Racism allegation at work

[Ticklemelmo]

Without outing I know someone that made a genuine mistake at the beginning of the year by putting something unintentionally racist in a work social media group, someone of colour in the group said it wasn't appropriate, and the person I know apologised directly straight away because they didn't realise.
Months later and a week into the BLM coming out they've come back and accused that person and several others of racism in the work place.

I can't speak for the others impacted by the racist allegations, but this person is now going through a disciplinary with a potential of dismissal?

Aibu to think that this is completely unfair? Anyone work in HR who has dealt with this and can give some expection of outcome.

Of course things can be reported after the fact. Should black people just take casual racism in the chin the way women wised to have to put up with sexism at work? Or should it be called out EVERY single time it happens?
Your friend sounds at best a bit dim.

It interests me what firms’ policy is on reports of an employee’s private social media. Dh had this situation at work with an employee and the boss just didn’t know what to do. It was not racism, but the bugbear of the Feminist threads....

I don’t know where the line is crossed when an opinion or joke or whatever is “private”. Is nothing private these days? And also, even in a work situation, there is a gap between an intentional comment and a mistake, eg someone upthread using the phrase “sold down the river”. Gosh, I’m sure I’ve used this and had absolutely no idea it was offensive. I’m sure most people wouldn’t either. To be disciplined for this would be mortifying and very unfair.

Just to clear things up, my member of staff did NOT use the office photocopier - someone else left it on his desk (we don't know who). There were several POC, but the cartoon would only have meant something to him. The other POC just thought it was funny. But as far as I was concerned, one person WAS offended, so we had to take action. The offender was mortified and had never given any hint of being racist, and I was pretty sure it was a genuine mistake.

Is nothing private these days?

Not on social media. The clue is in the name.

Dh had this situation at work with an employee and the boss just didn’t know what to do. It was not racism, but the bugbear of the Feminist threads....

Transphobia being called out as well?!
Oh no, who'd have thunk it
How about not being bloody racist or transphobic in the first place and then you won't get pulled up on it!
It's almost like people can't get away with shit anymore and say what they like about people. Oh no

Pressed too soon
Just so much wow

It interests me what firms’ policy is on reports of an employee’s private social media

Erm.... social media ISN'T private. Very naive if you think so.

Of course it’s not private. But it is interesting what might constitute valid reporting and how far a company’s obligations (or interference) extend.

We don't know all the facts as has been stated before, but making a complaint belatedly is not something we should criticise, I think. Do we think that Rolf Harris's actions were any less because the complaints and then court case were years later?

Of course it’s not private

That's not what you originally said, you said the exact opposite - we backtracking?

you said on reports of an employee’s private social media so must think on some level it's private and you can put whatever the heck you like on social media whether it be racist/transphobic as it's "private" - um, no. It isn't.
Also you say valid reporting - if you (general you) can't see if or when they're being bigoted, who are they to say whether they are being so or not?
A racist for example would swear down they are never racist as they have black friends or whatever, they didn't mean it that way but doesn't stop them from doing it again
So yes, people are calling it out more, we shouldn't discriminate or joke about someone's race, I can't understand why anyone would be OK with that.

Eh? I don’t know why my musings are attracting your ire. I most certainly have not in any way implied that putting anything offensive anywhere is acceptable. I was wondering about employer involvement. If someone says “men cannot become women” on their private sm, that may be offensive to some individuals, but maybe not their employer’s business.

I am on no social media (apart from MN) so don’t try and make out that this has anything whatsoever to do with me or my opinions.