in their area, another non-reader of the handbook took matters into their own hands, removed said flag and then...the fight was on...
#3.) Said hire read the handbook and found NOTHING in the handbook that addressed personal decorations (limits and the like) in their work-spaces. Offended co-worker crossed the line by taking said flag and pole down and disrespectfully laying the flag on the ground...hospital reacted in a totally unprofessional manner and now has egg sprayed all over everyone 'cause someone forgot to turn off the "
PR Fan" that was left on "Hot and Heavy" ...
The way this SHOULD have been handled was both parties should have been brought into the HR office, sat down and required to write out their grievance against one another...then HR should have had a few meetings to reach the compromise to keep civility within the work area and issued any Disciplinary Actions, where required and backed up by company WRITTEN policy...
IMMEDIATELY, HR should have then gone back, researched and lawyer-proofed the addendum that would have then gone out outlining in distinct and exacting language as to what's appropriate for decorations in the employees' immediate and personal work area, including limitations regarding excess BO and perfume and related minutia...
Hospital - 51% responsible for not having all the bases covered and reacting too late and inappropriately...
Flag H8r - 25% responsible for reacting inappropriately to the situation...
Flag Lover - 24% responsible for not going to HR to resolve the issue...
Unless it can be demonstrated that the flag and pole constituted a health and/or safety issue in the immediate area, the Flag H8R and HR reacted way out of line...
MO!
