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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think sacking someone for drinker idiocy at the Christmas party is a bit harsh?

105 replies

andapartridgeinaRowantree · 21/12/2012 23:06

DH works for a company which put on an annual Christmas shebang with free drinks all night. It's for staff and big clients.

A colleague got drunk and was warned a couple of times to calm down.

He then did the caterpillar and cracked his two front teeth.

Returned to work and was told to pack his desk. He was not a permanent staff member.

Is it me or is this a bit harsh?

OP posts:
CurrentBun · 21/12/2012 23:07

Yes, very harsh but then as he's not a permanent member of staff I can kind of see why they did it.

VivaLeBeaver · 21/12/2012 23:08

I think it's harsh. It happened to an ex colleague of mine years ago. We were both a bit drunk and snuck out together up to my hotel room. He was a temp and was told to clear his desk the next week. I never saw him again, felt bad.

DeepPurple · 21/12/2012 23:08

I suppose it depends if it was the straw that broke the camel's back or if it was the only thing.

If it was the only thing then it's a bit harsh. Although, I suppose it depends what the job is.

Catsdontcare · 21/12/2012 23:08

Sorry can't stop laughing at did the caterpillar and cracked two front teeth

YDdraigGoch · 21/12/2012 23:09

And the motto is..... Never mix booze with work.

SantasENormaSnob · 21/12/2012 23:10

Clients were there and he was warned more than once.

Not surprised he's sacked.

WhoPutTheDickOnTheSnowman · 21/12/2012 23:10

I don't think so really if this is an event that entertains clients.

If your revenue depends on your clients seeing you as professional etc mixing socially can be a big benefit to that. Poor caterpillar chap would have been giving his boss the anger by completely letting the side down after repeated warnings. He should have gone home.

It is very close to Christmas and he was temp staff so I can see it is perfectly legit. He needs to learn hoe to behave in that sort of environment. Your clients can dick about but you can't.
I do feel really sorry for him but he brought it on himself.

Chubfuddler · 21/12/2012 23:10

The fact clients were there and he was warned to chill and didn't make it not harsh in my view. Whatever the caterpillar is, sounds like he was being a bit of a prat.

Catsdontcare · 21/12/2012 23:10

I'm guessing if he got warned a couple of times to calm down then he was being a real dick and getting people's nerves.

Catsdontcare · 21/12/2012 23:11

Oh just saw it's for clients too. In that case not harsh at all.

Pantomimedam · 21/12/2012 23:11

Bit harsh although depends on the big clients - if they are not impressed, makes the company look bad. He had been warned...

Original poster
andapartridgeinaRowantree · 21/12/2012 23:13

Caterpillar is the beak dance move where you go down on the floor on your chest.

I think there was a circle of people dancing, he tried to show off his killer move, and ended up leaving the dance floor covered in blood.

He does have a family though so can't help bit feeling it is very unseasonable! (See what I did there...)

OP posts:
ZZZenAgain · 21/12/2012 23:13

What is the caterpillar?

ZZZenAgain · 21/12/2012 23:14

Oh sorry crossed posts. Bit harsh IMO

BettySuarez · 21/12/2012 23:18

Please tell me that the clients were Japenese Grin

Perfect comedy sketch right there Grin

DewDr0p · 21/12/2012 23:18

I think the presence of clients makes a huge difference to this. If he's embarrassed the company and not stopped even after a couple of warnings then I'm not really surprised he's been sacked.

Our Christmas dos were always a client free zone Grin

WhoPutTheDickOnTheSnowman · 21/12/2012 23:25

Breaking his teeth made me cringe and I felt really bad that he would now have dental bills and no Christmas money...until I remembered that he totally did this to himself.

I really hope he can get his teeth fixed and isn't hurt over the holiday though.

notsofrownieface · 21/12/2012 23:27

Did he bring the company into disrepute? If not very harsh. If so then rod, own back springs to mind.

lurkedtoolong · 21/12/2012 23:32

Not harsh at all. Clients were there, he was told at least twice to calm down but instead his behaviour was so bad that he injured himself. If he was a permanent member of staff I might have had more sympathy.

Beaverfeaver · 21/12/2012 23:34

I would say very harsh.
2 members of staff showed the female MD of our company pictures of their erect penis on their phones and no more has been said of it since!

NatashaBee · 21/12/2012 23:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

thecook · 21/12/2012 23:46

Very unreasonable. The poor buggdr. What twattish bosses.

SecretSantaFix · 21/12/2012 23:47

If a company lays on a Christmas do they need to make it clear if it is a social thing or a business thing.

If there are clients present it has to be approached as a business thing and not social. Poor bugger, but company still needs to shoulder some of the blame.

cornycarrotshack · 21/12/2012 23:48

poor bloke

cheekybaubles · 21/12/2012 23:53

Blimey, not like he did a T.Rex is it?

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