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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask an HR person on here a question?

36 replies

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:13

If you have been reported by an outside source to your company about something you’ve posted online - racist (use of n-word”, highly misogynistic, referring to women as “bitches” and saying you manipulate them to “get pussy” 🤮🤮

How long typically does an investigation take for it to be concluded? Would this be serious? Is it common for a person to be put on leave during the investigation?

OP posts:
squashyhat · 22/08/2025 17:44

And you are allowed to say rape on here.

NotsosunnyShropshire · 22/08/2025 17:40

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:39

They also laughed about someone being r*ped and said they’d do it again. Is that ok?

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No one is saying that any of this is ok. That is not what you asked.

Original poster
Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:39

5128gap · 22/08/2025 17:34

Its not that they necessarily wouldn't care, its just that employee protections mean they are restricted with regards to how far they can stray into employees private lives. There are usually policies about bringing the company into disrepute, but this relies on an ability to link the disreputable act with the workplace. There will also be policies about committing criminal acts, so if the racism could be defined as illegal then they could act. However the law does not typically allow employers to dismiss their staff for expressing views they may disagree with in their personal lives.

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They also laughed about someone being r*ped and said they’d do it again. Is that ok?

OP posts:
5128gap · 22/08/2025 17:34

Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:27

That’s crazy that I could say racist comments but my work wouldn’t care because I did it in my own time.

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Its not that they necessarily wouldn't care, its just that employee protections mean they are restricted with regards to how far they can stray into employees private lives. There are usually policies about bringing the company into disrepute, but this relies on an ability to link the disreputable act with the workplace. There will also be policies about committing criminal acts, so if the racism could be defined as illegal then they could act. However the law does not typically allow employers to dismiss their staff for expressing views they may disagree with in their personal lives.

Original poster
Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:27

5128gap · 22/08/2025 17:24

Depends on whether there was a clear link with the company or not. If it was on personal SM with no mention of employer, so no links unless you fished for them, it's much less serious from an employment perspective than if you do it while representing the company in some way. They may well suspend while investigating, this isnt unusual and isnt a sanction or sign they will find misconduct.
If you're the complainant, you probably won't hear the investigation outcome due to confidentiality/GDPR for the employee. So it may have been concluded already.

That’s crazy that I could say racist comments but my work wouldn’t care because I did it in my own time.

OP posts:
5128gap · 22/08/2025 17:24

Depends on whether there was a clear link with the company or not. If it was on personal SM with no mention of employer, so no links unless you fished for them, it's much less serious from an employment perspective than if you do it while representing the company in some way. They may well suspend while investigating, this isnt unusual and isnt a sanction or sign they will find misconduct.
If you're the complainant, you probably won't hear the investigation outcome due to confidentiality/GDPR for the employee. So it may have been concluded already.

CoffeeFluff · 22/08/2025 17:24

I am a HR Director. Policy aside, my common sense view would be to speak to the employee to make them aware of the complaint, and to ask for their view on it. I wouldn’t go straight into any formal procedure and I wouldn’t suspend them. If, after speaking with them, they said “Yes I did do that” then I would have to consider whether it has brought the company into disrepute and whether it is serious grounds for breaching the company’s moral code of conduct / values. At that point, I may then suspend pending investigation.

Original poster
Poppu · 22/08/2025 17:22

NotsosunnyShropshire · 22/08/2025 17:17

What is the company social media policy? Does the person state on their profile where they work or what they do for a living?

Don’t know their policy but it was on YouTube (just a voice recording no face) but the channel is in their full name and their photo is a professional headshot (it’s the company one but doesn’t identify said company)

OP posts:
SunnyD4ys · 22/08/2025 17:20

Id hope that sort of thing is so unusual that there's no such measure as a typical time for an investigation or any kind of common approach across all employers. I'm not even sure how there could be, wouldn't each case be unique?

lotsofpatience · 22/08/2025 17:18

People who use the AIBU just for traffic should be banned.

NotsosunnyShropshire · 22/08/2025 17:17

What is the company social media policy? Does the person state on their profile where they work or what they do for a living?